Aggressive Guide Dog

[ruthless]

There's a partially sighted lady in my neighbourhood with a guide dog. I often pass them when I'm walking my dogs. I used to pull into driveways, laneways, etc. and stop to let her go by but she said her dog won't move if we're stopped so I give her as wide a berth as possible and keep walking. Her dog lunges at us every time without fail.

Yesterday we met on a corner. I saw her coming and knew I could cross her path and be almost across the road by the time she reached the corner and thought that would be better than meeting head on on a narrow footpath. Her dog went schitzo and nearly pulled her onto the road.

Surely guide dogs aren't supposed to be reactive like that

[SezzNJunebug]

That sounds like trouble waiting to happen. Maybe email the guide dogs to enquire?

So many things could go wrong in that situations!

Edited September 30, 2011 by Sezz

[Stolzseinrotts]

I would be contacting Guide Dogs NSW and letting them know of the situation.

This is potentially a very dangerous situation for all involved.

And no Guide Dogs are not supposed to be reactive like that, there is something very wrong going on there!

Edited September 30, 2011 by Stolzseinrotts

[Staff'n'Toller]

Perhaps she thinks if she sends it back due to problems they will blame her or that she may not get another one if they can't fix the existing dog's problems?

[ruthless]

Could it be that she just put the gear on an untrained dog though? I've never really stopped to see it there was anything official looking about what the dog was wearing.

[megan_]

Guide dogs can be privately trained - this dog might not have come from Guide Dogs NSW. My understanding is that guide dogs don't need to be accredited (you can be asked to show accredidation and rejected from a place if you can't prove your dog is accredited).

[kiesha09]

Could you ask her? Just say that you're worried about the situation. Better to do that and risk her getting upset about it that to regret not saying anything if something happened to her because of her reactive guide dog.

[ruthless]

Not really, cause any time I see her it's when I have my dogs, so I can't go near her.

[Jigsaw]

You can speak to the local ranger, they may know the dog and person or speak to the lady herself and say you're worried for her safety. Dog could get into a fight and she could be bitten or knocked over. If she is with Guide Dogs they would definitely want to know if it's one of theirs. If you can pinpoint the area they should be able to check if they have any dogs in the area or not.

[Dxenion]

Guide dogs can be privately trained - this dog might not have come from Guide Dogs NSW. My understanding is that guide dogs don't need to be accredited (you can be asked to show accredidation and rejected from a place if you can't prove your dog is accredited).

The number one guideline for all service dogs (guide, hearing and assistance dogs) is that they must not show any signs of aggression.

This is the link to the Victorian State Legislation covering guide and hearing dogs and guide and hearing dogs in training which have full rights of access under state law.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/daa1994163/s7.html

(4) Despite anything in any other Act or subordinate instrument a visually

impaired person, hearing impaired person or person training a guide dog may,

at all times and in all places, be accompanied by a dog kept and used, or

trained by him or her as a guide dog.

Megan, privately trained service dogs are not required to be accredited in Victoria. There is state legislation protecting the rights of access for a person accompanied by an assistance dog in accommodation, but in all other areas assistance dogs are covered by the federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

[wolfgirl]

Is the dog in harness? Prospective guide dogs with dog aggression usually fail before they are assigned to a person, another factor could be that this dog has been attacked whilst working and that has led to the aggression, unfortunately this does happen to guide dogs on many occasions thanks to irresponsible owners If the latter is the case the dog is usually returned to the centre for retraining and if it can't be trained out another dog would replace it.

It is an extremely dangerous situation for person who isn't fully sighted to be in.

[ruthless]

All I've noticed is it has one of those metal handle things. I guess it would be attached to a harness. I don't think she carries a stick. She usually has two young kids with her [walking to school?] that tell her I'm there.

[wolfgirl]

It's a shame you can't speak to her and ask some questions, her well being could be in jeopardy, definitely from what you describe it is a working dog who has passed all requirements.

One person had their guide dog attacked and never mentioned it, it became fear aggressive and he was so scared they would take the dog off him as they do become very attached to their working dog and it ended up in a nasty accident, I hope this isn't the scenario for this lady

[persephone]

People do train their own dogs , often after their first one - they then use the harness for this dog. ..there is also more than one association training/placing dogs, AFAIK.

PLEASE report it - to rangers, Guide Dogs NSW - someone.

It is dangerous for the owner .. it is dangerous for passersby who instinctively trust a guide dog in harness - and it is detrimental to the image of Guide Dogs everywhere

How sad.

Edited September 30, 2011 by persephone

[tdierikx]

My brother had to purchase his assistance dog's harness from overseas because none of the current bodies would sell him one without him paying them to take his dog and train it themselves - and possibly not assign HIS OWN dog back to him. He went the path of using a very wonderful private trainer who helped him train the dog and get his accreditation through other sources - but getting the harness was a big issue, so he had to get it from overseas.

That said - if this lady's dog HAS been assigned to her through an agency like Guide Dogs Aust - then a report to them with as much detail as you know about where she lives, etc, may save her and the dog from something preventable happening in the future...

T.

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

Perhaps she thinks if she sends it back due to problems they will blame her or that she may not get another one if they can't fix the existing dog's problems?

This was my first thought too. But I didn't know guide dogs could be privately trained like tdierikx's example. Whoever has trained this fog I completely agree the situation isn't safe for the owner.

[zara]

Could it be that she just put the gear on an untrained dog though? I've never really stopped to see it there was anything official looking about what the dog was wearing.

She could be subject to a payout or something along those lines, insurance claim etc for her eyesight that isn't as bad as she claims. The dog may be used to justify her condition and look the part?. It sounds highly out of character for a legitimate guide dog to behave in that manner, bit sus in my opinion? Not to misjudge the poor woman if she is genuinely blind and has a dog with temperment issues, but people have been caught before trying on eye sight claims and go to great lengths in their charades?

Edited September 30, 2011 by zara

[Christina]

Go for a walk without your dog. It will be interesting to see how her dog reacts towards you then.

Have a chat with her & ask her where she got the guide dog from. You may have to be a bit subtle & general on how you bring this question up.

When you find out get onto them & if you can't get an appropriate response then maybe have a chat to the ranger.

I don't like people rushing in complaining about a dog that's a pain if it is on a lead & controlled but this is not safe for her especially let alone others.