Sunday, October 23, 2011

Dogs with Jobs - Guide Dogs WA Open Day

On Saturday we went to the Guide Dogs WA open day to check out the dog shows and talk to some people about their training. My curiosity about them had been reinvigorated by Mr W, who is a Labradoodle guide dog and works with one of my collegues. Mr W has just been matched with his human and he is two and a half, so still puppyish in some ways, but he has a very important job.


I had read a bit about the history of Guide Dogs in Western Australia, and it turns out the first Guide Dogs in the whole of Australia were trained right here in Perth. They were exported to the eastern states, and some even went to New Zealand, as well as being provided to the visually impaired in WA.


We saw the adult dogs ignore a kid kicking a ball right past their noses, heel almost perfectly on the leash even though there were some people in the audience trying to distract them, and do a restrained recall.

I think Barbie would have passed all those tests, but they were similar kinds of tests to the Canine Good Citizen Award which she earned in February of this year. I don't think Barbie would have the mental stamina to do what these dogs are required to do as part of their jobs though.


When they have their harnesses on they are trained to see themselves as 'bigger'. They have to judge obstacles so that their handler can walk unimpeded. They have to look out for narrow openings, potholes, signposts and overhead obstacles as well. They look for traffic (though the human makes the ultimate decision of when to cross the road), and they are trained to refuse the 'forward' command if there is an obstruction or danger. Imagine training a dog to use it's discretion like that!


Volunteer puppy raisers keep the dogs in their homes for the first 18 months to 2 years of their lives. During that time the dogs are taught basic house manners and obedience, and they spend time at the Guide Dogs WA headquarters and get lessons from their trainers. They always need people to do this job and it requires a fair bit of commitment. I know I would feel awful if the dog didn't make the grade in the end, even if it was something to do with the dog's personality or make up.

It would be a great 'job' for someone who loves having young dogs and the challenges that brings. It must be so rewarding to hand the dog over at the end to the human it will be helping!

It was not all serious, we got to pat some 7 month old pups. There was one in particular called Angus who seemed to lead all the other puppies astray! I also got to pat Mr W because he was out of harness for his 'quick quick' break. He has been working in my office for 3 weeks and I haven't even patted him yet.

I think I admire guide dogs so much because they represent a really sophisticated way of a human working with a dog. These dogs are responsible for the safety and mobility of their owners day after day.

Comments (15)

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Those dogs really do wonderful job! And it would be really interesting to know about their training. I hope there is that kind of a day someday here in Finland too (or then there already has been or is going to be but I don't know of it).

-Lilli-
They are such amazing animals and so are the trainers. Teaching obedience and intelligent disobedience at the same time seems like an unbelievable accomplishment.
When I was a kid I kind of wished that I was blind so that I could have a guide dog. Strange I know, but it was the only way I could think of being able to have a dog with me all the time. :-) It's amazing how they help their people in so many ways.
Witty Angel's avatar

Witty Angel · 700 weeks ago

I am fortunate enough to work in Morris County, the home of The Seeing Eye, Inc. which means almost everyone is a puppy raiser. That means I get to play with the puppies that visit the office to learn about behaving in an office environment. I have a lot of respect for the puppy raisers since they have to put up with a lot of chewing, chasing, barking, biting, and peeing before the dogs settle down. Of course, once they are calmer, that's when they go back to The Seeing Eye, Inc. for formal training making room for the next mayhem puppy.
I would have enjoyed that event! Great post!
I am in total awe of guide dogs and the people who train them ... and also their blind owners. So many things we take for granted would be such a challenge for them. This would have been a very interesting and inspiring outing:)
I am always so taken with the partnership between assistance dogs and their handlers, whether it's seeing eye dogs, hearing dogs, or dogs who help those in wheelchairs. It takes a huge amount of devotion and work, on both sides. I greatly admire the training that goes into those dogs and partnerships!
what a great day! Those dogs do such inspiring work – although it was interesting to read that a lot of their test exercises are very similar to the Canine Good Citizen. Actually, Honey was tested and can do all of those exercises too – although, in her case, I think the problem wouldn't be the ability to do the things but rather the motivation to do it – ha ha! It is incredible how they train them to "think" for their owners – what amazing skills their trainers must have!

Hsin-Yi
Absolutely amazing! I am always astounded at the skills these dogs can do and learn. What an interesting time you must have had.
Those dogs and their handlers do a great job! I'm sure that Mum would have loved to have gone to that open day.

Deccy x
I spend most of my time around unruly, recently rescued dogs with poor impulse control--so it would really be something to see these highly-trained creatures doing their work. I can't imagine that amount of training--I'm sure it is beautiful to watch.
Nibs mum answering here :)- Those dogs are amazing :) Sounds like a brilliant open day! In answer to your muzzle question- it's not law here for them to wear muzzles- and until recently Nibs never wore one, as he has no teeth! But now that he is past all his health issues and feeling good, he is getting more bolshy and plays rough, so I keep him on lead/ long line and muzzled when I know there will be other dogs around. I tend to have Ambam muzzled more often- generally if I know there will be other dogs around I muzzle her, but when it's just us I leave it off, though I always have it handy :) Basically, it depends on where we are and on the volume of other dogs in the area.
I hope there is that kind of a day someday here in Finland too (or then there already has been or is going to be but I don't know of it).
nice
The dogs are loyal with their owner, and the special institutes are gives the dogs training to teach the dogs manners and obedience. The lots of institutes are doing the great work and peoples are happy with their service who give training their dog.

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