mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) So is it normal for guide dogs to be dog reactive? There's a visually impaired person that walks around this area with a guide dog, I walk by on the other side of the road and this dog tries desperately to drag him across and has even made me walk into the middle of a busy road so the dog didn't attack mine, it was a blind corner and I had no idea they were coming around. Any way, surely this isn't normal behaviour for a guide dog? Surely he should exchange it for one that won't accidentally drag him into oncoming traffic to attack my Jack Russell? He's had it for about 18 months now and it hasn't improved. Edited July 5, 2012 by mixeduppup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) please alert the NSW guide dog folks!! This is dangerous in the extreme, and definitely NOT acceptable behaviour. alerting/reporting is not 'dobbing'..it is possibly saving a life or two. (P.O.V. of a one time trainer of guide dogs) Edited July 5, 2012 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Nsw guide dogs also talk to seeing eye dogs about reports like this. It might just be a matter of having the handler and dog have a training update and checkup. The associations are very understanding, from my experience of reporting a dog I was concerned about (its general health and toileting). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 he's a really nice guy and seems to love the dog, so i would hate for them to take it off him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 i would hate for them to take it off him ..and if the dog is working in an unsafe manner causing a fall, or worse? No benefit to having a dog and loving it if it puts you in an unsafe position , time & time again! perhaps re training will help ...perhaps. A guide dog is there for a purpose ..to enable safe travel . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Not all dogs are cut out to be guide dogs. They might not take him away. The problem might be easy to fix or the dog might e happy living with another guide dog. Either way please report this as this situation could land up with a dead person and dead dog (and the motorist could be injured too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Maybe if it's failed guide dog they could let him keep it as a pet and give him a non-faulty one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Maybe if it's failed guide dog they could let him keep it as a pet and give him a non-faulty one? ..a lot of GD users are not able, or willing to have a 'pet' dog . GD's are obviously allowed in houses/apartments where pets are not ...and caring for two dogs (what happens when walking a reactive lab with a guide dog as well ???? ) may also NOT be in this person's best interests. Sometimes HEAD must over rule HEART. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 OK, I'll make the call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 :) IF the current GD needs to be withdrawn from work/training - it will be rehomed suitably ... don't worry :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 I was more worried about him, he seems to really love the big slobbering failure of a dog :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-sass Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Perhaps it's not a ligitimate guide dog and is just a pet Lab??. It sounds unlikely for a guide dog not to be neutral to other dogs and not respond to handler command Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 it's a guide dog, I know the guy and the history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 It sounds unlikely for a guide dog not to be neutral to other dogs and not respond to handler command true.... but it does happen , for example if the dog was rushed at ,sometime ..then , of course it has the 'I'll get you first' attitude I 've seen it before ..and often owners , because it has snuck up on them , don't actually realise how bad things are until things are really bad If the dog is NOT a registered GD..then someone needs to help the owner ,regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) I called the Guide Dogs association and they know who i was talking about and the trainer will call back later and ask me more specific question before calling him. Edit: it sounds like they've had another report. Edited July 5, 2012 by mixeduppup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Sometimes, dogs with dog distraction can successfuly get thru training, as they have a competent and professional trainer , and lots of support. When placed with an owner, and moved to a new location .. often previous unacceptable behaviours re emerge, or new bad habits slip in quietly . A lot of owners also neglect ongoing training, and lose some of the enthusiasm/confidence when they are out on their own .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsaremyworld Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have become increasingly disillusioned with the Guide Dogs and Seeing Eye Dog associations over time. I have been a lifelong donater and supporter of the organisations, but will not give them any money any more. I personally know one person who does not need a guide dog, yet has one. The dog is treated as a pet, not a working dog, is obese, has pretty much all of its skills, and the owners of this dog constantly dodge reviews and visits. Considering it costs around $30,000 to train a dog, and the hard work trainers and volunteers put into thier dogs you would think they would be more attentive. The person that has this dog has NO need for it. She was diagnosed as having peripheral sight problems 25 years ago, and since then has had an astonshing 11 guide dogs. Yet, the dog is never in its harness guiding her, and she rarely goes out with the dog, except when she is trying to get into somewhere for free. She can quite happily navigate a crowded dark RSL, or a movie theatre, or frequent parties, or a shopping centre ALL by herself with NO dog and no one else for assistance. She drives a car, does her own shopping, goes to the pub or club to play the pokies, etc, etc, so has absolutely NO need for such a valuable resource, and yet these associations keep giving her these dogs, without thorough observation, and then when she has had enough of one, and I quote 'wants a younger dog around the house' she complains and then they are 'retired' - to god knows what! I also know another person who has one, who claims that the associations training is 'USELESS', so then spends a great portion of his time RETRAINING them, only to then complain to the organisations that they are 'untrained' and they take them back and give him another. I know of another person who genuinely needs a guide dog, whose dog led him into traffic and he was hit by a passing car. Since I have become aware of these sorts of things happening I have heard so many horrific stories about guide dogs, and the way the associations work, and have been left feeling extremely sad and bitter that people out there take advantage of these charities, and the charities seem to have no way of stopping them, and make no attempt to. I would imagine that NO guide dog should be dog aggresive, but after everything i have recently learnt it doesn't suprise me AT all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have become increasingly disillusioned with the Guide Dogs and Seeing Eye Dog associations over time. and maybe now is a good time to bring this to public notice or something, so things improve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 You would be surprised at the number if guide dogs that have behavioural and even heAlth problems. Unfortunately no dog is perfect and sometimes taking a dog away from a handler is more harmful as they do develop a very close bond, even if the dog has health or behavioral faults which the handler recognizes. Dog aggression is obviously not acceptable and guide dogs need to be informed so they can assist with training etc. Unfortunately this dog aggression can be caused by guide dogs frequently being attacked or harassed by off lead dogs and idiotic owners. Pretty much every guide dog owner I've met have had numerous episodes of their dog being attacked by off lead dogs. Most of the dogs are naturAlly submissive but some go on to develop aggressive behaviors such as barking at other dogs, obviously dragging the handler to attack another dog extewme but could result from bad experiences Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsaremyworld Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have become increasingly disillusioned with the Guide Dogs and Seeing Eye Dog associations over time. and maybe now is a good time to bring this to public notice or something, so things improve? That is great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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