Community Discussions
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Share your experiences of having a guide dog
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Hi everyone, I'm thinking about starting the process to get a guide dog however I am still on the fence.
Would love to hear about your experiences, the pros and cons and whether you would recommend it.
Thanks in advance!
Top Comment: Hey all, I’ve been a guide dog handler for just over ten years, currently working with my second dog. I just wanted to add a piece I haven’t seen mentioned yet Training with a guide dog means life Lon training, not just training at the school when you receive your dog. I am still convinced my first dog was an absolute angel, but a lot of that was because before coming to me, he was returned to the school by another handler and went back through training a second time. He was a perfect first dog to handle, but not an accurate representation of what consistent training would mean. My current dog was described by her trainer as a hurricane in a harness, and boy is that true lol! With her, our daily obedience training is a must, as well as constantly needing to find challenges for her when she’s working. I also have to remember that because of the imp she is, she will have days when she tests and challenges me. Personally, I love all of this. I adore working my little hurricane and keeping up with her brain. That said, I know some folks who prefer a cane that doesn’t require daily maintenance and doesn’t sass you in public lol! Feel free to reach out if I can help in any way.
Small guide dogs?
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I have a family member in the CO area that is quickly losing her vision. She’s retired, very active, and lives in a very walkable dog-friendly town that is ideal for getting around when the weather permits. She’s an experienced dog owner, and does not use a cane (her vision loss is relatively recent).
Three questions:
- Is there a school that offers smaller breeds? Her apartment is smallish and she also tends to prefer smaller/midsize dogs to bigger pups like labs.
- Is it common for schools to offer vet care financial assistance? She’s on a fixed income so this is definitely a consideration.
- Is it possible to walk with a guide dog and a non-guide dog at the same time? Her current dog is getting older but of course needs his exercise, too, and frankly would be heartbroken to be left behind. He’s a sensitive little guy.
Thank you!
Top Comment: Something you did not ask about but I feel is important to mention is that being proficient with the cane is a must for acquiring a guide dog. A good guide dog handler is an excellent cane user, this is because the skills learned while using a cane are not just about the cane but how to orient yourself in your space. Such skills are a requirement while handling a dog, and in all honesty there are times that the dog is just not the right tool for the job so while I am out it happens where I can't direct my dog to find what I am looking for so I put my dog in a heel and use my cane for a period of time. Additionally there is the fact that our dogs can't work 24/7 and situations come up where they are unable to work for one reason or another, as such having cane skills to fall back on are imperative for our independence in that sense.
A Blind Man’s Thoughts On Guide Dogs And Dogs In General
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So, as the title states, I’m visually impaired, registered blind in the UK. I have between 2-4% of my sight and am a white cane user for context.
One of the most recognisable signs of blindness around the world is the guide dog, (seeing eye dog in the US). They’re highly trained pieces of medical equipment, costing upwards of £60,000 and help many people to navigate the world. However, there are quite a few glaring issues.
Firstly, what if you don’t like dogs? I myself cannot stand them, they smell terrible, they can be extremely unpredictable, are too loud, and invade both your living space and bodily boundaries. In fact, it took me a very long time to admit to myself that I’m actually quite afraid of them, another blind friend of mine has the same issue. You are almost expected to adore guide dogs as a blind person, and yet, for me and many others this couldn’t be further from the truth. The problem is, a white cane cannot guide you, they’re wonderful, I love my cane, but it isn’t as effective as a dog, it simply doesn’t give you the same level of independence. You cannot keep a guide dog outside, it has to live with you, and what if you cannot care for it? The reality is, for a lot of blind people, it isn’t practical to have an animal in your home. The risks of tripping over them or their toys are reasonably high, but what if they become unwell? I know that I wouldn’t be able to locate dog vomit, or any other kind of dog bodily fluids. It also isn’t practical for a young person, most of my friends are out partying at university, or are quite spontaneous people, a dog doesn’t suit that. Guide dogs are only taught specific routes, to try and take them all over town is nearly impossible.
Secondly, attitudes towards guide dogs have massively changed in the past five years, probably since lockdown. I attended a blind boarding school for a few years, we had a member of care staff, L. L was blind like the rest of us, and she had a guide dog she brought to work. That shouldn’t have been an issue, they are extremely well trained animals. Well, they only stay trained if you reinforce that training and don’t treat them like a pet. L’s dog would regularly jump at students, bark at anything that moved and humped a chair in front of the headteacher. This was all while it should have been quietly sitting under a desk somewhere. I get it, dogs aren’t machines, but it was a legitimate safety hazard. L’s dog would even steal food from students, and slobber on their hands. At the time, I wasn’t too uncomfortable with dogs, but had to keep it away from my friend who was extremely uncomfortable. He was repeatedly told that she was ‘friendly’, but imagine being completely blind and suddenly having a massive Labrador jump up at you and lick your face. It simply wasn’t acceptable or even fair. I must add here, that this was in our accommodation, our home. I don’t expect those of you who haven’t been to boarding school to understand what I mean by it being your home, but it really was. And yet, there were several students who were afraid of dogs who were just expected to put up with it.
This isn’t even the worst example of a badly behaved guide dog. I went to school with a girl, M. She was a few years older, she eventually got a guide dog. It was so badly behaved that it would chase people and tried to attack another guide dog. In the end, M had her guide dog taken away, it was retired after only a year, £60,000 down the drain!
The general public really doesn’t help with this either. You cannot stroke a guide dog whilst it’s working, and yet people do, even when they’re told not to. I’ve heard so many horror stories, people feeding working dogs, letting their children climb onto them, or even other dogs in public places (where they’re now apparently allowed) attacking them whilst in harness. Laughably, most dog owners think their untrained animal could qualify for the training. My barber has one at her house, it jumps up and invades your sexual boundaries, and yet she seems to think it could be a working animal. These attitudes only hurt those who actually have a trained dog, as you get idiots like that trying to pretend they I know better.
I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of disliking the younger generation, I myself am Generation Z. But it seems to be a trend in younger people to think that guide dogs are pets. I worked with older blind people for a while, there were several guide dogs there, they were wonderful. Quiet, obedient, and hard working. The same can be said of the two older teachers at my school who also had guide dogs, they were perfectly behaved.
Thirdly, no one seems to have an issue with the amount of funding the Guide Dogs UK charity receives. I’m unsure of the situation in other countries. They are the largest blind charity in the UK, bigger than the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Bigger than both the two blind colleges in England put together! Forget the blind aspect, they’re one of the largest charities in Britain. Not a charity for starving children, or those below the poverty line, not for people at all! You could argue that people benefit from the dog’s training, and they do, but here’s some more information that might be interesting. Only around fifty percent of the trained dogs pass to work. Within their puppy breeding programme, the number is even lower as most dogs do not have the temperament. That’s a LOT of wasted money. These animals also only work for around eight years, that really isn’t very long considering the training costs.
Most people I’ve come across who support guide dogs are more concerned with the dogs than the people who are supported. They see a cute picture of a fluffy little golden retriever puppy and thats what makes them decide it’s a viable charity. I can certainly tell you that Guide Dogs UK do not care about blind people, they are like most charities, it’s all about the money. I and many others have had some pretty nasty experiences with them, but the general public don’t seem to care, because ‘aww, cute doggo’.
There are many brands of technology currently trying to replace guide dogs, including the Lumen glasses. They’re the future of moving past relying on animals. I’m personally so excited for them, it’s going to change so many peoples lives. However, Guide Dogs UK are the first to try to put you off going the tech route, and even to turn sighted people against the idea.
Lastly, dogs in general are not safe or practical around blind people. I often have dogs try to go for my cane, or decide they can growl at me for using it in public. Many times I’ve been screened at by dog owners because I’ve walked into their mutt. It gets exhausting, the dog wants to assert its dominance by standing its ground in front of you, but I can’t see that! So the thing ends up getting hit in the face by my cane, I don’t mean to hurt it, but the owners have no awareness. Dog poo is another hazard, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried cleaning it out of a cane roller ball? It’s deeply unpleasant. There is no way for me to spot it either, I just get home and realise I have to clean my shoes and cane.
Telling many dog owners to keep their dogs away from you because you cannot see them seems to only anger them further. I was eighteen, sat in my local park at about nine o’clock in the evening listening to music. Normal teenage stuff really. I had a man enter the children’s playground where I was sitting and let his two barking dogs run around me. I called out to let him know they were not allowed in the playground and that I was afraid of them due to my blindness. He responded that I was a ‘nonce’ and ‘probably touched up kids’ because I was in the park. I was then told ‘my dogs have more right than you to be here weirdo, you’re a right freak’. It went on like that for a few minutes as I froze and didn’t know what to do. This was a fully grown man with two large dogs screaming at me, I could hardly work out where he was. And yet, I was told by several people that in that situation, I was the problem.
I don’t know whether anyone will be interested in this, but I had to put it out there.
Top Comment: Such a refreshing post to read! Thanks for sharing your insights!
Hot Dog Style Guide : hotdogs
Main Post: Hot Dog Style Guide : hotdogs
Whats the Ultimate dog training guide
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Im looking for the ultimate training guide im unsure of those video courses they announce too much im thinking in some ancient book or something
Top Comment: Best is subjective opinion but you could try Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog. It's what a lot of positive reinforcement, punishment free dog training is based on.
What are some tips you wish you knew as a first time dog owner?
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Hey! Just wanted to possible learn from some peoples mistakes and give my dog the best life possible. Fire away!
Top Comment: Welcome to r/dogs ! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Before you post or comment, please review the subreddit rules here . Submissions which break the rules will be removed. r/Dogs has the ultimate goals of fostering a better, science-based understanding of dogs among the general public, promoting responsible dog ownership, helping users build better, healthier relationships with their dogs, and providing a space to connect and discuss with others who have dogs and who are involved in various aspects of the dog hobby. Per our Harm Reduction rules, we encourage training advice and recommendations to follow “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” protocols. You can read more about why that’s the case here . While no training tools are excluded from properly framed discussion in r/dogs , we do reserve the right to remove content which does not follow the LIMA approach. Please note, this sub supports the reputable, ethical, and responsible breeding of dogs as well as adoption. Low effort “adopt don’t shop” comments will be removed and commenters may be subject to temporary or permanent bans upon the discretion of the moderator team. Finally, r/Dogs has a low tolerance for disrespectful and antagonistic behavior . People come to this sub to learn and discuss, make your comments constructive and respectful even if you feel other users are being antagonistic and disrespectful in return. If you believe another user is engaging in antagonistic behavior, please utilize the report button and a moderator will review the comment(s). If you wish to stick around, please feel free to comment in our Daily Bark threads, pinned to the top of the sub, to introduce yourself, your dog, and talk about all the little things which may not require a full post to discuss. Thanks for reading and enjoy your stay! This is an automated message. If you have questions for the moderators of r/dogs , you can message them here . I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Looking for a week-by-week puppy guide on what to do, teach, etc. - any recommendations?
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Hi, I checked the wiki page but couldn't find anything quite like this (unless I completely missed it!). I'm hoping that a comprehensive weekly/daily guide exists out there of things to train, expose your puppy to, etc. through the first few weeks/months after bringing a puppy home.
The closest thing I can think of that I've seen out there is the Pupford app with daily Zak videos, which is a good start, although I don't necessarily agree with waiting so long to introduce potty/crate training. But I know there is a LOT to expose a puppy to and teach him or her - basic commands, certain noises and sounds (like the vacuum!), etc. I would love to have a weekly checklist to make sure we are doing things when appropriate.
Does anyone have anything like that to share? Thanks!
Top Comment: I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share a link so I'm sorry if this is wrong, but this helped me heaps: https://www.guidedog.org/PuppyRaising/PuppyRaiserManual/PuppyRaiserManual.aspx It gave a good basic overview of when to do what, although it is basic obedience rather than 'tricks'.
[Discussion] What are some "insider" tips that all new dog owners should know?
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I've owned dogs my whole life and I am still constantly learning little things that I wish I had known when I first started out living on my own with dogs. What are some of the helpful tips and hints that are great for new dog owners to know.
I'd have to say that my favorite two are:
- If your dog has diarrhea due to something they ate/food switch, Pepto is your best friend. (Pepto is not an end all fix though, if the diarrhea continues after one pepto dose definitely see a vet)
- Hydrogen Peroxide to induce vomiting. For those emergency "Oh shit he just ate a bag of gummy bears" type situations.
Top Comment: Probably the best piece of advice I have for new handlers is this: your dog behaves in a way that moves him toward reinforcement and away from punishment. So if your dog exhibits behaviours you don't like, it's because those behaviours are, in some way, reinforcing for your dog. The easiest ways to counteract problem behaviour is to reward what you want to see, to train an incompatible behaviour, and to ignore behaviour you want to put a stop to while managing the situation so your dog can be successful. So if your dog jumps up, it's because that behaviour in some way gives him joy or relief. You could knee him in the chest (punishment) to counteract the behaviour, but punishment does not produce long term change, and you run the risk of teaching your dog that you are scary. So, to counteract jumping up? Reward your dog for having all four paws on the floor Train an incompatible behaviour: go to place, sit, down Tether or gate your dog in the contexts where jumping up is likeliest, so that the behaviour isn't as readily available
What are your most useful dog training tips for beginners?
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My dogs behavior is awful! He steals food off the counter, nips, barks at everything, and jumps on people when they come in the house.
What’s your favorite piece of advice when it comes to training your dog?
Top Comment: Dogs don’t generalize well, whenever you train change the time and location of training to really cement the behavior you’re teaching. It’s very common to train specific behaviors and not be able to extrapolate them to unfamiliar environments.
My personal advice for new puppy owners
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’m on my 3rd puppy first 2 we’re rescues and now I just have a 5 month old Doberman puppy.
So here’s my advice (based on my own opinions I’m no dog trainer just trying to help out)
- Crate training. You just got your new puppy and you want your dog to love their kennel. It’s probably best to start off with no bed or blankets in there because a lot of puppies just chew them up. I would suggest not using potty pads in the kennel or anywhere in the house for that matter as it just encourages peeing in the house. Throw a toy in the kennel, dog goes in there, reward with treats and lots of excitement. Start as slow as you can but odds are you’re going to kennel your dog overnight. Puppies cannot hood their bladder very well at such a young age. I probably went overkill with my pups but I woke up every 3ish hours to let them out. This is a GREAT time to start potty training. The very second your dog used the bathroom immediately reward saying “good potty” or whatever you choose and with lots of excitement. Anytime your dog does something good you have a party. Everyone has remedy’s for what to do if your puppy won’t stop barking and whining in the kennel but it wasn’t the “putting a blanket over the kennel” or sound machines etc. It was starting with the puppy in its kennel right next to my bed. He was in my guest room and screamed all night for 3 weeks expecting it to go away and it never really did. Then I started with him bedside and every once and awhile I would move him further away and now he’s in his original spot in the guest room and doesn’t bark at all.
- Socializing. Doesn’t mean take your 9 week old puppy to the dog park. It means having friends come over and saying hi, taking your dog to your friends to say hi. Letting your puppy meet your neighbors dog if they’re friendly. Going to petsmart (once they’re vaccinated). Walking around the dog park but not going inside. This period could have a huge impact on if your dog is friendly or not when they’re older so don’t slack on it. I’d suggest enrolling in a puppy class. Supervised by a dog trainer and socializing your puppy is a great combo. Dog trainers could also help you with things you’re doing wrong when you don’t even know it.
- Avoid causing separation anxiety. Your dog needs time away from you. Don’t say bye to your puppy when you’re leaving, it’s kennel then out the door. What happens is a couple will get a dog and 1 will go to the store and 1 will stay with the puppy never giving the dog alone time.
- Get a playpen. All of my puppy blues came from having to keep my eye on him 24/7 and it felt like I never had a break which was causing me so much stress. The playpen is like your babysitter.
- Getting in your dogs personal space. Mess with his teeth for a second then reward. Play with his paws then reward. Hand feed to prevent food aggression.
- If youre willing to spend the cash training classes are a great tool. They can only benefit you and your dog. In my area they go for about $200 for group classes 1 hour a week for 6 weeks. Continues to socialize your dog, build your bond, and makes your dog better behaved.
- Exercise/stimulation: ever feel like your dog is always go go go? Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise. Another great way to tire your dog out is training and other mental games like puzzles and sniffle mats. A tired puppy is a happy puppy (and owner 😁)
That’s all I really have right now but like I said only my personal opinions. I have attended several puppy/basic/intermediate classes but I am no way a dog trainer.
Hope this helps at least one person. Remember if you have the puppy blues: it happens to almost everyone. It always gets better. My puppy was the devil for the first month then one day a switch flipped and now he’s my best friend.
If you decide you can no longer care for your dog and want to give it up please find a home for them yourself and not take it to the humane society. If you do that you’re just taking a. Spot and resources from another dog.
Top Comment: Leaving the puppy alone from time to time to avoid separation anxiety is so important. And also the playpen! When I brought home my puppy, I would often leave it in its playpen inside my living room and walk out of my apartment just to sit by the door and pretend like I've left. I will stay quiet for about 10 minutes outside and then walk back in like nothing happened, giving the puppy treats/rewards when it behaved well once I came back in. I gradually increased the increment and my puppy acclimated to being alone inside the house smoothly. It was so important for me, gave me peace of mind to be able to run errands and leave for work without thinking my poor dog will tear down the house and go crazy when I'm gone.
r/Dogtraining Wiki: Guide to Dog Training Books
Main Post: r/Dogtraining Wiki: Guide to Dog Training Books