Guide Dog Etiquette
Written by: Taylor Bauer
The month of September is national guide dog awareness month and as a guide dog handler, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and educate the public about guide dog etiquette and public accessibility.
My name is Taylor, I am a 4th year student majoring in Psychology and I am also visually impaired. The vision that I do have is equivalent to one tenth of the vision of a fully sighted individual. On top of that, I also have no colour vision, no depth perception and extreme light sensitivity. Having this disability makes normal day to day tasks very difficult and even dangerous. Fortunately, this past summer, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to be matched with my own guide dog. My guide dog is a 2 year old black Labrador cross golden retriever named Wallace. Wallace’s job is to help me navigate my surroundings and maintain my safety. He is also trained to help me find things like elevator buttons, stairs, chairs, doors, and even pushes the automatic door buttons for me.
My guide dog has provided me with a new level of safety, confidence and independence in tackling life’s adventures. In order for Wallace and myself, as well as other guide dog teams to work successfully, we need your help.
Discrimination and public interference are some of the biggest issues faced by guide dog teams in Canada. I believe that this is strictly due to lack of education.
I know dogs are very cute and many people love them and want to interact with them, however a guide dog is not just a dog but also an important mobility tool for those who are blind or partially sighted and thus, should be treated much differently than a pet dog.
If you encounter someone and their guide dog, please follow proper guide dog etiquette to ensure the safety of the guide dog team:
Avoid talking to or interacting with the guide dog.
Do not pet, feed or distract the guide dog, as it can potentially affect its training. When a guide dog is distracted, this can lead the handler into danger such as, running into signs, doors, people, etc.
The best way to act when you encounter a guide dog team is to pretend that the dog is not there.
When the guide dog is not in harness, you may ask the handler if it's okay to pet the dog. Please note that it is also okay for the guide dog handler to say “no” upon your request.
If you own a pet dog, please keep it on a leash and under control in the community. When approaching a guide dog team with your dog, clearly notify the handler and say, “I’m passing on your left and I have a dog with me.”
Human rights legislation prohibits discrimination against a person with a disability who is working with a service animal. Discrimination includes denial of access to any premises where the public would normally have access.
Penalties under human rights legislation range across the country from $100-$10,000 In Alberta, we have our own list of legislation: Blind Persons’ Rights Act, Service Dog Act, Alberta Human Rights Act. If discrimination occurs, in Alberta, police action can be requested.
Thank you for reading this information and I hope it helps our future interactions. Please know that I will always be happy to answer any questions. When in doubt, just ask.
The information presented was taken from the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) website: CNIB.ca
