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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask this question about Guide Dogs?

164 replies

MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 11:43

Did you know that you are not supposed to touch a working guide dog in harness?

I am asking because i am a new guide dog owner, and approximately 10 to 15 times a day, someone will come and pet my dog without asking me. I know they mean well, but it's really distracting/confusing for my dog, and that makes things more difficult for me.

Is it that they don't know? I thought nearly everyone did, but perhaps I am wrong!

OP posts:

RachelWatts · 17/03/2015 12:07

I knew, and am attempting to teach my DCs.

Somewhat unfortunately, the guide dog owner who lives near me overheard my lesson, and told them she didn't mind at all and of course they could pet her dog if they wanted to.

She's a lovely lady, and the dog is beautiful, but now DS1 doesn't believe me when I say he should leave guide dogs alone when they're working because, well, he's allowed to pet that one, and nothing bad happened...

101handbags · 17/03/2015 12:08

Yes I knew that. Mainly as all the guide dogs I see have a coat which says something like 'don't distract me I am working' or similar.

Original poster

MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 12:08

I kind of suspect that a lot of the people we meet DO know it, but some sort of sentimental purple mist comes over them and they get carried away. Some do really silly things - like calling to my dog from across the street, which is quite dangerous. And these are actual adults, not small children!

OP posts:

DanaBarrett · 17/03/2015 12:09

Yes :) I was just chatting to my four year old about it this morning! She loves dogs so is keep going over the ground rules and a gentleman with a guise dogs goes swimming the same time as us on a weekend, so she sees his dog a lot! I wasn't 100% about the harness/work mode but will be sure to tell her!

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 17/03/2015 12:11

I knew that from trainee guide dogs coming to our school on more than one occasion. I don't think that DC have had the same experience so this reminds me I need to tell them about leaving working dogs alone. Mind you, they do already know to ask anyone before approaching their dog, guide dog or not.

Gileswithachainsaw · 17/03/2015 12:11

I knew. and I have told my Dds too.

We used to have a guide dog come into where I worked. She was very popular. The owner would sit down then remove the harness so we could all have a cuddle

letsplayscrabble · 17/03/2015 12:14

I know and have taught both my kids - my 6 year old will point out guide dogs and tell her little brother not to touch! But then again my Dad was chair of a charity that taught disabled sports so I may have had more experience in this area than some.....

Binkybix · 17/03/2015 12:14

I know, but don't know how I know!

ChazzerChaser · 17/03/2015 12:14

I do know now but I don't think I did say 10 years ago. I'm not daft, plenty of common sense, just hadn't thought about it. I think seeing a coat or something saying 'please don't distract me' is what told me.

And it's only from this thread that I now know this includes when they're lying down still. I probably would have thought then was ok.

I'm not particularly keen on dogs, so I don't have much desire to pet them, so it's not something I have given much thought to.

CunningCat · 17/03/2015 12:15

I used to live near a guide dog training facility and it was common to see you training dogs in the area and on buses. They had "please do not speak to me or touch me, I am training guide dog" on their coats. We admired from afar!

wigglesrock · 17/03/2015 12:40

I've always known not to disturb guide dogs, I've just asked my husband if he knew, he said yes and I asked him how he knew - "Blue Peter - they always had loads on about guide dogs"

AntiHop · 17/03/2015 12:42

Yanbu. People shouldn't disturb your dog. Could you get a harness that says please don't disturb, at work?

Original poster

MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 12:42

I suppose as well as being distracting/disturbing for the dog, it also feels a bit dehumanising for me. If I'm sitting/standing there with my guide dog right next to me/under my seat - and then someone completely blanks me and puts their hands all over my dog. It's a bit like they think I'm part of the furniture. I might be almost blind, but I am a functioning human being with a voice, so speak to me first!

OP posts:

NuggetofPurestGreen · 17/03/2015 12:46

i think I must have been told by someone as a child or saw it on telly like wiggles DH. I love dogs but wouldn't touch anyone's dog without asking let alone a guide dog!

Notrevealingmyidentity · 17/03/2015 12:50

Ofcourse. It's even on some of the harnesses !

People probably think they are special snowflakes and rules don't apply to them.

listsandbudgets · 17/03/2015 13:16

YANBU.

I have petted guide dogs in the street but only after asking the owner if it was alright to do so. We have a junction near us where the green man takes anything up to five minutes to appear and there are often people with guide dogs there. They really are lovely dogs - I had some sausages from the butcher a few days ago and I could see the dogs nose twitching but he made no attempt to move - clearly knew they were there though

I am convinced a guide dog once saved my life. I was talking to a man at a crossing who had a lovely dog. He asked me not to touch as his dog was a bit upset as a woman had tried grabbing its ears earlier . Green man came up and I went to cross, guide dog got up then suddenly flung itself against both my legs and is owners and a couple of seconds later a car flew throgh the red light at about 60 miles an hour. Didn't even hear it coming. Still convinced I'd be dead if it wasn't for that dog

HighwayDragon · 17/03/2015 13:26

Yes, and dd knows not to ask working doggys. There is one in our cul de sac who occasionally can be fussed, dd asks if the dog is working today.

WrappedInABlankie · 17/03/2015 13:29

I never knew there use to be a man in a wheelchair who would have his dog attached to his electric wheelchair and Id always give him a stroke on the way home from school (so nearly 10 years ago) until I saw him the next day with one of them little handles that said "please don't distract me I'm at work" it just never occurred to me that a) he was a guide dog and b) I shouldn't touch them, I don't like many dogs but I assumed all guide dogs where nice.

Will teach DS not to touch them though

Peepants78 · 17/03/2015 13:35

wiggles I was then going to post about seeing it on blue peter!
Although I think we had a talk from a local person who trained guide dogs when I was a Brownie/Guide too

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/03/2015 13:41

DD knows that they are at work but has to be reminded every time My rule is that if you want to pet you ask the owner (of ANY dog), then 'ask' the dog because they might not agree.

Tobeemoree · 17/03/2015 13:47

Yes I knew, and always make sure my DD remembers too. DH is the one I have to remind the most, though.....

Original poster

MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 13:53

Guide dogs are all nice, Wrapped, it's not that. It's because they need to concentrate on what they're doing.

It's a bit like you driving a car, and people in the backseat jumping forward to grab you/call to you/fondle you/tell you how amazing they think you are. You might not be the safest driver under those circumstances. :) And just because you've stopped at a crossing, doesn't mean you don't need to be concentrating!

OP posts:

Pyjamaface · 17/03/2015 13:59

I knew, can't remember not knowing iyswim so I must have been taught it quite young.

DS knows not to touch any dog without asking first anyway but I vaguely remember telling him not to ask at all for a guide dog because they are working. If he ever did ask and was told No, he would leave it and we'd talk again

MaidOfStars · 17/03/2015 14:00

I knew this rule but, like many here, no idea who taught it to me.

VisitTheInfidel · 17/03/2015 14:04

I knew but can understand why a lot of people don't. When I worked in a school we often had people bring their guide dogs in to meet the children. The children were encourage to pet the dogs and I wondered how they were supposed to know not to do it at other times.

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