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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
WrappedInABlankie · 17/03/2015 14:05

Pyjama I only stroked guide dogs because they wouldn't be vicious haha.

I don't touch them now but they are admired from a distance Grin

Allbymyselfagain · 17/03/2015 14:08

I Knew that but I wish people wouldn't touch ANY dog without permission from the owner.

I have a bigger "boo" cut Pom who is incredible fluffy and smiley and looks like butter wouldn't melt. Unfortunately he's also still very traumatised from an attack and dislikes being approached or touched especially when on his lead when he can't get away but yet people still think it's ok to let their children run up and touch him.

GoooRooo · 17/03/2015 14:09

I only know because my mum's late partner was blind and had a guide dog. She was not a particularly well behaved one - she used to drag him into ponds and lakes.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 17/03/2015 14:09

Heard or read it somewhere (Blue Peter could have been the source!).

listsandbudgets what a stroke of luck for you they happened to be next to you.

Flossyfloof · 17/03/2015 14:09

I think there are many things which you only know if you have even taugh, like taking your rubbish home, stopping while a fi unreal for the goes past or not touching a working dog. The dogs are so impressive, it is very difficult to resist. ( I do though!)
I think the suggestion of a warning on a coat is sensible.

Flossyfloof · 17/03/2015 14:10

Bloody hell! Taught and funeral.

wannaBe · 17/03/2015 14:14

The thing about not stroking guide dogs is because A, they will become distracted, B, if the owner doesn't know you are stroking their dog they wil assume it is playing up and discipline it, and C, while many guide dog owners will let you stroke their dogs when it is appropriate, some guide dog owners would rather you didn't.

And it is the height of rudeness to stroke the dog of someone who can't see you doing it and then ignore the person at the same time. I have honestly lost count of the amount of times I have pulled my dog back for being distracted only for some member of the public to say "oh it's ok, I was just stroking him." Err no, it's not ok. If you actually engaged with me I might say yes, but given you didn't bother to treat me with any respect you now have no chance.

And don't get me started on ignorant idiots who think it's ok to feed a guide dog. Honestly, a quarter of a pork pie? WTAF!!!! Angry Angry Angry I have in my time encountered people who have:

fed my dog haribo (manager at work)
Attempted to feed him sausages on the underground (intercepted by my then ten yo ds
tried to feed him doritoes on a bus
asked if he can have a slice of cake/sandwich/

goodnessgraciousgouda · 17/03/2015 14:17

I only know because of the written signs on the harness. I had no idea it applied to when the dog was lying down as well, but I very rarely come across guide dogs anyway and can never remember petting any.

Kundry · 17/03/2015 14:21

I knew - must have been from Blue Peter who used to have masses of stories on guide dogs in the era when the Blue Peter dog was always a golden retriever.

SistersOfPercy · 17/03/2015 14:24

Firstly, I was aware service dogs shouldn't be touched and it was something I taught my kids.

Can I ask a question? And I have googled this but not sure I believe it.

Friend and I were discussing our dogs over the weekend and we got on to the subject of guide dogs. Friend asked me how someone blind would pick up dog poo. Intrigued I googled it and dear old google tells me that service dogs are trained to poo on command so the owner knows the dog has done it and roughly where so they can bag it. Is this true? Or is google having me on as usual.

wannaBe · 17/03/2015 14:25

The thing about stroking dogs when they're lying down is that although technically the dog isn't working at that point, it is still in a public place where its social behavior will be under constant scrutiny by anyone and everyone. While it is illegal to refuse access to a guide dog in e.g. restaurants etc, there are still some establishments who will state "no dogs," as soon as you enter, and take some persuading to tell them that they legally have to allow the dog. This has actually got worse rather than better over time possibly because of the more diverse range of restaurants around now which represent differing cultures, some of whom are not accepting of dogs.

But whenever you are in a position to have to argue your case for acceptance of your dog into their establishment, one of the things you can reassure the patron is that your dog's behavior will be impeckible, and the dog will lie undisturbed under the table and won't be any issue at all. If you then have dogs who are being distracted by members of the public it can leve an already anxious restaurant owner (for instance) in some doubt as to whether to allow a guide dog in again in future if your dog leaps up to respond to the unwanted (by the owner) advances from a stranger who hasn't engaged with him/her first.

Justyou · 17/03/2015 14:27

I really didn't know at all. How did I reach mid 30 s and not realise this ? I probably haven't done it though as I wouldn't approach a strange dog anywhere

funkybuddah · 17/03/2015 14:30

I thought you weren't allowed to fuss them at all. My college lecturer is bound and we are allowed to fuss the Dog in class but no treats or food etc because of his routine.

Agree with other posters that fussing any dog without permission is a no no taught early on

anothergenericname · 17/03/2015 14:33

I've taught my three year old to ask "is your dog a friendly dog" before touching. It gets the point across and is something he can understand - plus stops him touching without the owner's input. We've never come across a guide or assist dog whilst out together and is hard to explain without a demo but hopefully his training to ask the owner first will stand him in good stead if the situation arises before I can teach him this.

And like everyone else I did know this but can't remember how or when I learned it.

CaTsMaMmA · 17/03/2015 14:34

I puppy walk and yes, ideally they are trained to "busy busy" on request.

In practise this generally means they either develop bladders (and bowels) of steel and only pee at home (scowls at Reject Puppy1) or they will obligingly sprinkle or pretend as required (scowls at Reject Puppy2) ...he will daunder off to a corner, lift his leg and actually pretend to pee.

Both rejects are GSDs and the loves of my life!

On the issue of people talking to Guide dogs, it's no better for the puppy walkers either, especially if you have an attention seeker pup. And folks are very keen to tell you how unkind it is that the dogs are NEVER off lead.... UTTER NONSENSE btw, and how sad ALL guide dogs always look, and how hard hearted we must be to be able to hand them back. Hmm And how a little fuss won't hurt as they are all still babies and just learning.

And how their beloved pet just died...why do they always tell me that??

waithorse · 17/03/2015 14:35

I thought everyone would know this. Confused

SistersOfPercy · 17/03/2015 14:37

Cats thats bloody brilliant, and I suspect difficult to teach. Thank you for that, I shall now tell my friend this Smile

pocketsaviour · 17/03/2015 14:38

I know this now, but I don't think I knew until about 10 years ago at work when we had a new employee with a service dog. The company had to send a memo round to everyone after a couple of days because people kept "stopping by" to pet the dog and make a fuss of it.

However I was always taught not to approach and/or touch any dog without permission from the owner.

Original poster
MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 14:39

WannaBe - glad to meet another guide dog owner on here!

And not so funnily enough - I have had someone trying to feed my children inappropriate food as well! Just because I can't see you do it, doesn't make it all right. Luckily my DC know to refuse sweets from strangers, but you should not be tempting them!

OP posts:
wannaBe · 17/03/2015 14:41

ah yes CaTsMaMmA dogs are so sad/underfed/neglected etc etc etc as they walk tail wagging through busy shops/underground stations etc... My dog actually has a slim build but he's not underweight at all (I certainly notice his 65 lb when I carry him on to escalators (he's not fully escalator trained)) but I know that guide dogs have had calls from the general public telling them that they've seen an incredibly thin dog matching our description. When I took him to the vet for his boosters a couple of weeks ago the vet said that they also get complaints about guide dogs being underweight, but because people are so used to seeing fat labradors they seem unable to comprehend that this kind of weight is in fact normal.

NeedABumChange · 17/03/2015 14:45

This isn't just a problem with guide dogs and visually impaired owners. People do it all the time to all dog owners I know. My dog is constantly getting petted my strangers without so much as a nod in my direction! Worst place is on the tube, dog sitting between my legs and people-grown adults- ignore me and pat the dog!

Some people think all dogs love them and they can't walk past without having a cuddle. It's so annoying, I can't imagine how bad it is when you can't actually see what they are doing.

Sazzle41 · 17/03/2015 14:46

I knew but their head office is in my home town and you see the trainers all the time out and about plus i had a boss whose boyfriend was a puppy trainer there. I dont think its general knowledge tbh about the no touching.

Original poster
MarvellousMarbles · 17/03/2015 14:48

Oh yes, to the person who asked about pooing on command.

There is a command for poo/wee (it's 'busy busy'). But it's not a magic word (thankfully, because I have a neighbour who's always telling me how 'busy busy busy' she is when I meet her with my guide dog Grin

Guide dogs tend to do it in their fenced spending area at home. That's down to a combination of very regular feeding times, and routine 'spending times' (when the dog is taken out and told to 'busy busy') Not unlike old fashioned public schools where the boys were all sent to do their business straight after breakfast (or so I am told by an elderly relative). This develops regular habits, but dogs aren't robots.

My guide dog did an unscheduled poo on the edge of the road today. I always hate it when that happens. I bagged it and binned it, of course.

Unlike the mystery pet owner living somewhere near me, who must have an enormous, incontinent dog (judging by the evidence) and who makes NO effort to clear it up, just leaves it on the pavement for me to step in (my guide dog skirts round it himself, but doesn't recognise it as an obstacle to lead me past). If I ever identify this lovely neighbour, I may beat them to death with my dog's harness. That will make for interesting tabloid headlines.

OP posts:
ILovedYouYesterday · 17/03/2015 14:48

I knew. Quite possibly also from Blue Peter as it's just something I have known for as long as I can remember. I am astonished to read about people mauling the dog without even saying hello to the owner first - how rude!

I admire guide dogs from a distance as they are lovely and do an fantastic job (and I am not mad keen on dogs normally!)

I taught my DC from an early age to never approach a working guide dog and always to check with the owner first if they want to stroke any other dog as there is no way of knowing how the dog might react to strangers, however friendly it might look.

anothergenericname · 17/03/2015 14:49

Wow. Just asked dh and he didn't know this! (He always gives the impression of knowing everything)

He did say he'd never touch, or let DS touch, a dog without asking permission though so I suppose that's good enough really as the owner can always just refuse on the grounds that the doc is working

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