My New Guide Dog “Africa” – Her Daily Training Journal
November 15, 2008 by Mike Hingson · 1 Comment
Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 7:11 AM
The day has finally come. This is the day I receive Africa, my new guide dog. Africa is the seventh guide I have had the pleasure of working. All seven guide dogs were trained at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael California. I received my first guide dog on June 28, 1964 when I was but 14 years of age. That day is still as fresh in my mind as if it happened only this year.
My fifth guide dog, “Roselle”, is by far the most famous one of them all as she was with me when I worked and escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. You can learn more of Roselle’s life elsewhere on my web site.
In March of 2007 Roselle retired and I was joined by my sixth guide dog, Meryl. Unfortunately, Meryl only worked for about a year and a half before the stressful job of guiding became too much for her and she had to retire. Guiding is not an easy job. Only about 50% of the Labrador Retrievers who enter the program a guide dogs for the blind actually succeed and go home with blind people as part of a person-guide dog team. Some guides go home only to discover that guiding isn’t their thing. Meryl retired officially on September 18, 2008.
As an aside, I should explain that the reason the success rate for labs is only about 50% comes not from the fact that the other 50% are not as bright or is good. Dogs are just like people. Each one has its own personality. Some dogs work well as guides while others do not. Some people are very successful and seem to adapt well to some jobs but not to others. We learned a long time ago not to say that the dogs that do not make it as guides are failures, but rather they are “career change”. Some of the career changed dogs leave GDB in order to perform other jobs such as cancer detection and to do work with the military in drug and explosives investigation. Some career change guide dog puppies have gone on to work with persons with diabetes. These “Dogs for Diabetics” are taught how to warn their handlers of drastic changes in their blood sugar levels and thus prevent the onset of hypoglycemic or insulin reactions.
Back to Africa. Immediately upon Meryl’s retirement the search began for a successor guide dog for me. The process of matching a blind person with a guide dog is a very complex one. It is important to find a dog that can match its blind handler’s pace, walking patterns, temperament, as well as having a personality which will fit into its handler’s daily way of life. There is a good reason why Guide Dogs for the Blind calls the decision to use a guide dog a “lifestyle choice”. Part of the process which every team goes through is the forming and building of the relationship which will dictate how human and dog will interact with each other during their time together.
For me when preparing for Africa it helps that I have had six previous guidedogs all from the same school. Even though Guide Dogs for the Blind has amassed quite a bit of information about my needs and desires concerning a guide dog match I still went through a home interview and a brief walk with the local GDB field rep, Marc Gillard. We did the interview at the same time he came to fetch Meryl back in September.
The next event was an e-mail from Charles Nathan, the Guide Dogs Director of Training in San Rafael. Charles e-mailed me around the 20th of October to tell me that he believed that a match had been found for me. He wanted me to take a test walk with the dog to seeif I felt we might have a match. Charles informed me that the dog’s name was Africa and that she was a small yellow Labrador. As soon as I saw the name I realized that there was another reason why GDB may in fact have found a good match. Africa is one of the puppies from the second litter of our GDB breeder, Fantasia. Fantasia has lived with us for a little more than two years. One of our close family friends, Linda Lewis, had suggested the name Africa when we learned that Fantasia’s second litter would all have names beginning with the letter A. I knew that if Africa was anything like her mom we had the potential for a great match. Fantasia’s personality was more suited to what I desired and felt would be best for my lifestyle. If Africa’s personality and demeanor were anything like her mother she was certainly worth a look.
On October 27 Todd Jurek brought Africa to our home for our test walk. We spent three hours traveling around our neighborhood as well as through downtown Novato. We also went to a restaurant, and spent some time at the local Peet’s coffee just so I could observe Africa in a variety of settings. Afterward I told Todd that I thought Africa was a good match and that we should go ahead. Todd was Roselle’s trainer and as I learned that day he trained Africa as well. I didn’t have Todd as an instructor when I was matched with Roselle. I asked that if at all possible I would like to work with him to do my training with Africa. I learned later that week that we could start training the week of November 10 and that Todd indeed would be my instructor. It doesn’t get better than that.
Day One- Introduction To Africa
November 13, 2008 by Mike Hingson · 1 Comment
We brought Africa home today…
Human-Animal Bond
November 12, 2008 by Mike Hingson · Leave a Comment
The Human/Animal Bond
As defined by the American Veterinary Medical Association:
The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and other animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well being of both. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, other animals, and the environment.
My relationships with the 8 Guide Dogs that I have thus far in my life have taught me the essence of the human-animal bond in practical real-life terms. In fact, my experience with my Guide Dog Roselle transcended everyday life experience into the realm of true courage and even heroism. What was it based on? What was the secret? One word: Teamwork!
One of my teaching topics is designed to encourage pet owners, helping them transform their relationships with their dogs into successful, lasting partnerships. These insights apply not only to dog training but to team-building and business management as well.
July 2008 Interview on the Human-Animal Bond
I: What is the essence of a successful human-animal bond as it applies to everyday pet owners?
MH: Teamwork. You must view having a dog as a real life relationship. If you do so, owning a pet can be more fulfilling than you might have imagined.
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) says more than 57% of all households have a pet. Many dog owners act irresponsibly concerning pet ownership, resulting in broken relationships, crowded shelters and animals unnecessarily euthanized.
I: What makes you uniquely qualified to teach others on this subject?
MH: As a blind person, I depend on my dog…..in fact, as you know, my Guide Dog Roselle saved my life. Many people who have heard me speak tell me that the story of my partnership with Roselle is one of the most moving and inspiring stories of true heroism that they’ve ever heard.
I: Why do you refer to pet dogs as “partners”?
MH: They can live as life partners. If you treat them as a partner, colleague, member of the family with rules and responsibilities they act the part. Even so, because dogs act more like children, you must take leadership role. It is up to the dog owner to bring out the best in their pet. We should have control. Guide dogs aren’t the only dogs that can be “amazing”.
I: How do you go about establishing a relationship with a dog? Is that really possible in the way most of us think of having a relationship?
MH: You can have true relationship with a dog if you set rules and boundaries. Be consistent. Set the tone. Show the same unconditional love to the dog you expect from it. Build two-way trust. Dogs want these things from us: Love, friendship, security, respect, boundaries.
Teams have leaders and members. You must be the leader, but respect the positions of the others on the team including dogs. Expect the same from dogs in your family as humans as far as it goes. But don’t forget the important distinction: Don’t treat dogs as human – they’re not. The main concept we teach at Guide Dogs for the Blind and other schools is team building. Everything stems from that.
Roselle told me it was safe to evacuate according to procedure. I worked to keep her focused, respected the team’s need for her to do her job.
I: Naturally, people respect the work of service animals, and are maybe even envious when they see their excellent behavior. Is it possible to apply the type of team relationship that blind people have with their guide dogs to regular pet owners and their pets?
MH: Each member of the team has a job to do. This understanding is essential to the training of owner and pet. The relationship begins with owner.
The worst thing that a dog owner can do is to be inconsistent or to expect a pet to act “human”. Pets are not human. We can have interrelationship, but we are not the same.
I: This resonates with some of the principles demonstrated on the “Dog Whisperer” where so many behavior problems stem from people trying to turn their dogs into humans or worse yet, children.
MH: Dogs look to us. They love unconditionally, but trust must be earned both ways. We can become better dog-owners, spouses, parents and managers by learning and applying unconditional love.
People can learn a lot about teamwork and effective management by understanding the human-animal bond. To put it simply: Establish roles. Establish rules. Reward good behavior. Do not over react to bad behavior. Develop trust based on mutual respect.
Don’t forget: Learn to “Sit” and “Stay!” Dog training is a fascinating discipline that can be taught. Resources are available at your local humane society.
