Guide Dogs
This study aimed at improving our understanding of the ontogenesis of dogs’ attention toward humans. To this aim, dogs’ attention towards their handler while performing a ‘Stay-in-place’ task was analyzed, in condition of increasing difficulty represented by the introduction of distractors. To highlight the role of experience in the absence of deliberate training to look at humans, two population of dogs were tested: dogs who had just completed training as a guide dog (Trained) and dogs who had been living with their visually impaired owner for one year (Working). The main finding was that Trained dogs looked with longer looks at their handler (the trainer; mean ± SE: 2.3 ± 0.4 s) than at an unfamiliar experimenter (1.0 ± 0.2 s; P < 0.05), while Working dogs, looked at their handler (the visually impaired owner; 1.0 ± 0.2 s) with gazes as short as those paid to the experimenter (1.2 ± 0.1 s). Performance of the ‘Stay-in-place’ task was worse in Working than in Trained dogs (χ2 = 4.24 P < 0.05). The different attention pattern is likely to be explained by the relevance that the trainer acquires as a predictive source of signals, in consequence of his/her role in the entire training process; the same relevance is not acquired by visually impaired owners, who are only involved in training at a later stage. It is also possible that working dogs learn that looking at their visually impaired owner is less useful for predicting immediate events, rather than looking elsewhere. The results highlight how dogs’ attention towards humans is shaped by the specific experiences they undergo, even as adults. Our results also imply that changes in training procedures may be necessary in order to prevent decrement in attention towards the owner by guide dogs.
As part of a broader sensory ethnographic exploration of place perception amongst international students who have recently arrived in Manchester (England), I conducted walking interviews with Abbie, who is from Barcelona and has a visual impairment. My work with Abbie and her dog-guide, Labrador Toni, offered me the opportunity to explore the development of emplaced knowledge as embodied, multi-sensory practice. As we walked as a three-in-one corporeal entity we operated as an inter-subjective being, challenging individualizing constructions of the self. During our interviews the importance of inter-corporeal space, the spaces between us, in facilitating our abilities to guide and follow each other was realized. For me as a researcher, this collaboration also afforded a re-prioritization of sensory awareness that feeds into a critique of ocular-centric approaches to research.
Guide dogs for the blind help blind people physically and mentally in their daily lives. Their qualifications are based on health, working performance, and temperament; approximately 70% of failure dogs are disqualified for behavioral reasons. In order to achieve an early prediction of qualification, it would be essential as the first step to identify important temperament traits for guide dogs. Therefore, we administered a questionnaire consisting of 22 temperament items to experienced trainers to assess candidate dogs at Japan Guide Dog Association after three months of training, which was at least three months prior to the final success (qualified as a guide dog) or failure (disqualified for behavioral reasons) judgment. Factor analyses of question items stably extracted three factors with high internal consistency: “Distraction”, “Sensitivity”, and “Docility”. When we compared factor points between success and failure dogs, success dogs showed significantly and consistently lower “Distraction” points and higher “Docility” points. Additionally, “Distraction” point could predict qualification with 80.6% accuracy and detect 28.2% of the failure dogs that had higher “Distraction” point than any success dogs. Of the nine question items not included in the three factors, two items (‘Aggression’ and ‘Animal interest’) were consistently associated with qualification. These results suggest that “Distraction” is stably assessable and has the strongest impact on success or failure judgment, therefore, it would become the first target to establish a behavioral test which may lead to an early prediction of guide dog qualification.
Guide dogs play a crucial role in enhancing independence and mobility for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Research highlights that mental orientation, rather than vision level, is key to effective travel. Despite their benefits, guide dog use remains limited—only about one in 1,000 people with low vision or blindness employ a guide dog, and there are roughly 8,000 active teams in the United States. Historical and societal factors, including the pandemic, have influenced training rates. For Orientation and Mobility (O&M) professionals, understanding these trends is essential, and foundational texts such as Foundations of Orientation and Mobility provide important context for supporting this small but significant population.
Tests of motor laterality and behavioral reactivity, as well as salivary cortisol concentrations, were examined in this pilot study to identify dogs best suited to guide dog work. Over a 14-month period, lateralization tests were conducted and cortisol concentrations were determined on 3 separate occasions, and temperament testing was performed on 2. Potential guide dogs (N = 43) involved in this study were 5 golden retrievers (4 males, 1 female) and thirty-eight Labrador retrievers (8 black males, fifteen yellow males, 5 black females, and ten yellow females). Results from these tests were then compared with the ultimate success of the dogs in the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT training program. This comparison produced evidence that motor lateralization (particularly the rate at which both paws were used during the Kong Test and the lateralization index during the Tape Test), reactions to an unfamiliar dog, the latency for dogs to drop and rest during an uninterrupted period, and the dog’s color and breed were predictive of ultimate success. This study also identified 14 months of age as a more accurate time to assess dogs for these traits than either 6 months of age or at the age at which they completed their training (ranging from 14 to 20 months of age).
This study examined 60 juvenile Labrador (LR) and golden retrievers (GR) and their puppy raisers (PR) to determine the effect of training (n = 20) and socialization (n = 20) compared with a control group (n = 20). These potential guide dogs were randomly allocated into 3 groups of 20 (2 treatment groups and 1 control). Training sessions ran for 6 weeks (only 5 of which were attended by the dogs), and socialization groups ran for 5 weeks (all of which were attended by the dogs). Training involved teaching a bridge (clicker); basic obedience behaviors including sit, drop, loose-leash walking, and recalls; as well as desensitization to handling, discussions about anxiety and environmental enrichment, and play time. Socialization classes covered the same discursive material, but without the training and bridge components. The control group comprised other pups and their PRs within the guide dog puppy-raising program but who were not given access to these additional classes. Like the dogs in both the treatments, these control dogs also underwent the Guide Dog NSW/ACT program but received no direct intervention through the current study.
The authors hypothesized that training and socialization would improve the success rates of dogs in the guide dog program. However, the treatments did not influence the rate of success nor the likelihood of PRs raising a subsequent pup. The interaction between color and sex had some effect on success rates; yellow female LRs had the greatest chance of success, and female GRs had the lowest chance of success. This difference may warrant further investigation in a broader study to assist in decisions as to which breeds and sexes are most successful in guide dog organizations.
No Abstract available.
A continuing debate in studies of social development in both humans and other animals is the extent to which early life experiences affect adult behavior. Also unclear are the relative contributions of cognitive skills (“intelligence”) and temperament for successful outcomes. Guide dogs are particularly suited to research on these questions. To succeed as a guide dog, individuals must accomplish complex navigation and decision making without succumbing to distractions and unforeseen obstacles. Faced with these rigorous demands, only ∼70% of dogs that enter training ultimately achieve success. What predicts success as a guide dog? To address these questions, we followed 98 puppies from birth to adulthood. We found that high levels of overall maternal behavior were linked with a higher likelihood of program failure. Furthermore, mothers whose nursing style required greater effort by puppies were more likely to produce successful offspring, whereas mothers whose nursing style required less effort were more likely to produce offspring that failed. In young adults, an inability to solve a multistep task quickly, compounded with high levels of perseveration during the task, was associated with failure. Young adults that were released from the program also appeared more anxious, as indicated by a short latency to vocalize when faced with a novel object task. Our results suggest that both maternal nursing behavior and individual traits of cognition and temperament are associated with guide dog success.
It is often assumed that measures of temperament within individuals are more correlated to one another than to measures of problem solving. However, the exact relationship between temperament and problem-solving tasks remains unclear because large-scale studies have typically focused on each independently. To explore this relationship, we tested 119 prospective adolescent guide dogs on a battery of 11 temperament and problem-solving tasks. We then summarized the data using both confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory principal components analysis. Results of confirmatory analysis revealed that a priori separation of tests as measuring either temperament or problem solving led to weak results, poor model fit, some construct validity, and no predictive validity. In contrast, results of exploratory analysis were best summarized by principal components that mixed temperament and problem-solving traits. These components had both construct and predictive validity (i.e., association with success in the guide dog training program). We conclude that there is complex interplay between tasks of “temperament” and “problem solving” and that the study of both together will be more informative than approaches that consider either in isolation.
No Abstract available.
We compared the effects of different feeding strategies on hormonal and oxidative stress biomarkers in guide dogs during a specialized training programs.
Eight neutered adult dogs belonging to the Labrador retriever breed were divided during the training work into two homogeneous groups for sex (2 males, 2 females), age (17 months ± 1), initial body weight (26.3 kg ± 1) and BCS (4.5 of 9 ± 0.11), and fed two commercial diets with different concentration of energetic nutrients. One diet was a performance diet (HPF) characterized by low-carbohydrate/ high-protein and fat content (29:39:19 % as-fed) and the other a normal maintenance diet (LPF), characterized by high-carbohydrate/ low-protein and fat content (50:24:12 % as-fed). The trial lasted 84 days. At Days 0, 28, 56 and 84, 180 min before the training work (T0) and immediately after (T1) and after 120 min (T2), blood ACTH (Adrenocorticotrophic hormone), cortisol, d-ROMS (Reactive Oxygen Metabolites- derived compounds) and BAP (Biological Antioxidant Potential) were evaluated studied. Lactate was measured at T0 and T1. The statistical model included the effects of Diet (HPF vs. LPF), time (from Day 0 to Day 84, end of the trial), and exercise (T0, T1 and T2) and their interaction.
ACTH (P=0.002) and cortisol (P=0.013) showed higher values in the HPF than the LPF group; there were no significant differences were observed for lactate. Time showed no significant difference for any hormones or blood lactate. Exercise significantly (P<0.001) influenced ACTH and cortisol concentrations, showing higher values at T1 than T0 and T2, and with lactate higher (P<0.0001) at T1 than T0. Diet did not influence biomarkers of oxidative stress. Time significantly (P<0.05) influence BAP results but not d-ROMs. Exercise had no effect on BAP results, but d-ROMs were higher at T0 than T2 (P=0.001). There was no interaction effect.
The pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response and the oxidative stress indices could represent an objective method to identify optimal dietary protocols for creating a successful guide dog during the early training period.
Evaluating potential guide dogs is crucial for guide dog schools as raising and training is an expensive process. During adolescence, volunteers raise dogs in training away from guide dog schools and expose them to a variety of stimuli and teach them obedience skills. However, no objective data exists about the dog’s behavior and environment during this period, usually lasting several months to a year. We developed an Internet of Things sensor-equipped collar to quantify dogs’ behaviors and environments during this stage. Raisers collect data from the collar using a smartphone app which in turn uploads data to a central processing pipeline. We present an overview of the system and an evaluation showing how we can learn meaningful information about a dog’s environment and physical activities while away from the school for months on end, ideally to help predict which dogs will be successful in training.
Producing successful guide dogs for the visually impaired is a costly process and many dogs do not succeed in training. Identifying and screening successful dogs early is vital for the success of guide dog programs. Volunteer puppy raising is an essential part of training to expose candidate dogs to new stimuli and teach obedience skills away from the school. As there is little objective data about puppies’ experiences with raisers, there is great potential in providing analytical insight during this important developmental period. We present a collar-based sensor system to remotely collect various sensor data to derive higher-level analytics describing behaviors and environments. We interviewed guide dog experts to refine and develop metrics derivable from sensor data. With the collar system, we collected training data and generated machine learning models to capture these metrics in order to remotely provide insight remotely at wide scale insight about puppies raised by volunteers.
A guide dog is a domestic dog (Canis familiaris) that is specifically educated to provide mobility support to a blind or visually impaired owner. Current dog suitability assessments focus on behavioural traits, including: trainability, reactivity or attention to environmental stimuli, low aggressiveness, fearfulness and stress behaviour, energy levels, and attachment behaviour. The aim of this study was to find out which aspects of guide dog behaviour are of key importance to guide dog owners themselves. Sixty-three semi-structured interview surveys were carried out with guide dog owners. Topics included the behaviour of their guide dog both within and outside their working role, and also focused on examples of behaviour which might be considered outside a guide dog owner’s typical expectations. Both positive and negative examples and situations were covered. This allowed for the discovery of new perspectives and emerging themes on living and working with a guide dog. Thematic analysis of the results reveals that a dog’s safe behaviour in the face of traffic was the most important positive aspect of a guide dog’s behaviour and pulling or high tension on the lead and /or harness was the most discussed negative aspect. Other aspects of guide dog behaviour were highlighted as particularly pleasing or disappointing by owners including attentiveness to the task, work, environment and owner; confidence in work and decision making (with confident dogs resulting in confident owners) obedience and control; calmness and locating objectives. The results reveal important areas of behaviour that are not currently considered priorities in guide dog assessments; these key areas were consistency of behaviour, the dog’s maturity and the dog’s behaviour in relation to children. The survey revealed a large range in what owners considered problematic or pleasing behaviours and this highlights the heterogeneity in guide dog owners and the potential multifarious roles of the guide dog. This study contributes to the literature on which behaviour is considered appropriate or inappropriate in dogs and on the nature of human-animal interactions.
Guide dog (GD) mobility is part of the broader field of Orientation and Mobility, but there is a service gap between the numbers of people who have a GD and those who could benefit from GD mobility. There is also a shift in the GD industry from standardized GD services that focus on dog production and capability toward person-centered practice. There is a resulting need to measure the person-centered outcomes of GD mobility training, but to date no appropriate measures have been available. This embedded, mixed methods study with a QUAL/quan priority investigated the benefits of guide dog mobility with clients (n = 51) from Guide Dogs Victoria, Australia using grounded theory methodology, as a foundation for measuring the outcomes of guide dog mobility training. In 2015–2016, semi-structured interviews explored clients’ lifestyle choices, functional vision, orientation and mobility skills, and guide dog mobility. Two new assessment tools were also piloted, comprised of co-rated, behaviorally anchored ordinal scales, with ratings warranted by participants’ comments. The tools were feasible to implement and reduced qualitative information about Orientation and Mobility Outcomes (OMO) and Vision-Related Outcomes in Orientation and Mobility (VROOM) each to a number out of 50, facilitating comparisons. The study found that a guide dog (1) enabled and improved travel, (2) fostered connections, (3) enhanced wellbeing, and (4) empowered clients. The OMO tool captured these benefits, showing content validity as an outcome measure to evaluate GD training programs. The resulting measurement data could be used to review the results of guide dog production, evaluate client readiness, inform matching decisions, customize client–dog training, and measure the person-centered outcomes that ensue from guide dog mobility. The novel functional measurement methodology and VROOM/OMO template provide a model for development of further functional outcome measures, including a GD assessment/matching tool that includes human and GD factors.
This article explores how visually impaired people (VIP) navigate around (a) stationary people and (b) moving people, when guided by the Boston Dynamics’ robotic “dog” and its human operator. By focusing on the micro-spatial dimensions of human mobility while being guided by a mobile robot, the paper argues that the VIP+robodog+operator is in situ emerging as a socio-material assemblage in which agency, perception, and trust gets distributed and that this distribution enables the accomplishment of navigation. The article is based on ethnomethodology and multimodal conversation analysis (EMCA) and a video ethnographic methodology. It contributes to studies in perception, agency, human–robot interaction, space and culture, and distributed co-operative action in socio-material settings.
As part of a collaborative project involving five guide and service dog organizations in the USA (Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Leader Dogs for the Blind and The Seeing Eye), volunteer puppy raisers provided information about the behavior of the guide and service dogs in their care via a questionnaire (the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire, or C-BARQ©; www.cbarq.org). The surveys were completed online when the puppies were 6 months old and again at 12 months of age. Dogs were tracked through training and those that successfully completed training and were matched with a blind/disabled handler or were selected as breeders were classified as successful while dogs rejected from the program due to behavioral issues were classified as released (dogs rejected for medical reasons were excluded from analysis). A total of 11,997 C-BARQ evaluations for 7696 dogs were analyzed. Generalized linear modeling for each of the five schools revealed that dogs that successfully completed training scored more favorably on 27 out of 36 C-BARQ traits at both 6 and 12 months of age compared to those that were released from the programs. The most predictive trait at both age levels was pulls excessively hard on leash, for which each unit increase in score was associated with a 1.4 increase in the odds of being released from the program. The ability of the C-BARQ to discriminate between dogs that were later successful or released differed across organizations (P = 0.001 and P < 0.0001 for 6- and 12-month surveys, respectively), most likely due to differences in the procedures used when making decisions about whether or not to release dogs. These findings provide convincing evidence that the C-BARQ is able to discriminate between dogs that are behaviorally suited for guide or service work and those that are not and may provide trainers with useful information about potential training or breeding candidates as early as 6 months of age.
Als Teil eines kollaborativen Projekts mit fünf Blindenhund- und Servicehund-Organisationen in den USA (Canine Companions for Independence, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Leader Dogs for the Blind and The Seeing Eye) beantworteten freiwillige Hunde-Erzieher den C-BARQ-Fragebogen über das Verhalten von Blinden- und Servicehunden aus ihrer Obhut. Diese wurden ausgefüllt, als die Hunde sechs Monate und zwölf Monate alt waren. Assistenzhunde, die die Ausbildung abgeschlossen haben und einem Menschen mit Behinderung übergeben wurden oder zur Züchtung ausgewählt wurden, wurden als erfolgreich eingeordnet, während Hunde, die aufgrund von Verhaltensproblemen abgelehnt wurden, als entlassen klassifiziert wurden. Tiere, die aus medizinischen Gründen abgelehnt wurden, wurden in der Studie nicht beachtet. Insgesamt wurden 11997 Evaluationen mit Angaben über 7696 Hunden analysiert. Es ergab sich, dass Hunde, die eine Ausbildung komplett absolviert haben, im Alter von sechs und zwölf Monaten in 27 von 36 Untersuchungsmerkmalen besser abschnitten als Hunde, die aus dem Programm entlassen wurden. Die Fähigkeit, mit dem C-BARQ-Test zwischen später erfolgreichen und später entlassenen Hunden zu unterscheiden, wurde stark von der jeweiligen Organisation beeinflusst, da jede Organisation andere Bewertungskriterien angesetzt hat. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass man mit dem C-BARQ-Test zwischen Hunden, deren Verhalten für die Arbeit als Blinden- oder Servicehund geeignet ist, und Hunden, deren Verhalten nicht für die Arbeit als Blinden- oder Servicehund geeignet ist, unterscheiden kann. Schon im Alter von sechs Monaten können mögliche Übungen vorgeschlagen oder Kandidaten für die Züchtung erkannt werden.
The article compares the guide dog movements in the United States and England, noting that in England there is one school with 7 centers while in the U.S. there are 10 competing schools. In England, twice as high a proportion of blind people use guide dogs.
Diagnosed at Moorfields Eye Hospital at the age of 4 with retinitis pigmentosa and told that I would not see beyond the age of 15, I have been fortunate to reach the age of 35 with some residual peripheral vision. Not many people appreciate that only 18% of people registered blind can see nothing at all. I have never liked the word “blind,” with its negative connotations in everyday terms such as “blind drunk” and “blind ignorance.” In my line of research, even the term “randomised double blind trial” has left me feeling awkward. However, since I have started walking into walls, opening tins of peaches for our rather surprised cat, and putting my two and a half year old daughter in the bath still wearing her socks, I decided it was time to reassess matters.
This study examines the relative importance of a longer than normal 4-month training period, or being passed back from the original training class to join a class in which dogs are at an earlier stage of their training, on the overall probability that a dog entering guide dog training will ultimately graduate as a guide dog. The study group consisted of dogs that were trained at The Seeing Eye guide dog school in the years 2000 through 2005. In total, 2033 Labrador retrievers (LR), golden retrievers (GR), German shepherds (GS) and Labrador retriever/golden retriever crosses (LGX) were included in the study. Of all dogs, 39% had been passed back during their training, and 56% had graduated as guide dogs. In general, females had a lower chance to be passed back than males, except for GS and LGX. Overall, GS had the highest chance to be passed back during their training. LGX had the highest, and GS the lowest, probability for graduating as guide dogs. Dogs that were passed back for behavioral reasons were only half as likely as dogs completing training normally to work as guide dogs, whereas medical reasons and no match reasons for being passed back hardly influenced the chances to become guide dogs. Overall, the current 4-month standard training program at The Seeing Eye seemed mostly successful for LGX and LR, whereas GS and GR had a higher success rate when being passed back, i.e., they were more likely to graduate as guide dogs when they were trained for a longer period than the standard training program.
Manche Hunde werden länger als die normalen vier Monate zum Blindenführhund ausgebildet oder in eine frühere Ausbildungsstufe zurückgereicht. Diese Studie untersucht, welchen Einfluss dies auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit hat, dass Hunde die Ausbildung zum Blindenhund erfolgreich abschließen. Die untersuchte Gruppe bestand aus Hunden, die in der Seeing-Eye-Blindenhund-Schule zwischen 2000 und 2005 ausgebildet wurden. Insgesamt waren 2033 Labrador Retriever (LR), Golden Retriever (GR), Deutsche Schäferhunde (GS) und Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever-Kreuzungen beteiligt. Von allen Hunden wurden 39% in ihrer Ausbildung zurückgestuft und 56% haben die Ausbildung erfolgreich abgeschlossen. Generell hatten weibliche Hunde eine geringere Chance, zurückgestuft zu werden (außer bei GS und LGX). Insgesamt hatten GS die höchste Chance, während ihrer Ausbildung zurückgestuft zu werden. LGX hatten die höchste und GS die geringste Wahrscheinlichkeit, die Ausbildung zum Blindenhund erfolgreich abzuschließen. Hunde, die wegen Verhaltensproblemen zurückgestuft wurden, haben die Ausbildung nur halb so oft erfolgreich abgeschlossen wie Hunde, die normal ausgebildet wurden. Medizinische Gründe oder fehlende, passende Partner haben die Möglichkeit, die Ausbildung erfolgreich abzuschließen, kaum beeinflusst. Insgesamt scheint das viermonatige Ausbildungsprogramm besonders für LGX und LR geeignet zu sein, während GS und GR häufiger erfolgreich waren, wenn sie zurückgestuft wurden. Sie haben die Ausbildung also eher erfolgreich abgeschlossen, wenn sie ein längeres Programm absolviert haben.
No Abstract available.
The study investigated the affectional bond developed by dogs (Canis familiaris) towards their human companions during the selection process to become guide dogs and compared this bond with that formed by pet dogs with their owners. One hundred and nine dog-owner pairs were tested using a modified version of the Strange Situation Test: custody dogs-puppy walkers (n = 34), apprentice dogs-trainers (n = 26), guide dogs-blind owners (n = 25) and pet dogs-owners (n = 24).
Twenty-six behaviours were scored using a 5 s point sampling method and two vocal behaviours were recorded as bouts. Factor analysis carried out on 24 mutually exclusive behaviours highlighted two different profiles of response. A relaxed reaction characterised by a high play activity was distinctive of custody and apprentice dogs, whereas an anxious reaction characterised by a high degree of proximity seeking behaviours was distinctive of pet dogs. Guide dogs were intermediate between these two extremes, expressing their attachment to the owners but showing a more controlled emotional reaction. This finding suggests that guide dogs can be viewed as “working pets”. Furthermore, the experimental set-up, characterised by the presence of a frightening stimulus, revealed that untrained dogs (pets and custody dogs) were more fearful than trained dogs (guide dogs and apprentice dogs). Finally, differences in temperament emerged between retrievers: Golden retrievers showed a higher level of affection demand while Labrador retrievers were more playful. Overall, these findings show that in spite of separations from previous attachment figures, guide dogs established with their blind owner a rather good and secure affectional bond.
The aim of this study was to analyze the behavioral and physiological reactions of guide dogs in a distressing situation which promotes attachment behaviors towards their blind owners, and to compare such reactions with those of untrained or trainee dogs.
The subjects were 57 adult Labrador and Golden retriever dogs (14 males, 43 females) belonging to four different groups: 19 Custody dogs, 13 Apprentice dogs, 10 Guide dogs and 15 Pet dogs. Dogs were tested using the Strange Situation Test, consisting in seven 3-minute episodes in which the dogs were placed in an unfamiliar environment, introduced to an unfamiliar woman and subjected to separation from their human companion. Tests were video-recorded and behaviors were scored using a 5-second point sampling method. Polar Vantage telemetric system was used to record cardiac activity.
ANOVAs for repeated measures with groups and breeds as independent variables, showed a more anxious reaction in pet dogs, which revealed a high degree of proximity seeking behavior. Cardiac activity increased during episodes characterized by the exclusive presence of the stranger, but this increase was more conspicuous in guide dogs than in custody and apprentice dogs. Golden retrievers showed more behaviors suggesting distress compared to Labrador retrievers.
This study showed that guide dogs, when separated from their blind owner, reveal a controlled behavioral reaction that is however accompanied by a stronger cardiac activation.
Objective: To evaluate the outcome of implementing a selective breeding strategy to reduce the incidence of entropion in a guide dog program.
Animals studied: Labrador Retrievers born at Guide Dogs for the Blind. 2106 whelped between July 2013 and October 2016 prior to selective breeding, and 1958 whelped between May 2020 and December 2024 after selective breeding for a total of 4064 puppies.
Procedure: Retrospective review of medical records. Bayesian logistic regression modeling was used to calculate the heritability of entropion and compare the risk of entropion diagnosis for dogs before and after the implementation of a selective breeding strategy.
Results: Prior to selective breeding, the incidence of entropion was 6.46%. After selective breeding, the incidence of entropion was 3.12%. Of the 197 puppies diagnosed with entropion (median age at first diagnosis 6.7 weeks), 181 had a recorded surgical repair procedure (median age at first repair 7.9 weeks). Repair was corrective in 164 cases (90.61%) with no recurrence of entropion. Dogs whelped in the pre-selection cohort had 1.96 times greater risk of entropion diagnosis than dogs whelped in the post-selection cohort. Heritability of entropion (h2) in this population is estimated to be 0.80.
Conclusion: These results provide evidence that in a population of Labrador Retrievers where the heritability of entropion is high, selective breeding can greatly impact the incidence of entropion, and surgical repair is an effective form of treatment at a young age.
Formation of “The Seeing Eye,” a school for guide dogs, has played a vital role in fostering efforts to develop guide dog programs in the United States and throughout the world. This brief review is intended to highlight the historical evolution of guide dogs for the blind and to tell the story of The Seeing Eye.
No abstract.
This Comment is a supplemental feature of the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness October-November 2011 Special Issue on Orientation and Mobility and Professional Preparation: Celebrating 50 Years. This commentary is based on presentations the authors gave at the 2011 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute in Seattle, Washington, and the 2010 North Central Orientation and Mobility Association (NCOMA) conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
This research aimed to identify the frequency and type of undesirable behaviors observed by guide dog puppy walkers and management strategies used by them during the puppy-walking period. All members of 36 puppy-walking families (N=96), recruited from the National School of Guide Dogs for Blind People in Florence (Italy), completed an 80-item questionnaire. This sampling represented homes caring for 28 Labrador retrievers, 6 Golden retrievers, and 2 German shepherd dogs. Of these dogs, 47.2% (n=17) were males and 52.8% (n=19) females, and 66.7% (n=24) were between 7 and 12 months old. Three categories of undesirable behaviors were recorded. First, behaviors considered inconsequential to the guide dog role were: digging (11.8%, n=11); chewing objects (4.4%, n=4); stealing or begging for food (3.1%, n=3); licking people (5.9%, n=5); getting on furniture (4.4% n=4); defending territory (2.8%, n=2); and coprophagia (5.9%, n=5). Second, the following behaviors considered easily resolvable through training were recorded: lack of recall (8.9%, n=10); pulling on lead (11.8%, n=11); jumping up (28.1%, n=30); barking at other dogs (5.9%, n=5); chewing the leash (1.5%, n=1); and house soiling (5.9% (n=5). Third, these potentially disqualifying behaviors were observed: scavenging (17.7%, n=17); aggressive barking, growling, and biting (10.4%, n=10); and fear of thunderstorms (6.2%, n=6); loud noises (32.3%, n
=31); men (2.1%, n=2); women (3.1%, n=3); and people with unusual clothes (6.2%, n=6). None of the puppies was reported to be fearful of children. Overall, 67.7% (n=66) of respondents recorded at least 1 undesirable behavior. However, only few of them might lead to disqualification. The results suggest that most of the puppies were well socialized to people and not fearful. Puppy walkers could contribute to the early assessment of potential behavioral problems, which are a major cause of disqualifying guide dogs.
Diese Studie hat sich das Ziel gesetzt, die Häufigkeit und Art unerwünschter Verhaltensweisen, die von Blindenhund-Ausführern bei Welpen beobachtet wurden, und ihre Führungsstrategien während des Ausführens zu identifizieren. 96 Teilnehmer aus 36 Familien, die Welpen ausführen und von der nationalen Ausbildungsstätte für Blindenführhunde in Florenz angeworben wurden, beantworteten einen 80-teiligen Fragebogen. Die Probe umfasste Haushalte, die für 28 Labrador Retriever, sechs Golden Retriever und zwei Deutsche Schäferhunde sorgten. 17 Hunde waren männlich, 19 waren weiblich. 66,7% waren zwischen sieben und zwölf Monate alt. Es wurden drei Kategorien von unerwünschten Verhaltensweisen aufgenommen. Zu den für die Rolle als Blindenhund unbedeutenden Verhaltensweisen gehörten: Graben (11,8%), Kauen auf Gegenständen (4,4%), Stehlen von oder Betteln nach Nahrung (3,1%), Ablecken von Menschen (5,9%), Besteigen von Möbeln (4,4%), Verteidigung des Reviers (2,8%) und Koprophagie (5,9%). Die zweite Kategorie beschreibt durch Training leicht lösbare Verhaltensweisen. Beobachtet wurde Mangelndes Lernverhalten (8,9%), Ziehen an der Leine (11,8%), Hochspringen (28,1%), Anbellen anderer Hunde (5,9%), Kauen auf der Leine (1,5%) und Verschmutzen von Häusern (5,9%). In der dritten Kategorie wurden eventuell disqualifizierende Verhaltensweisen beobachtet: Plündern (17,7%), aggressives Bellen, Knurren und Beißen (10,4%), Angst vor Gewitter (6,2%), lauten Geräuschen (32,2%), Männern (2,1%), Frauen (3,1%) und Menschen mit unüblicher Kleidung (6,2%). Angst vor Kindern wurde bei keinem Welpen festgestellt. Insgesamt wurde in 66,7% der Fälle mindestens eine unerwünschte Verhaltensweise beobachtet, allerdings nur wenige, die zu einer Disqualifikation führen könnten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die meisten Welpen gut sozialisiert und nicht ängstlich waren. Ausführer von Welpen könnten zur frühen Beurteilung von möglichen Verhaltensproblemen, die wesentlicher Grund für die Disqualifizierung von Welpen als Blindenhund sein können, beitragen.
Although there are some indications that dogs (Canis familiaris) use the eyes of humans as a cue during human–dog interactions, the exact conditions under which this holds true are unclear. Analysing whether the interactive modalities of guide dogs and pet dogs differ when they interact with their blind, and sighted owners, respectively, is one way to tackle this problem; more specifically, it allows examining the effect of the visual status of the owner. The interactive behaviours of dogs were recorded when the dogs were prevented from accessing food that they had previously learned to access. A novel audible behaviour was observed: dogs licked their mouths sonorously. Data analyses showed that the guide dogs performed this behaviour longer and more frequently than the pet dogs; seven of the nine guide dogs and two of the nine pet dogs displayed this behaviour. However, gazing at the container where the food was and gazing at the owner (with or without sonorous mouth licking), gaze alternation between the container and the owner, vocalisation and contact with the owner did not differ between groups. Together, the results suggest that there is no overall distinction between guide and pet dogs in exploratory, learning and motivational behaviours and in their understanding of their owner’s attentional state, i.e. guide dogs do not understand that their owner cannot see (them). However, results show that guide dogs are subject to incidental learning and suggest that they supplemented their way to trigger their owners’ attention with a new distal cue.
Guide dogs are working dogs that follow the verbal instructions of owners with severe visual impairments, leading them through the environment and toward goals such as a subway entrance (“Find the subway” instruction). During this process, guide dogs incidentally familiarize themselves with their environment. As such, they provide a unique animal model for studying wayfinding abilities in the canine species. In the present descriptive study, 23 skilled guide dogs travelled along a path once and were subsequently tested in a navigation task, with a blindfolded guide dog instructor as the handler. Dogs had difficulty reproducing the path (only 30.43% of the dogs succeeded) and returning (homing) along the previously travelled path (43.47% of the dogs succeeded). However, 80% of them successfully took a shortcut, and 86.95% a detour. This is the first description of the wayfinding abilities of dogs after a single discrete exploration of the path (incidental learning) in systematic experimental conditions. Errors, initiatives and success rates showed that dogs were able to keep track of the goal if the path was short, but errors increased with longer paths, suggesting segmented integration of path characteristics process, as demonstrated in humans. Additionally, errors on homing and detouring, both vital wayfinding tasks, were correlated, suggesting an effect of experience. Initiatives taken by the dogs further suggest flexibility of the spatial representation elaborated. Interestingly, we also found that homing was the only task to benefit from severe visual disability and regular exposure to new journeys, suggesting that these two factors influence the most important wayfinding task. This study therefore highlights qualitative and quantitative wayfinding abilities in the dog species, as well as the factors that account for them, after a single path exploration accompanied by natural ongoing motivation. In the wake of the discovery that dogs are sensitive to the magnetic field, our results provide the basis for developing systematic wayfinding tests for guide dogs.
Blindness has previously been associated with impaired quality of life (QOL). Guide dogs may not only support blind people in their independency, but also facilitate social relationships and overall health. This study sought to investigate whether blind people from Austria with a guide dog, when compared with blind people without a guide dog, differ in their QOL, annual medical costs, and attitudes towards the human–guide dog relationship. Participants (n = 36) filled out an online accessible questionnaire that consisted of the World Health Organization (WHO)QOL-BREF and additional self-designed questions. Guide dog ownership was not associated with a better QOL. However, yearly medical cost expenditures were descriptively lower in guide dog owners, who were also more likely to believe that guide dogs can increase their independency and exert positive effects on health. Moreover, guide dog owners more likely considered a guide dog as a family member than non-guide dog owners. Although within the framework of this study, owning a guide dog was not significantly associated with increased QOL, some differences between the groups regarding health beliefs, attitude towards the dog, and relationship with the dog were identified. Accounting for the emerging prevalence of visual impairment, further research into this topic is warranted.
The most important traits causing dogs to be rejected as unsuitable for training as guide-dogs were found to be fearfulness, being too easily distracted, especially by other dogs, and aggressiveness. The guide-dog trainers evaluate these traits and several others using a series of 17 scores. The between-trainer repeatability of these scores varied from 0 to 0.7. Factor analysis of these 17 scores yielded 5 factors, which can be labelled distraction, general performance, sensitivity, fearfulness and fearfulness accompanied by high activity. There were no negative correlations between desirable traits, so it should be possible to obtain an overall improvement in the performance of the dogs. Comparison of dogs from the breeding programme of the Royal Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Australia with dogs donated to the Association as puppies showed that the breeding programme had improved the dogs in the 3 important traits. Also, dogs reared under the supervision of the Association were superior to dogs donated as adults in these 3 traits. Females were more fearful and distracted by scents but less aggressive and distracted by dogs than males. There was significant genetic variation for fearfulness and possibly for dog distraction, suggesting that future selection on these criteria will further improve the standard of the dogs. These 17 scores, which are given early in a dog’s training, have little ability to predict the dog’s final performance on specific tasks but they do correlate with the overall reliability of fully trained dogs.
The correlations between measurements of a variety of responses, including approach, avoidance, nature of contact with the stimulus, tail position and posture, to a large number of stimuli were analysed. In general, the measurements were correlated, indicating a general trait of fearfulness, but some of the correlations were very low. Factor analysis showed that measurements were more likely to be highly correlated if they were based on similar responses, or used similar stimuli, or were made close together in time. In most cases, it was avoidance responses which were most highly correlated with fearfulness as assessed by guide dog trainers. Adult fearfulness could be predicted to some degree from fearfulness at 3 months of age, but the accuracy of the prediction improved with age.
Between 4 weeks and 6 months of age, dogs were subjected to a battery of behavioural tests. The ability of these tests to predict fearfulness, activity and learning ability of the dogs when adult was assessed. Consistent individual differences in fearfulness were apparent at about 8 weeks of age, and the ability to predict adult fearfulness increased with age. The most useful tests involved responses to a strange person, a strange dog, a strange place and certain unusual objects. There appears to be genetic variation between dogs in fearfulness when young, but genetic selection against fearfulness would be more accurate if carried out in adult dogs rather than in young dogs. Consistent individual differences in activity from 4 weeks of age were found, but this behaviour correlated poorly with the activity of the dogs when adult. Puppies responded to fear by inhibiting movement. None of the tests used predicted the dogs’ performance on specific learning tasks.
The visually impaired have been a longstanding and well-recognized user group addressed in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Recently, the study of sighted dog owners and their pets has gained interest in HCI. Despite this, there is a noticeable gap in the field with regards to research on visually impaired owners and their dogs (guide dog teams). This paper presents a study that explores the interactions of guide dog teams revealing a rich, holistic understanding of their everyday lives and needs, across both work and leisure activities. Our findings inform and inspire future research and practices suggesting three opportunity areas: supporting working guide dog teams, enhancing play-interaction through accessible dog toys utilizing sensor technologies, and speculative and exploratory opportunities. This work contributes to the growing research on designing for human-canine teams and motivates future research with guide dog teams.
Guide dog organizations have strict criteria to breed, raise, and select dogs to assist people with visual impairments. In collaboration with Dr. James Serpell, several guide dog training organizations developed a scoring tool called the Behavior Checklist (BCL) to evaluate candidate guide dogs. The tool’s use has expanded to the entire assistance dog industry and is rapidly emerging as the standard behavior assessment. Since 2003, Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) has used the BCL to measure individual dogs’ behaviors up to 8 times between puppyhood and final placement. Here, we evaluate the consistency of the BCL over multiple evaluations in a population of 3,969 Labrador Retrievers raised by Guiding Eyes. We grouped BCL evaluations by two methods, factor analysis, and trainer-defined groups, and summarized groupings of behavior in two ways, using mean and lowest scores. We then determined the agreement between pairs of evaluations using kappa statistics and the predictive capacity of early BCL scores to predict later scores using positive and negative predictive values. Evaluations that are similar in nature and those that are scored within 3 to 6 months of one another agree the most. When a dog scores well early in life, they are likely to consistently score well and the dog’s behavior is unlikely to regress over time. We also found that dogs who score poorly early in life either improve their scores on later evaluations with training intervention or are removed from training. One limitation of this data is that dogs who score poorly at early time points are often removed from training and the data from later BCL evaluations is biased toward higher-scoring dogs. Regardless, these data show that the BCL is an effective way to evaluate assistance dog behavior and has some predictive capacity.
Although many technological products for the blind have been created in the intelligent and the digital age, guide dogs are irreplaceable options in supporting blind travel, both bodily and psychologically. However, there are nonetheless some drawbacks in the way guide dogs assist in travel. In order to make up for the shortcomings of guide dogs, optimize the travel experience and ensure the safety of blind people, the smart guide dog harness (“E-guide”) based on image recognition technology, communication technology, GIS positioning technology, etc. was designed. In order to ensure that the design of the smart guide dog harness is practicable and implementable, first, 4 user pain points in the process of guide dog-assisted blind travel are obtained through various research methods. 16 basic requirements of guide dogassisted blind travel based on the user pain points is compiled. Afterwards, a two-dimensional questionnaire based on the “Kano Model” was created based on the above 16 travel requirements, and the blind people assessed their satisfaction based on each travel requirement. The results of the questionnaire were statistically and analytically analyzed according to the two-dimensional attribute classification approach based on “Kano Model” to obtain the requirement attribute for each travel requirement. Then, the Better-Worse analysis was used to transform each requirement attribute into a quantitative requirement index, so as to clarify the travel requirements of guide dog-assisted blind travel that need to be satisfied as a priority, and provide guidance and reference for the design and research of smart guide dog harness. Finally, a simulation experiment was conducted with and without the “E-guide” to assist blind people to travel. The travel period and heart rate changes of blind people traveling were tested. The results showed that “E-guide” can effectively improve the physical and mental satisfaction of guide dogs in assisting blind people to travel.
For the dog to become a safe and fluent guide for a vision impaired person it will be necessary for it to employ the cognitive processes of selective attention, pattern recognition, categorisation, discrimination, prediction and the mental representation of knowledge and its translation into action. Above all the guide dog needs to be a confident decision maker and problem solver, capable of operating with purposeful intent within a set of rules.
If the dog is to guide its vision impaired owner safely in town or city, stopping at kerbs, avoiding pedestrians and street furniture, manoeuvring around ladders and helping its owner cross roads safely, it will need to be much more than a well conditioned and unthinking robot!
This e-pub will be of value to dog owners and professional trainers, education and training staff of guide dog schools, students of animal and human cognition, veterinary staff, and anyone who has a curiosity about how the guide dog does its job.
The author discusses three important factors that need to be considered by Orientation & Mobility (O&M) instructors when working with clients that are guide dog users. These include: that the work of a guide dog can be infl uenced by the presence of the O&M instructor during training; the signifi cance of straight line travel; and the importance of using such O&M techniques as guiding, directional cues and landmarks.
Salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) concentrations of prospective guide dogs for the blind were determined to clarify whether salivary sIgA is useful in evaluating the potential suitability of guide dogs for the blind. Saliva was collected from 73 prospective guide dogs in the kennel on day 1 (the day of separation from volunteer puppy-raisers), 2, 3, 7 and 14 during the estimation period (at about 1 year old). We selected particularly suitable dogs (superior dogs) and unsuitable dogs (inferior dogs) on the basis of the trainers’ estimation. All dogs were divided into two groups, those were acceptable dogs would become the guide dogs and rejected dogs could not become guide dogs. The sIgA concentrations in superior dogs gradually increased from day 1 to 14 and those in inferior dogs remained at low levels. Moreover, the sIgA concentrations on day 14 in the acceptable dogs were significantly higher than those in rejected dogs. The cut-off point of sIgA concentrations on day 14 using an ROC curve was 90 EU/ml, and the specificity of the estimation at this point (70.4%) was higher than that of trainers’ estimation (50%). Moreover, parallel testing using both trainers’ estimation and sIgA estimation, showed that specificity was further improved (79.5%). The present study showed that sIgA concentration was extremely useful in estimating the adaptive ability for guide dogs for the blind.
No Abstract available.
Abstract goes here.
The aim was to assess glycemia regulation in a blind diabetic patient after getting a guide dog. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) results of a blind patient before and after getting the guide dog were retrospectively collected. The paired t-test results yielded a two-tailed P value of 0.0925, a difference considered not statistically significant; the 95% confidence interval of this difference varied from -0.2494 to 1.889. An improvement of glycemia regulation was observed with the guide dog compared to previous glycemia regulation, however, the difference was not statistically significant. The moderate improvement could probably be attributed to the mobility of the blind person having a guide dog. Standard quality of life tests should be included in the evaluation of diabetic blind persons, especially the impact of a guide dog on glycemic control or other chronic complications of diabetes.
Criteria and testing procedures with regard to the suitability of dogs as guide dogs for the blind were developed on the basis of a literature study and own observations. A profile of the guide dog comprising physical characteristics, skillfulness, behaviour, and obedience was drawn up. As a rule, the testing procedures concern health and skills of the dogs. In the skill test some elements of the behavioural and obedience test were included. The final evaluation is based on the results of physical examination and the skill test, unless testing of behaviour and/or obedience appears necessary as well. A method for evaluating the performances of the dogs as objectively as possible is described. Some implications of using and testing guide dogs are discussed.
A young blind adult recounts his experiences in using a dog guide, describing psychological adjustment, trials and joys of being a student at a dog guide training center, bonding with the new dog, and adjusting to home life with a dog guide. Suggestions are offered for the improvement of orientation and mobility training. (JDD)
Introduction:
In spite of the vast amount of literature on pet therapy and dog companionship, limited studies exist on older adults with vision loss and the experience of owning a dog guide. The purpose of this study is to explore the facilitators and barriers of first-time ownership and utilization of a dog guide as experienced by older adults with vision loss.
Methods:
Data were gathered among seven participants using open-ended semistructured telephone interviews. Participants described their experiences related to owning a dog guide. Using phenomenological analysis, themes were extracted from verbatim transcriptions.
Results:
Through constant comparison methods, five themes emerged: increased responsibilities for new dog guide owners, changes in habits and routines, quick human–dog guide bonding, increase in community integration, and enhancement of autonomy through dog guide ownership.
Discussion:
The study results suggest that obtaining a dog guide increased the older adults with vision loss everyday engagement in community activities. The increased confidence in independent mobility may have led participants to engage in activities in unfamiliar environments, thus improving their autonomy, self-esteem, and physical abilities. These changes resulted in increased feelings of independence and freedom for the older adults with vision loss. Participants also revealed positive changes in their daily habits. Due to the increased physical ability and motivation needed to complete activities, making adjustments to owning a dog guide became easier. Furthermore, a human–dog guide bond was prevalent among all seven participants.
Implications for practitioners:
Themes extracted provide health practitioners and dog guide organizations insight into how owning dog guides may empower older adults with vision loss.
Purpose: The diverse benefits of the guide dog service for people with impaired vision have been widely described. However, research has tended not to discriminate between the perspectives of first-time service recipients and recurring clients. This study aims to gain a detailed understanding of first-time guide dog-person partnership.
Material and methods: Eleven participants took part in face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Interview accounts were processed and analyzed following the approach of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
Results: Three recurrent themes were identified. “Inconsistency and unpredictability” captures participants’ early uneasiness and insecurity in responding to their dog partners’ occasional guiding mistakes. “The demand of managing control” highlights the participants taking up dynamic and sometimes conflicting positions of control in relation to their dog partners. “Stepping into an acquired sensibility toward the guide dog” addresses the empathetic and embodied openness toward the dog partners that the participants come to experience with the advancement of the partnership.
Conclusion: The participants’ perspectives reflect that working/walking with a guide dog is neither a generic phenomenon nor an overnight achievement. Rather, the partnership entails continuous and somewhat personalized adjustment by individual participants as they navigate the unique challenges and conflicts associated with the working partnership.
Individuals with visual impairments lead less active lifestyles than their sighted counterparts. Reduced physical activity in this population can be attributed to a lack of opportunities combined with fewer intervention opportunities, less experience in sport and recreational activities, and decreased perceived motor competence. Furthermore, individuals with visual impairments report lower values in all domains of quality of life when compared with their sighted counterparts. Therefore, it is imperative that opportunities are developed to increase self-determination leading to higher levels of physical activity for individuals with visual impairments. Running is a popular physical activity for active individuals; however, there are many barriers to running for individuals with visual impairments. To increase these opportunities, a school for guide dogs has recently started training guide dogs to run. The purpose of this study was to determine the perspectives of adults with visual impairments on their experiences running with trained running guide dogs. Ten adults who are blind were interviewed on phone by two researchers. Qualitative research questions were validated by two adults who are blind, three specialists in adapted physical education, and one guide dog trainer. Interviews were transcribed, and themes were extracted by three of the authors. The four major themes that emerged from this research study were (1) running guide dogs’ contribution to mental and physical health, (2) independence as a result of running with a guide dog, (3) The dog is key to increased/improved running, and (4) barriers and supporters to running. Our results indicate that there are numerous positive effects that a running guide dog has on the health, independence, and quality of life of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The results indicated that making running guide dogs available could provide increased self-determination for adults who choose to take advantage of this program leading to a healthier lifestyle.
This is the first of a two-part study that examined the effects of a guide dog as an aid to mobility; both parts are published in this issue of the IJOM. The first part demonstrates the perceived effectiveness of the dog on travel performance, and the second part describes changes to travel habits, as well as advantages and disadvantages of guide dog mobility. In this first part of the study, the travel performance of 50 people who were blind or vision impaired was investigated retrospectively when participants used (a) mobility aids other than a guide dog (i.e., before a dog was acquired) and where applicable, a dog they considered to be (b) a satisfactory and (c) an unsatisfactory mobility aid. Results indicated that travel performance was considered significantly better when using a satisfactory dog compared to pre-guide dog mobility or an unsatisfactory dog. Follow-up tests were conducted to determine whether differences in travel ability before a dog was acquired affected travel performance when using a satisfactory dog. Participants were separated into three groups (poor, moderate and good travellers) based on their perceived travel ability pre-dog. Significant differences in travel performance were found between all three groups before a dog was used, but no differences were seen between the groups when using a satisfactory dog. Further tests indicated that travel performance was significantly better for all three levels of traveller when using a satisfactory dog compared to pre-dog mobility, with less accomplished travellers showing the greatest gains. The use of a dog also appeared to alleviate restrictions to travel caused by some non-visual conditions.
The Tellington TTouch method is used to reduce stress and relax animals so they can learn more effectively. It aims to increase an animal’s body awareness and balance by using a combination of techniques that include specific touches, body wraps and leading (movement) exercises. This article discusses the method and its potential role in guide dog training.
Excessive stress impairs learning. The Tellington TTouch method (TTouch) is used to reduce stress and relax animals so they can learn more effectively. It aims at increasing an animal’s body awareness and balance by using a combination of techniques that include specific touches, body wraps, and leading (movement) exercises. This article introduces the TTouch method, its role in sensory enhanced learning, and provides a review of TTouch in the scientific literature and the way this applies to stress in guide dogs. The article concludes with a discussion of the benefits of integrating TTouch in guide dog training.
This article describes the second of a two-part study that examined the effects of a guide dog as an aid to mobility. The first part, which is also published in this issue, showed that dogs were perceived to significantly improve travel performance, irrespective of the participants’ orientation and mobility skills before receiving the dog. The second part of the study describes the changes a dog makes to travel habits. In this second part, the travel habits of 50 people who were blind or vision impaired were examined retrospectively before and after they received a dog. The results indicate that dogs were used more frequently than other mobility aids except when it was more convenient to use a human guide or a long cane, as for example on a very short journey. People travelled independently more often and went further, with greater ease and enjoyment when travelling with a dog. The use of a dog appeared to reduce problems with access and the need to avoid certain journeys. However, dogs also caused difficulties, especially in social situations where they were no/welcomed,and in crowded, cramped or dog-populated environments. More advantages than disadvantages were identified when comparing a dog to other mobility aids.
The success of the partnership between a guide dog handler (or owner) and a guide dog depends upon both the suitability of the dog and the skill of the handler in maintaining the relationship. This qualitative study explored the use of guide dogs from the perspective of those who use them as a prelude to a larger scale, quantitative project assessing the matching process and the outcome of the partnership. The data were collected from a focus group discussion from which eight themes emerged. These included: mobility; adjustment to vision loss; advantages and disadvantages of using a guide dog; the matching process; training with the dog; socialfunction, feelings of friends and family; and the outcome of the relationship. In this article, these themes are described and exemplified with extracts from the focus group discussion. The study fulfilled its purpose as an information gathering exercise to further investigate the relationship between guide dog handlers and their dogs, and has added to a small but growing body of literature on the topic.
Matching a person who is blind or visually impaired with a guide dog is a process of finding the most suitable guide dog available for that individual. Not all guide dog partnerships are successful, and the consequences of an unsuccessful partnership may result in reduced mobility and quality of life for the handler (owner), and are costly in time and resources for guide dog training establishments. This study examined 50 peoples’ partnerships with one or more dogs (118 pairings) to ascertain the outcome of the relationship. Forty-three of the 118 dogs were returned to the guide dog training establishment before reaching retirement age, with the majority (n = 40) being categorized as having dog-related issues. Most (n = 26) of these dogs’ issues were classified as being behavioral in character, including work-related and non-work-related behavior, and 14 were due to physical causes (mainly poor health). Three dogs were returned due to matters relating to the handlers’ behavior. More second dogs were returned than the handlers’ first or third dogs, and dogs that had been previously used as a guide could be rematched successfully. Defining matching success is not clear-cut. Not all dogs that were returned were considered by their handlers to have been mismatched, and not all dogs retained until retirement were thought to have been good matches, suggesting that some handlers were retaining what they considered to be a poorly matched dog. Almost all the handlers who regarded a dog as being mismatched conceded that some aspects of the match were good. For example, a dog deemed mismatched for poor working behavior may have shown good home and/or other social behaviors. The same principle was true for successful matches, where few handlers claimed to have had a perfect dog. It is hoped that these results may help the guide dog industry identify important aspects of the matching process, and/or be used to identify areas where a matching problem exists.
Guide dogs are mobility aids that facilitate independent travel of people who are blind or visually impaired. Additional benefits imparted to the guide dog handler include companionship, and increased: social-function, self-esteem and confidence. Some evidence shows that the end of the guide dog partnership can result in reduced mobility, and may have profound psychosocial effects on the handler due to feelings of bereavement and loss of self-esteem. However, this evidence is limited. This study examined the experiences and feelings of 36 people across New Zealand, who experienced the ending of at least one partnership with a guide dog (77 pairings), to explore issues arising at the end of the partnership and how this may impact on relationships with subsequent dogs. Results indicate that the majority of handlers experienced a reduction in their quality of life due to a decrease in independent mobility followed by the loss of a friend and companion, curtailment of social interactions, and loss of self-esteem/confidence. The end of the partnership affected people in different ways. Most handlers “accepted” the partnership had ended, but some felt guilty or angry with the guide dog school. Most applied for another dog immediately, as the need for mobility was high, while others preferred to wait and a smaller number did not reapply. Feelings at this time also affected the handlers’ relationships with subsequent guide dogs, with over a quarter expressing a negative effect. Retiring a guide dog (for whatever reason) is not only difficult for the handler, but also for the handler’s family, friends, co-workers, and doubtlessly, the dog. The majority of handlers expressed feelings of extreme grief when the partnership ended, whether it was successful or not. Feelings of extreme grief were more common for first than subsequent dogs. The depth of emotion was compared to losing a family member or other loved one, which has been reported in some person and pet relationships. A better understanding of issues surrounding the end of the partnership, including the human-animal bond, will help inform the guide dog industry of how best to support their clients during this time and when transitioning to another dog. Findings may be applied to other service/assistance dog users and the pet owning community.
Abstract goes here.
The degree of acceptance of dog guides at public facilities, which is required by law in Japan, was investigated, and evidence of rejection was found. Japanese people with visual impairments who used dog guides reported higher daily stress levels than did those who did not use dog guides.
Training a guide dog is a long and expensive process which involves experts with years of experience. At Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a large national guide dog school, a factor in the decision for whether a dog is suitable to continue training are numeric scores based on a subjective judgement during observation of the dog as it undergoes formal evaluations. As a step towards a more objective system, we outfitted dogs undergoing these evaluations with a data collection system capable of collecting electrocardiography and other data. Using both a prototype network and an optimized network, we show that electrocardiography data can be used to predict 29 behavioral scores with approximately 92% accuracy over 11 distinct tasks during the evaluation. Additionally, we show that each of the 11 tasks can predict any of the scores, indicating that the most predictive features in the data may be task agnostic.
Fear is the leading cause of guide dog failure. Detecting the nature and causes of these fears as early as possible is the first step in preventing their occurrence. The process of habituation is a fundamental part of fear prevention. In this study, 11 puppies, all five months of age, underwent an emotional reactivity test (ERT) composed of 12 scored items, classified into three categories: unknown person (UP), sound and visual stimuli (SVS), and body sensitivity (BS). Salivary cortisol was also measured. Foster families were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning puppies’ habituation. The physiological data were correlated with UP (r = 0.71) and BS scores (r = 0.67), but not with SVS scores (r = 0.16), suggesting the ability of these dogs to control themselves when faced with the latter stimulus category. Additionally, the more time a puppy spent alone, the more likely it was to be afraid of SVS (p = 0.05). A correlation, albeit moderate, was detected between cortisol and habituation scores (r = 0.48). These results give us interesting avenues to explore, particularly regarding the importance of focusing on early puppy socialization and habituation to improve the numbers of guide dog candidates becoming successful guide dogs.
Purpose: This Australian study piloted a new measure of Orientation and Mobility to better understand the functional mobility of guide dog handlers with low vision or blindness. It is expected that this measure can be used to better match guide dogs to their handlers.
Materials and methods: The new Orientation and Mobility Outcomes tool scores a client in Stable/Familiar and Dynamic/Unfamiliar conditions, also considering Travel-Related Wellbeing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 guide dog handlers, during which travel skills were co-rated with an interviewer.
Results: A cluster analysis of the Orientation and Mobility Outcomes data identified four mobility styles: intrepid explorers, social navigators, independent roamers and homebodies. The differences between these clusters had more to do with mental mapping skills than level of vision, and different guide dog characteristics were needed to support the travel styles identified for each cluster.
Conclusions: The results confirm the importance of the Orientation and Mobility Outcomes tool as a sensitive, person-centred measure of the impact of Orientation and Mobility and guide dog training. In particular, the four mobility clusters provide a new perspective on matching guide dogs with clients, also suggesting the need for a more personalised look at the guide dog training process.
Implications for Rehabilitation
Orientation and Mobility Outcomes data seem precise enough to support and inform the process of matching guide dogs to handlers.
Uniform results cannot be expected from guide dog mobility in handlers – age, stage of life, health and spatial cognition impact the competence and travel style of guide dog handlers, whereas vision is less important.
Sharing the work of visual interpretation and decision making with a guide dog makes independent travel more possible.
Valuable dog characteristics that are specific to handler requirements might be bred or trained from puppy raising onwards, creating a more diverse pool of dogs to draw upon.
Abstract goes here.
Periodic monitoring of the training of prospective guide dogs for the blind was evaluated to determine if the monitoring is useful in gauging the potential suitability of guide dogs. We selected 8 dogs as test dogs on the basis of their medical check and pretraining evaluation. Beginning with day 1 of training, we monitored their progress every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The evaluation was designed to assess task performance, stress, excitement, and concentration for the task. We set the test course in a residential district, but in an area that was not used for daily training. In some variables, such as tail position, duration of distraction, and effect of the training break, there were some differences between a dog that successfully completed guide training and dogs that did not.
The number of stress reactions was significantly different between successful and unsuccessful dogs. Only 1 dog out of the 8 observed became a guide dog; however, the present study suggests that it is possible to detect some traits in the early stages of training that determine whether or not a dog successfully becomes a guide dog.
Abstract goes here.
Data on dog attacks on Guide Dogs’ stock were reviewed to investigate the characteristics of the attacks. An average of 11.2 attacks occurred each month. Nearly all of the attacks occurred in public areas, 68.4 per cent of victim dogs were qualified guide dogs and 55.5 per cent of victim dogs were working in harness when they were attacked. Guide Dogs’ stock were injured in 43.2 per cent of attacks and veterinary costs for attacks were estimated at £34,514.30. Over 40 per cent of qualified guide dogs’ working ability was affected and >20 per cent of qualified guide dogs required some time off from working after a dog attack. Twenty dogs were permanently withdrawn from the Guide Dogs’ programme as a result of dog attacks, 13 of which were qualified and working with guide dog owners at the time of the withdrawal; this resulted in a financial cost of >£600,000 to the charity. More importantly perhaps, temporary and permanent withdrawals have a significant impact upon the mobility and independence of guide dog owners and in many cases significantly impacted their emotional well-being.
Abstract goes here.
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) wished to evaluate its service to Guide Dog Owners (GDOs) undergoing a transition between guide dog partners. Therefore, a survey was carried out that was designed to gain an understanding of the end of a guide dog partnership from the owner’s point of view.
Participants included 75 GDOs whose previous partnership had ended within the past year. Emotional distress was measured by the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and a specially constructed Grief Rating Scale (GRS). Among the 59 GDOs who had no other reason for being upset at the time the partnership ended, high distress levels were found in those whose dog had died, been withdrawn from the partnership, or rehomed through GDBA, and low levels in those whose dog retired and continued to live with the owner or was placed in a home of the owner’s choosing. Sixteen GDOs with other adverse events in their lives around the time the partnership ended recorded high levels of distress irrespective of why the dog stopped work or what happened to it thereafter.
Other evidence from the survey questionnaire suggested that the ending of a partnership is especially painful if the dog has had some special significance for the owner; if the partnership ends abruptly; if it is the end of the first partnership; or if there is a poor relationship with GDBA. Emotions experienced at the end of a partnership may be similar to those following the death of a pet, the loss of a close friend or relative, or the loss of sight.
Transitions between guide dog partners are a recurring consequence of guide dog mobility, and support as a partnership ends is beneficial in making a smooth transition. The issues raised in this study are relevant to assistance dog partnerships of all types. Methodological problems in designing a study for a vulnerable population are discussed.
This pilot study aimed at investigating how salivary oxytocin levels are affected by human interaction and isolation in eight guide dogs (six Labrador retrievers and two golden retrievers; four males and four females, 21.87 ± 1.36 months old) just before assignment to the blind person. Each dog engaged, at one-week intervals, in a positive (5 min of affiliative interaction with their trainer) and a negative (5 min of isolation) condition. Saliva samples used for Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) quantification of salivary oxytocin were collected before and immediately after both experimental conditions. In order to assess potential hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activation that could have affected oxytocin levels, saliva samples were collected 15 min after both experimental conditions for EIA quantification of salivary cortisol and a behavioral assessment was performed during the negative condition. The results were compared using the Wilcoxon test (p < 0.05). Oxytocin concentrations showed a statistically significant increase after the positive interaction (p = 0.036) and no difference after the negative one (p = 0.779). Moreover, no difference (p = 0.263) was found between the cortisol concentrations after each experimental condition and no signs of distress were observed during the isolation phase. These preliminary findings support the hypothesis that stroking dogs has positive effects on their emotional state independently of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis activation.
The graduate-level mobility instructor has begun to play a more active role in the dog guide field in recent years. This article outlines the duties and responsibilities of a peripatologist who was a member of the training staff at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc., in Yorktown Heights, New York. Differences between traveling with a cane and with a dog guide, involvement of mobility instructors in the dog guide field and instruction of students with secondary disabilities such as diabetes, hearing loss and mental retardation are discussed.
Guide dogs work for extended periods and are exposed to multiple environmental stimuli that could lead to higher stress compared with companion dogs. Cortisol is the main hormone associated with stress in most mammals. This study included seven guide dogs and seven same-breed dogs that were trained as guide dogs but became companion dogs to compare their salivary cortisol levels before, during, and after a period of social isolation and exposure to a 110-decibel gunshot sound. Each dog was left alone in an empty room for 60 min. After 15 min, the dogs were exposed to the sound. We collected four saliva samples from each dog. The first one was taken 5 min before starting the social isolation period, and the following ones at 15, 30, and 45 min after the test started. A two-way ANOVA was used to compare the group effect and the time effect during isolation and noise exposure. The results showed higher levels of cortisol in the guide dogs compared with the companion dogs throughout the test. No differences were found in time or in the interaction between time and group. This suggests that being a guide dog increases levels of basal cortisol when compared with dogs that live as companion animals and family members.
This subject will be covered in three sections, first, a brief history of how the idea of using trained dogs to help the blind was conceived, then the present-day methods of training guide dogs, and, finally, how the blind person is trained with their guide dog to work together as a team.
This article scrutinises issues around disability and dependent (interdependent) agency, extending these to non-human animals and service dogs, with a sustained reference to the training of guide dogs. It does this through a detailed engagement with the training methodology and philosophy of The Seeing Eye guide dog school in the 1930s, exploring the physical, bodily and instrumental means through which the guide dog partnership, and the identity of the instructor, the guide dog and the guide dog owner, jointly came into being. The novelty of the article lies in how it reconsiders what interdependence meant and means from the perspectives drawing from historical and sociological literature on dog training. In doing so it opens up new ways of thinking about service animals that recognise their historical contingency and the complex processes at work in the creation and development of interdependent agency.
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made.
Abstract goes here.
Niniejszy tekst jest wprowadzeniem do numeru tematycznego „Badania jakościowe – metody, współuczestnicy, proces realizacji”. W pierwszej części wprowadzenia zarysowany jest kontekst powstania tomu, to jest sytuacja dynamicznych przemian w polu metod
jakościowych, wybrzmiewania nowych pytań dotyczących ról badacza i uczestników badań,
a także szukania nowych dróg realizacji projektów badawczych. W drugiej części zaprezentowane są w skrótowej formie artykuły składające się na tom. Są one efektem metodologicznych
poszukiwań badaczy i wyrazem ich twórczego radzenia sobie z wyzwaniami pojawiającymi
się na poszczególnych etapach procesu badawczego. Zebrane w tomie artykuły ukazują zróżnicowanie współczesnego pola badań jakościowych.
Abstract goes here.
There is considerable research on people with vision impairment (PwVI) in the transport, travel and tourism sectors, which highlights the significance of real‐time information and con‐ sistency in services to accessibility. Based on interviews with guide dog owners in the United King‐ dom, this paper contributes an additional dimension to our understanding of transport accessibility for PwVI by focusing specifically on guide dog owners’ experiences in the travel and tourism sector. A guide dog is more than a mobility tool, but a human–dog partnership that improves the quality of life for PwVI; however, it also introduces constraints related to the dog’s welfare and safety. Fur‐ ther, lack of understanding of guide dog owners’ rights to reasonable accommodation leads to dis‐ crimination through service refusals and challenges to service access. This paper concludes that the limited and inconsistent public knowledge of disability diversity has serious ramifications for transport accessibility and suggests specific industry and legislative interventions in response.
Abstract goes here.
This paper explores the effect of peoples’ association with guide dogs on how they understand and feel about themselves and how they are regarded by those with whom they interact. The concepts of personal, collective, and social identity are used to situate the discussion. Of central importance is the way working with a guide dog shapes public interaction and how owner’ self definitions and social identities are extended by being intimately involved in the owner—dog team.
The present study aimed at evaluating possible behavioural differences between guide dogs living in a kennel and interacting with a trainer and those living in a house and interacting with a blind person and their family, when they are faced with an unsolvable task. Fifty-two Labrador retrievers were tested: 13 Trained Guide dogs at the end of their training programme and 11 Working Guide dogs that had been living with their blind owner for at least 1 year. Two control groups of Labrador retrievers were also tested: 14 Young Untrained dogs of the same age as the Trained Guide and 14 Old Untrained dogs of the same age as the Working Guide dogs. Results showed that the Trained Guide dogs gazed towards the owner or the stranger for less time and with a higher latency and spent more time interacting with the experimental apparatus than the other three groups, which all behaved similarly. None of the groups tested showed preferences in gazing towards the stranger or the owner. Together, the results suggest that at the end of their training programme, guide dogs are less prone to engage in human-directed gazing behaviour and more likely to act independently when facing an unsolvable task. Conversely, guide dogs that have been living with a blind person (and their family) for 1 year behave like pet dogs. These findings indicate that guide dogs’ gazing towards humans is favoured by living in close proximity with people and by interacting with them.
Most guide and service dog organizations would benefit from the development of accurate methods for the early evaluation of canine temperament traits. This paper describes the development and validation of a novel questionnaire method for assessing behavior and temperament in 1-year-old guide dogs. Volunteer puppy-raisers scored a total of 1097 prospective guide dogs on a series of 40 semantic differential-type, behavioral rating scales. Principle components factor analysis of these scores extracted eight stable and interpretable common factors: stranger-directed fear/aggression, non-social fear, energy level, owner-directed aggression, chasing, trainability, attachment, and dog-directed fear/aggression. Three of these eight factors exhibited moderate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α≥0.72), while the reliabilities of the remaining factors were relatively low (Cronbach’s α=0.53–0.61). The eight factors were then validated against the guide dog school’s own criteria for rejecting dogs for behavioral reasons. The results of this analysis confirmed the construct validity of the puppy raisers’ questionnaire assessments of their dogs, and suggested that such methods can provide a useful and accurate means of predicting the suitability of dogs for guiding work. Various modifications to the original questionnaire are proposed in order to enhance its overall reliability.
This article analyses media representations of Lashawn Chan (dog) and Stevens Chan Kum Fai (human), who are considered the first recorded service animal–human team in Malaysia. The article reflects on the pair’s public relationship as an intersectional, multi-framework that is relevant to both disability and animal justice. Following both critical animal and disability studies literature, we read media reports of Lashawn and Stevens’ public encounters. These stories frame the pair as spectacle, threat, and resource. They reveal the influences of cultural and social conventions that utilise guide dogs as advocacy tools, as well as public attitudes towards guide dogs and their users in Malaysian and western contexts. The authors advocate for alternative representations based on interspecies interdependence.
Guide dogs have historically offered mobility support and companionship to some adults who are blind or have low vision. The choice to use a guide dog or a cane as one’s primary travel tool is deeply personal and complex, with advantages and disadvantages to both methods of travel. In this study, we report qualitative findings from guide dog users and cane users living in the United States and Canada, with a focus on the perceived benefits and challenges of guide dog travel. The findings demonstrate that recent trends in travel may impact current and future patterns related to guide dog usage. Implications for research and practice in travel instruction are discussed.
Abstract goes here.
The exploratory study reported in this chapter asked blind people how their lives are with and without guide dogs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 80 21–71 yr old and older blind people in Germany, 40 of whom had a guide dog. Content analyses revealed that dependence on others, constant nervous strain, social problems, and communication problems are the primary stress factors of blind people. Social support and the support given by a guide dog are some of the coping strategies that are used in regard to these stress factors.
A comparison of the use of mobility canes with the company of a guide dog indicated that those blind people who own a dog clearly prefer the animal, at least in most situations. To a lesser extent, this statement also holds for a comparison of human chaperones with guide dogs. Blind guide dog owners feel more independent with their dogs than they do in the company of a chaperone. Further, these data also indicate that the support provided by the guide dogs to their owners actually surpasses the initial high hopes held by the owners. Finally, both blind owners and nonowners perceive many benefits from a guide dog. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
The purpose of this study was to attempt to find related variables of the canine genome with behavioural traits of dogs maintained and tested in a guide dog facility which provided a relatively uniform environment. The study involved 81 Labrador Retrievers that were being trained as guide dogs. Each dog was taken on walk‐out sessions in which the trainer weekly recorded observations that were related to behavioural traits. The records were subjected to key‐word analysis of 14 behaviour‐related words. A factor analysis on the appearance rate of the 14 key words or phrases resulted in the extraction of six factors that accounted for 67.4% of the variance. Factor 1, referred to as aggressiveness, was significantly related to the success or failure of the dog in qualifying as a guide dog, and was also related to the variable of litter identification. Factor 2, referred to as distraction, was related to the variable of trainer. Factor 3, activity level, was related to the variable of sex, and was significantly related to the polymorphisms of c.471T>C in the solute carrier family 1 (neuronal/epithelial high affinity glutamate transporter) member 2 gene and c.216G>A in the catechol‐O‐methyltransferase gene. The involvement of polymorphisms c.471T>C and c.216G>A in behavioural patterns related to activity level is similar to comparable genetic studies in other mammalian species. These results contribute to a greater understanding of the role of these genes in behaviour.
Introduction: Genomic breeding values and multi-trait selection indices have significantly advanced genetic improvement in livestock but remain underutilized in guide dog breeding. This study developed a genomically informed selection framework for a population of Labrador Retrievers by integrating health (e.g., dental, ocular, and dermatological conditions) and behavioral (e.g., trainability, distraction level, pace) traits into a “Behavior Score,” “Health Score,” and “Total Score” index by applying Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) to estimate breeding values.
Results: Phenotypic and genotypic data were collected from 844 dogs over 26 years at The Seeing Eye guide dog school. Predictive performance was evaluated via five-fold cross-validation and correlation-based metrics. Results showed that some dentition related health traits exhibited moderate to high Area Under Receiving Operating Characteristic (AUROC) values (0.79–0.87), indicating potential for immediate use for genetic improvement. In contrast, most other health traits demonstrated weak to moderate predictive accuracy. Behavioral traits exhibited lower predictive accuracy but showed a stronger association with training success. Models were commonly unable to correctly classify individuals for binary or ordinal traits yet performed well in ranking individuals, likely due to lower heritability or strong environmental influences of traits or limitations of the dataset itself. The behavior-focused Total Score (AUROC ~0.72) outperformed health-based indices as a fixed effect in predicting breeding success despite the weaker predictive ability of individual behavioral traits. Incorporating parental scores as fixed effects modestly improved breeding values for success, indicating the importance of integrating additional data sources where available.
Discussion: While these findings underscore the utility of genomic selection for guide dog breeding, they also highlight constraints stemming from small, genetically homogeneous populations and variable phenotyping. Ultimately, we provide the first usable individual and multi-trait genomic approaches to enhance both health and performance outcomes in working dog programs and a foundation to expand upon the reference population and behavioral trait assessment to improve prediction accuracy in the future.
A range of mobility aids are available to assist people living with vision impairment, and of these, guide dog ownership offers them several unique benefits. However, training a dog to be a successful guide dog comes at a high cost (approximately AU$30,000). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether temperament testing and kennel behavior measures could be used by Guide Dog Organizations for the early identification of dogs suitable for guiding work and thus to reduce production costs. Temperament tests (Passive and Noise, Sudden Appearance, and Dog Distraction Tests) and kennel behavior assessments (Activity Level, Salivary Immunoglobulin A Concentration, and Kennel Surveillance) were assessed in potential guide dogs (n = 25-113) at the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Training Centre, Glossodia, New South Wales, Australia. Several significant predictors of guide dog success were identified. The presence of panting (P = 0.029) and licking (P = 0.005) when contrasted with baseline observations in the Dog Distraction Test, significantly reduced the probability of guide dog success. Success was also reduced with the latency for a dog to sit in the third Noise Test (P = 0.028), and when the time spent resting was reduced during the evening period (P = 0.018) in the Kennel Surveillance assessment. This study reports that 4 specific behavioral responses, which may reflect anxiety and restlessness, predict low suitability of dogs for guiding work. Through the identification of early predictors of guide dog success, resources can be more appropriately focused on dogs with a higher probability of success, whereas unsuitable dogs can be rehomed.
The aim of this study was to determine whether objective measures of laterality could be used to identify dogs with a high probability of successfully completing a Guide Dog Training Programme. Three categories of laterality (motor, sensory, and structural), were assessed in 114 dogs entering guide dog training. Significant predictors of success were identified: the direction of laterality (P = 0.028), paw preference category in the ‘Kong’ test (P = 0.043), hindpaw clearance height (P = 0.002), laterality indices for a number of measures in the Sensory Jump test, and chest hair whorl direction (P = 0.050). This is the first study to report a structural marker of canine behaviour. All three categories of laterality may be used to predict the suitability of dogs for guiding work, and by identifying predictors of success, resources can be more efficiently utilised on dogs with greater potential.
This study investigates ontogenetic aspects of attachment behaviour in guide dogs using the Strange Situation Test (SST). Seventeen dogs were tested three times in different periods of the guide dog training program. The first test was carried out when the dogs were 11–15 months old and before entering the training program; the second test took place after 4 months of training; the last test was carried out after more than 1 year of service as guide dogs. Therefore three different human figures were involved in the program: the puppy walker, the trainer and the blind owner. In each test the dogs’ behaviour was video recorded and subsequently scored using a 5-s point sampling method; furthermore heart rate (HR) was recorded both before (HR basal average) and during the SST.
Results of the present study show that when tested for the first time at the age of 11 months, dogs exhibited an intense play activity and a limited discrimination of the attachment figure: during separation from the puppy walker their attention was directed towards the stranger that could offer comfort rather than to the owner’s exit from the room. On the contrary, the same dogs tested when adult, after 1 year of life with the blind owner were specifically interested in regaining contact with their owner despite the presence of another friendly human (the stranger) available for support. The three repetitions of the SST had only a limited impact on dogs behaviour: previous experiences with the room and the procedure of the test did determine a decrease of exploratory behaviour and of puppet fear, but not of the emotional response to separation from the owner. As the heart rate curve was available only for a limited number of dogs cautious conclusions are drawn on cardiac activity: when adult, dogs showed a higher cardiac activation despite a decrement in HR baseline. Overall, the outcome of the present study indicate that a full-fledged attachment is showed when guide dogs reach maturity and that repeated bond breaking is not detrimental to forming attachment later in life.
In the article I present an ethnographic reflection on the process of guide dogs generation, an animal assistive technology developed to facilitate the mobility of the visually impaired person. Focusing especially on the training phase, I try to understand the trajectory of transformations, the unfolding of events and the changes of movement that make certain dogs able to “graduate” as guides. Following a Maussian perspective, the guiding technique is understood here as the result of a certain relationship between movements and things, encompassing tools, human and canine bodies and their displacements in different environments.
Abstract goes here.
There is an apparent discrepancy between the actual number of guide dog owners and the proportion of visually impaired people who might benefit from a guide dog. This research aimed to provide an understanding of the reasons why many visually impaired people have not applied for a guide dog, the range of benefits offered by guide dogs, and how these might vary amongst different populations and under different circumstances. While previous research described a number of psychological and social benefits of assistant animal ownership, consistent with the companion animal literature, it also pointed to the importance of personal and social context on the impact and effectiveness of assistance animals. The study described here involved a telephone survey of over 800 visually impaired people and found that independence, confidence, companionship, increased and changed social interaction, as well as increased mobility, are commonly cited benefits of guide dog ownership. These psychological and social dimensions of owning a guide dog distinguish it from other mobility aids in its capacity to transform the lives of owners. However, as expected, demographic and contextual factors, such as gender, age, level of vision, and domestic circumstances, influence reasons for application and perceived benefits and drawbacks of guide dog ownership. The author argues that, while this research has emphasised the tremendous impact a guide dog can have, providing the most appropriate mobility aid for an individual’s circumstances is the hallmark of effective rehabilitation service provision. The article also suggests ways in which perceived barriers to applying for a guide dog might be reduced.
This study explored the dynamics of guide dog ownership in a South African sample. Six participants (five male and one female) from diverse socio-economic backgrounds were interviewed in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The study was performed to provide a clearer understanding of the guide dog and owner relationship, as well as the influence of the dog on the life of a person with blindness. The study also explored the current state of guide dog ownership in the uniquely South African context. Guide dog ownership seems to be a life-changing experience, with both negative and positive consequences for the owner. Recommendations to service providers in and for the community of persons with disabilities are made in conclusion of the article, as well as suggestions given for future research on a topic of this nature.
Dogs that are trained without dependence on the attentional focus of human beings (experimental group: a guide dog and guide dog candidates) were compared with those trained with the usual level of attentional focus (control group: a service dog, service dog candidates, a search and rescue dog, and pet dogs) to examine whether the ability of a dog to read the attentional focus of a human being was influenced by guide dog training. An experimenter commanded the dogs to sit using several predetermined postures, which included the direction of the experimenter’s head, eyes, and body. The results indicated that there were no statistical differences between the 2 groups. Dogs from both the groups gave a significantly reduced response to commands when the experimenter’s head was not oriented toward them, response to commands was not affected by the direction of the experimenter’s eyes or body. This study suggests that the ability of a dog to read the attentional focus of a human being is not affected by guide dog training.
Hunde, die ohne Abhängigkeit vom Aufmerksamkeitsfokus der Menschen ausgebildet werden (Versuchsgruppe: ein Blindenführhund und Blindenführhund-Kandidaten), wurden mit Hunden verglichen, die mit dem üblichen Niveau des Aufmerksamkeitsfokus ausgebildet werden (Kontrollgruppe: ein Servicehund, Servicehund-Kandidaten, ein Such- und Rettungshund und Haushunde), um zu bestimmen, ob die Fähigkeit von Hunden, den Aufmerksamkeitsfokus von Menschen zu erkennen, von der Ausbildung zum Blindenführhund beeinflusst wird. Ein Experimentator befahl den Hunden mit mehreren vorgegebenen Körperhaltungen (welche die Richtung des Kopfes, der Augen und des Körpers einschlossen) zu sitzen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass es zwischen den zwei Gruppen keine statistischen Unterschiede gab. Hunde beider Gruppen gaben eine signifikant reduzierte Rückmeldung auf Befehle, wenn der Kopf des Experimentators nicht in ihre Richtung gerichtet war. Reaktionen auf Befehle wurden nicht von der Richtung des Körpers oder der Augen des Experimentators beeinflusst. Diese Studie zeigt, dass die Fähigkeit von Hunden, den Aufmerksamkeitszustand von Menschen zu erkennen, nicht durch die Blindenführhund-Ausbildung beeinflusst wird.
The guide dog partnership begins at the point of matching, when careful assessment of a trained guide dog and an understanding of the functional needs and expectations of the prospective owner are considered alongside each other. Guide Dogs UK invest much time and resources to the process of matching a client with a dog in order to fulfil client expectations and create a lasting partnership. This study explores: (1) the meaning and importance of social (non-working) behavior to guide dog owners; (2) how firsthand experience and knowledge shape individual owner expectations for behavior; and (3) how, and in what ways, social behavior impacts the guide dog partnership. The focus group method was used to collect qualitative data from a total of 11 participants. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis procedure which identified six overarching themes: “social behavior to me means,” internal and external factors influencing social behavior, training and matching, socially desirable and undesirable behaviors, maintaining and managing social behavior, and practical and emotional issues. Findings show that social behavior is as important as guiding skills and mobility for guide dog owners, and behavioral compatibility is held to be crucial in a successful partnership. Participants put an emphasis on consistency of behavior in social settings, while recognizing that a guide dog’s non-working behavior is subject to multifarious internal and external influences. The findings of this study indicate an opportunity for Guide Dogs UK, and similar assistance dog organizations, to observe fully the importance of social behavior and, in response, place even greater emphasis on lifestyle and behavioral compatibility when training dogs and matching them with clients.
