An individual applying to receive a dog through the Guide Dog Foundation goes through a face to face interview so that certain obvious living habits can be identified so that a comfortable match between dog and person happens. In my case, Mike had observed my anal attention to detail and my willingness to control my surroundings.
In the simplest terms, a dog trained to accompany an individual with a visual impairment must be a leader. The dog has to be the persons’ eyes for them, leading the person through daily obstacles. On the other hand, a dog trained to accompany an individual with a mobility impairment (such as myself) needs to able to take orders. Ruth (my service dog) was originally in training to be a guide dog but there was a problem. Ruth would routinely stop to preen herself (anal attention to detail) or stop to sniff a bush, tree, wall, trash, etc. (control her surroundings) which caused a problem when she was leading someone with a visual impairment. However, she took orders to come, heal, sit, stay, and retrieve specific items well. Ergo, Ruth “flunked” out of guide dog school and became a service dog.
In the simplest terms, a dog trained to accompany an individual with a visual impairment must be a leader. The dog has to be the persons’ eyes for them, leading the person through daily obstacles. On the other hand, a dog trained to accompany an individual with a mobility impairment (such as myself) needs to able to take orders. Ruth (my service dog) was originally in training to be a guide dog but there was a problem. Ruth would routinely stop to preen herself (anal attention to detail) or stop to sniff a bush, tree, wall, trash, etc. (control her surroundings) which caused a problem when she was leading someone with a visual impairment. However, she took orders to come, heal, sit, stay, and retrieve specific items well. Ergo, Ruth “flunked” out of guide dog school and became a service dog.
