Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:54 pm Post subject: Guide Dogs free time
Ok this is going to sound rather crazy and probably obvious but...
I know you aren't supposed to fuss guide dogs when they're working but if they are out for a general walk on their holidays or not in harness free running in the park etc is it ok to pat/fuss them if they come over to you?
We have quite a few guide dogs that have a free run when in the park and I do ask the owners if ok to pet/stroke/interact with, they always say yes and encourage it when they're not working xx
Most owners will allow you to fuss the dog even when its working, if they aren`t actually moving/walking.
I meet one occasionally on my local precinct when the gentleman is shopping in Tesco, his dog is patiently sitting waiting for him and he`s more than happy for me to fuss her, she`s a Choccy Lab and gogeous, not that owning an equally gorgeous Choccy myself makes me biased in any way at all
George had a friend, Simpson, who went off to Guide Dog school back in November. We would meet up with him frequently in the park and they would hooley around. I think Simpson was nuttier than George!
The only thing I was told, was not to throw a ball around Simpson, as they didn't want him to get to like chasing things.
The thing is, once they are running round off lead, you probably wouldn't know they were a Guide Dog anyway, as they look and act the same as any other daft mutt . So you've probably met a few out already and haven't even known they were Guide Dogs, especially if they are being free run by a sighted person.
I guess just like every other dog owner though, some guide dog owners are more "precious" about their dog than others. Some will allow you to fuss and have a game with them, some are more than happy for your dog to have a good game with them too and others are more careful and don't really want their dog mixing. So as with every other dog and owner, take each individual as they come.
Just wanted to check as Sam was playing with a GD who was free running in the fields yesterday and I was fussing him when he came over to me, it was later on my mum said I thought you weren't supposed to do that and it just made me wonder whether it was really ok or whether the lady was just being polite because our boys were playing happily together.
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