Toni and Ed Eames with Goldens Escort & EchoIs that A Sightseeing Dog?
Toni & Ed Eames, ©1999 by Rodale Press

Traveling with guide dogs can have its amusing side. When comments are made about how beautiful our dogs are, we glow with pride. Other comments make us smile or cringe. When a curious passerby inquires, "Are those blind dogs?" we chuckle and reply, "We sure hope not. One of us had better be able to see!"
   
Another curious misnomer for guide dogs is "sightseeing dogs." Although our dogs have guided us along the streets of New York, Johannesburg, and Tel Aviv, they rarely describe the scenery!
   
Our Golden Retriever guides, Escort and Echo, are trained to lie quietly under a restaurant table while we humans indulge in culinary delights. Several months ago, a fellow diner, spotting two inert forms at our feet, exclaimed in astonishment: "Where did you get such exquisite and lifelike stuffed animals!"
   
An even more bizarre incident occurred in the ladies' room at the Los Angeles airport. Toni had taken both dogs for a water break and put them on a DOWN STAY while she was in the stall. A harried passenger entering the rest room was so startled by the sight of the motionless canines that she screamed, "Are they dead?!"

'What a Shame!'
Sometimes people who observe us working with our dogs misinterpret the communication between human and canine partner. Our friend Joe was daydreaming as he and his guide dog strolled down a street in Brooklyn, New York. Flirt stopped at the curb as guide dogs are trained to do, and Joe listened to the flow of traffic.
   
When he heard traffic begin moving, Joe knew the light was in his favor. That is how we know when to cross the street. Caught up in his reverie, Joe gave the command FORWARD in a less-than-authoritative tone. Flirt, busy sniffing a pole, ignored him. Joe repeated the command in a slightly firmer tone. Flirt continued to sniff. Realizing the light would turn against him in a moment, Joe raised his voice and delivered the command FORWARD in a more determined manner. Flirt snapped to attention and smartly guided Joe across the street. Stepping onto the up curb, he overheard one lady say to another, "What a shame, Sadie, a blind man with a deaf dog!"
   
Recently, we overheard the following conversation. Teenager to older man: "Those dogs are beginning to cross the street because they see the light has turned green." Older and wiser man responds: "Don't you know dogs are color blind? They cross when they see the walk sign!"

The Innocence of Children
Children are so genuine in their curiosity and perceptions. While shopping, a little girl asked permission to pet our dogs. The mother, temporarily distracted by the cashier, turned around and admonished her child never to pet strange dogs. The youngster replied in all innocence: "Mommy, there's nothing strange about these dogs!"
   
As frequent flyers, we incorporate relief time for the dogs during layovers. After the Goldens answered nature's call in a weed patch at Los Angeles airport, Toni took them into the women's rest room to offer them water.
   
While Toni took her dog with her into the stall, the American Airline staff member assisting us offered water to Ed's dog, Kirby. At this time of his working life, Kirby was quite distinctive, having lost his left front leg to a cancer-induced amputation. A preschooler pointed out Kirby's unusual appearance to her mother. At that point, the ground hostess left to take Kirby back to Ed. As Toni emerged from the stall with four-legged Ivy, the child exclaimed with glee, "Look, Mommy! The doggy is all fixed!"

And Now, the Uninformed
Although most encounters with the public are pleasant and bring a smile to our faces, some people are not aware of the extensive training guide dogs receive to prepare them to behave impeccably in restaurants, stores, hotels, theaters, taxis, and public transportation. Those unaware of our legal right to be accompanied by our guide dogs use a variety of reasons to try to keep us out of their establishments.
   
Commonly heard excuses are: "My customers won't eat in a restaurant if dogs are present," "The dogs will terrify women in the dressing room," "Our hotel rooms are too small to accommodate dogs," "Your dog's barking will disrupt the performance," and "I can't afford to fumigate after your dog vomits, defecates, and urinates in my taxi!"
   
One restaurant manager caught us off guard with his novel reaction to us as we entered with our dogs. The interaction went like this: Manager: "You can't bring those dogs in here!" Us: "They're guide dogs and are permitted in by law." Manager: "I don't care what breed they are; I don't want them in my restaurant!"


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