Being Sighted around Service Animals

Cheryl and Mary join me again, this time to talk about how to act around service animals. Specifically, how to interact with someone who uses a guide dog. Comment with any additional questions you might have!
Link to the OSC Training video: • The Seeing Eye: Partne...
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Catch up on my journey: • Colleen's Guide Dog Vlog

[@bethyoung6937]

GreAT VIDEO Colleen. Learned so much. Thanks. The Hawaiian Youngs

[@Sovereignty3]

Saw a guide dog in Mindgames, with stuff everywhere things on the floor, the floor space being kind of like a d shape with the top of the d being puzzles, I can't believe how well the dog directed her around stuff... I pretty much bump into something everytime I am there (probably very distracted by the games and a bit clutzy my self). Was having mind "aww so cute! What a cute group! And wow, that do is so smart!" I did not allow my self to even 'aww' at the dog, resistance is hard, but the right thing. (Working together, makes everybody's lifes great!)

[@samattwell2552]

Nothing worse than when your late for work or the bus and someone wants to ask you questions. I don’t mind being asked if I’m not busy but if someone is almost running down the road don’t stop them I wish people would just think

[@AuthorEboneBrown]

Great video! My five-year-old needs is very interested in guide dogs right now. She says she wants to see a real live guide dog. She also knows that you do not text them while they are working. I plan on taking her to Guide Dogs for the Blind it's about an hour from where we live.

[@BlindIC]

Thanks for tuning in! I hope she was able to see Joplin in a few of the other videos. These dogs are quite amazing and each one is unique. They are living creatures after all. I have never been to GDB myself, but if you look on their website or call them, I am sure they can arrange a visit. Is your niece visually impaired?

[@AuthorEboneBrown]

Blind Inspirationcast no I am visually impaired. I think she's just beginning to understand what that means. I'm the one that sent you a couple of emails allow back.

[@colleenconnor8320]

Of course! I'm so sorry, life gets crazy. I am glad she is interested in what your life is like. My nephew was amazing...I used to call him my seeing eye nephew. He was great...and then when my sister had another baby...that one is not as good about it lol. It would be good for you to visit the school and she could go with you....two birds so to speak!

[@AuthorEboneBrown]

The school is only an hour away from us! Some of my friends want to go too.

[@BlindIC]

Hi Sky! Great to hear from you again. So, my best advice to you would be to call The Seeing Eye. I link to them in most of my descriptions, and their site is www.seeingeye.org They would be able to answer your question better. If you use a motorized wheelchair the dog would need to be trained slightly differently, so you would just have to discuss with them their thoughts. I am usre they would be able to help you, if not put you in touch with a school or program that could. Guide dogs are meant for people who are quite independently mobile though, so you would want to amek sure you felt comfortable navigating around on your own before getting a dog. I would give Seeing EYe a call. I hope this helps, Colleen

[@skythomas7008]

Hello thank you for sharing this video. I wanted to ask you how one would go about getting a seeing eye dog? I'm legally blind because I have next to no peripheral vision but I have some central vision. I also use a power chair to get around because of physical mobility issues. I've gotten my eye specialists permission to use the chair she stated that I'm safe to use one. I just want to be able to be safe and to not cause a possible guide dog issues. Thanks sorry if I'm being a bother or that.

[@BlindIC]

Hi! I know that you saw my first video, which is a little bit more introduction to the matter. Keep me posted on if you are able to find out anything about the use of a dog with your mobility aids!

[@skythomas7008]

Thank you very much for replying to both of my posts. I have applied for a service dog and am now waiting for the paperwork to be finished on their end and the person to make the appointment with me to come to my home. That could take up to 18 months or more though. I will keep you updated on the situation though. But they said guide dogs are only for those that are fully mobile and using a power chair is not fully mobile. So I don't get a guide dog but a service dog which is still extremely helpful. Right now its really hard because my power chair is out of commission until the second motor gets fixed as the first was replaced today but the other needs to be replaced too sadly.