Guide dogs are cool.
October 23, 2001 9:45 AM   Subscribe

Guide dogs are cool. The connection between a guide dog and his/her blind master is amazing. If you want to read some touching and heartwarming stories about raising guide dogs, check this link. There was even a guide dog among the heroes at the WTC on September 11th, as many have heard. These dogs are so smart and noble.
posted by msacheson (13 comments total)
 
and damn fine eatin', too.

(seriously, guide dogs are, in fact, cool)
posted by ebarker at 9:58 AM on October 23, 2001


Guide dogs are cool.

Guide horses are cooler.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:00 AM on October 23, 2001


on a related note....

Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!
posted by Qambient at 10:19 AM on October 23, 2001


It's very inspiring for me to view the bond between a blind person and a guide dog... the relationships are very heartwarming.
posted by Hankins at 10:31 AM on October 23, 2001


Not only are guide dogs cool, and guide horses cool, but helper monkeys? Also extremely cool.
posted by headspace at 10:55 AM on October 23, 2001


My friend had a dog that had failed out of guide dog school. Never the less, this is the smartest dog I've ever had real contact with. When you would wrestle with it, or play tug of war, you could literally watch it learn how to beat you. But the real clincher is that when you walk it, it obeys and/or ignores commands like any young dog. Sometimes it is really good, and sometimes it just doesn't respond. But, if you adjust the collar in a special way, this means "Time to obey" and the dog follows every command perfectly... which means it always understands your commands, but sometimes just chooses to ignore you.
posted by bob bisquick at 11:03 AM on October 23, 2001


I really liked the pictures of the dogs at the WTC. I think it is enormously telling about the intelligence and feelings of dogs that they have to set up "finds" of live people to keep the dogs spirits up. Thanks for the link.
I work with a guy who raised a guide dog. He flew all over the world all the time, and the dog went with him everywhere. All the flight attendants knew the dog by name! He said he was devestated when the dog graduated and was given to someone, but it was the coolest thing he's ever done. (Then he had kids...no more guide dog training.)
posted by aacheson at 11:06 AM on October 23, 2001


bob: sounds like my Windoze-based computer ;-)
posted by msacheson at 11:07 AM on October 23, 2001


Okay, after checking out those other links, helper monkeys and guide horses are definitely cool, too.
posted by aacheson at 11:13 AM on October 23, 2001


What gets me about guide dogs is anecdotes, like the one linked to in the original post, that illustrate the degree to which these dogs are willing to go above and beyond their training, at (presumably conscious) risk to their own well-being, to try to aid their human partners. A smart, disciplined and carefully trained dog is one thing; a dog that's loving and loyal to the point of saving one's life is quite another.
posted by alumshubby at 11:41 AM on October 23, 2001


Guide dogs are very cool. Thanks for linking to something redeeming.
posted by mmarcos at 1:23 PM on October 23, 2001


Hasn't PETA sometimes refered to guide dogs as "slaves"?
posted by Potsy at 8:51 PM on October 23, 2001


Certain people within PETA, the ones who refer to pet ownership as a great moral evil have, indeed, referred to helper animals as slaves. Pathetic.

I'm constantly amazed at the steadfast focus that helper dogs, especially guide dogs for the blind, maintain. Their exceptional vigilance, regardless of age, breed, surroundings or distracting elements is really wonderful to behold. Dogs are darned cool -- guide dogs are even cooler.
posted by Dreama at 1:10 AM on October 24, 2001


« Older The Civil Defense Museum.   |   Bibleman receives Death Threats, Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments