Did you know that only 2% of visually impaired people own guide dogs? This is a small number, even though guide dogs have many benefits to their visually impaired handlers. Guide dogs lead their handlers around safely, which gives the handler more independence. Guide dogs positively affect the visually impaired by helping them navigate, having a special bond, and providing health benefits.
To begin with, guide dogs help their handler safely walk to where they need to go. Guide dogs help their handlers navigate by avoiding obstacles in their way. This is because the handler tells the dog where to go, and the dog makes sure they both get to that spot safely. The dog will walk around bushes and benches, and stop at curbs and steps where the handler could fall and get hurt. Next, guide dogs sometimes disobey their…show more content… There are many things to consider when pairing a guide dog and their handler. They try to match a dog’s characteristics with the handler. For example, an active person will have an active guide dog. A person allergic to dogs will have a guide dog that is hypoallergenic or doesn’t shed. In addition, Michelle Barlak, who works at The Seeing Eye, says, “In truth, the dog must bond with his owner, and they must form a relationship. The dogs work for their owner’s praise and affection.” This shows that the connection between the dog and person is important and that as a team they have a special friendship that helps them work well together. Another point is that The American Kennel Club states that to have a strong bond there are hours of training where they work together. The dog and handler are a team, and they grow when they spend time together through hours of training they have to do. In conclusion, guide dogs and their handlers work as a good team when they are matched carefully and spend lots of time training with each
