By Anala Tuenge, NCC News
April 25, 2008
Mexico, New York-- Bill Irwin lost his sight to diabetes ten years ago, and ever since, he has relied on his guide dog, Toga, to see for him. The retired Vietnam Veteran said at first he was hesitant about getting a guide dog because he'd never been a dog person, but that all changed the first time he worked with one.
"I gave the command to cross the street, and the dog took one step and stopped," Irwin said. "There was a car coming and I didn't see it coming.
Irwin has used a guide dog ever since, and among the benefits he values most from a dog like Toga is his independence.
He just kind of weaves you out and around everything. You never have to worry about running into something," Irwin said.
Guide Dog Training
Freedom Guide Dogs in Cassville, New York, breeds mostly Labrador Retrievers. As puppies, the dogs are sent to live with families who will raise them. When they are two years old, they return for special training to help the visually impaired.
Anne Mercer has been training guide dogs for ten years. She said simulating real life situations, like walking the dogs blindfolded in downtown areas with heavy traffic, prepares the dogs for the large responsibilities they will shoulder.
"A guide dog has to problem solve. A guide dog has to make decisions that could concern life or death," Mercer said.
And Mercer doesn't just train the dogs. She also trains the people who receive them. She said they have to know where they're going and how to get here.
"You as a person have to be able to read traffic. The dog can't read traffic. The dog can't decide," Mercer said. "You're dealing with the team, and you're dealing with what both personalities bring to that team."
Trainers are careful to pair the dogs with people who have similar personalities. Mellow dogs go to older people or those with disabilities, while more energetic dogs go to people who are active.
"We interview the person and find out where they live and what they're going to use the dog for," Mercer said.
A Shortage
An even bigger challenge that finding a compatible match is finding a match at all. At Freedom Guide Dogs, the waiting list includes more than twenty people, and the wait is more than a year. With just two trainers and a limited budget, the non-profit organization can only produce so many puppies.
"It's tough, because we want to. We desperately want to. We want to help as many people as we possibly can," said Nicole White, the Director of Development at Freedom Guide Dogs.
Great Companions
Those, like Bill Irwin, who do receive help, said the dogs enhance their lives, not just by being a pair of eyes, but also by being a friend.
"Guide dogs are great. They're great company, and the independence is just fabulous," Irwin said.
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