The Leading Lady by Betty White & Tom Sullivan

Author:Betty White & Tom Sullivan [White, Betty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781101619254
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-02-04T16:00:00+00:00

CURIOUS TO KNOW how dogs are taught to be so dependable in that department, I knew the one to ask was Harold Smith. If Smitty doesn’t know the answer to a question about dogs after twenty-five years of training them, it isn’t worth your time.

When I called him, Smitty explained that dogs in training to be leaders of the blind are put on a strictly regimented time schedule and are taught to go in only two places, either the kennel or the “dog area.” A Leader Dog is up by seven every morning and taken to the designated area to be walked on leash. “Park!” is the word commonly used, and it means “Get busy right now!” This procedure is repeated at given hours, three or, at most, four times a day. The person who ultimately receives his or her guide dog is encouraged to adhere to this schedule as closely as possible.

“It sounds simple enough, but”—I had to ask—“why wouldn’t that apply to any dog, not just working dogs?”

“It does, of course,” Smitty said, “but you have to really focus on the dog in the beginning until he gets the idea. Sighted people are easily distracted. They’re in a hurry. They’re thinking of a couple of other things at the time. Something catches their eye. They give up too soon, and the dog gets confused. People will paper the whole house and then wonder why their dog doesn’t form good habits.”

These strictly business exercise periods can be extended into playtime, of course, but not until the primary mission has been accomplished. A new blind master is taught to keep the health of the animal in mind at all times. Any irregularity or atypical behavior must be noted, and if it doesn’t correct itself immediately, it should be brought to the attention of a veterinarian. Preventive health care is the watchword.

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