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When most people think of guides, they probably picture a tour guide leading a group of people through a foreign city and pointing out all the sites. Dog guides serve much the same purpose, but for a very different clientele. They act as guides for people with disabilities, mainly those who are blind or deaf. These specially trained dogs help their people navigate the world every day. The people know where they are going and given the dogs instructions on how to get there. The dogs are responsible for making sure the person stays safe. In the case of a blind handler, the dog tells them when to wait at traffic lights, watches for obstacles in the person’s path like cracks in a sidewalk, and alerts the person if there is a potential hazard. Dog guides for deaf people act in a similar way, but with audible hazards instead of visual ones. They might alert their person to the sounds of a car approaching, construction noise near the sidewalk, or people shouting nearby. Some people may come to rely heavily on their canine helpers, and fortunately there are exceptions to animal restriction law that allow people to bring them into restaurants, shops, and other places that animals are not generally allowed. Dogs have to be of a certain intelligence and temperament to make good guides. As such, Labrador and golden retrievers and German Shepherds are most often used. These animals are smart enough to learn their job, as well as even-tempered and willing to work.
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