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Those who are blind face a number of challenges, one of which is making their way around safely. Most of us take seeing things like crosswalk signals and potential hazards like cracks in the sidewalk for granted. The blind, however, cannot see these things. Leader dogs for the blind can help them avoid hazards, from a crack in the sidewalk to a construction cone in their path to a car running a red light. Leader dogs are trained to guide their owner around obstacles in their path, from something as small as a puddle on the sidewalk to temporary barriers around a construction site to people standing on the sidewalk. These dogs wear special harnesses that have a stiff handle, allowing their people to feel when the dog stops or starts walking and when they turn. In this way, the dog can take their person through any number of situations. They can weave through a crowd of people, turning, slowing, and speeding up as needed; they can make sharp turns to avoid sudden obstacles like a dropped briefcase; or stop to wait for a crossing light to turn. Leader dogs for the blind can be valuable companions for little extra work. Like all animals, service dogs require daily feeding, regular grooming, and occasional visits to the vet. For this small amount of extra effort, a blind person can have not only a guide but a companion: dogs used as service animals are well-mannered, even-tempered, eager to please animals who like taking care of their people. They can be not only a helper but a friend to their handler.
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