Assupol_July_Newsletter_Guide dog.indd

GUIDE DOGS
MEET OUR
ASSUPOL
GUIDE DOG
FAMILY
Andries van der Westhuizen with Sally.
From the beginning of time, animals have enriched our
lives, whether we realise it or not. But we tend to take
for granted the animals that arguably have had the
biggest impact on our lives, always supplying us with
unconditional love regardless of our flaws - our dogs.
GUIDE DOGS
The relationship between owners and their dogs has
undergone a fundamental shift around the world, even
here in South Africa. Previously, dogs were kept mainly
for security reasons, but these days they are regarded as
members of the family.
“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are
his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to
the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such
devotion.” - Unknown
When it comes to Assupol head office employees, Andries
and Tersia van der Westhuizen, there is absolutely no doubt
that guide dogs Sally and Wakita are hugely important
members of their family. They consider their guide-dogs
as an extension of their actual family, although they play a
functional role. They are living, thinking beings, and need to
be considered within the broader human-animal interaction
field. Without doubt, guide dog ownership seems to be a
life-changing experience, with both positive and negative
consequences for the owner and his/her psychological
wellbeing.
As not a lot of people are aware of what exactly guide-dog
ownership entails, both Andries and Tersia were delighted
to shed some light on the subject.
When was the South African Guide-Dogs Association
for the Blind established?
The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind
(GDA) was established in 1953. They train Guide Dogs for
visually impaired people, Service Dogs for people who are
physically disabled and Autism Support Dogs for Autistic
Children.
Andries and Tersia van der Westhuizen walking with Sally and Wakita.
Can any breed of dog become a guide dog?
No, only Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Lab x Golden Retrievers and a small percentage of German Shepherds.
For the blind person who is allergic to dog hair, they will try
to source a French Poodle.
How much does it cost to train a Guide Dog?
It costs approximately R80,000 to train a Guide Dog. A puppy can be sponsored for R5,000.
Who is the owner of which dog?
Sally (Golden Retriever) belongs to Andries and Wakita (Labrador) to Tersia.
Young dogs begin their formal training at one year of
age. When did you get Sally and Wakita?
Sally came to us in 2011 and Wakita in 2012.
Did both of them change your lives for the better? In which way?
Yes, they made us both more mobile and we interact with
many people, so we are more sociable, especially when we
go shopping.
Where do they sleep at night?
All guide dogs must sleep in their owners’ rooms, but not on their beds!
Beautiful Wakita.
GUIDE DOGS
The Van der Westhuizen’s with their beautiful and intelligent guide dogs.
How did they match Sally and Wakita to the two of you?
Firstly, the trainers visit you and find out about you, what kind
of life you have, look at your walking speed and so on. Then
they get the dog that is best matched to you. Andries had
to wait more than a year for Sally, because of his length. A
smaller dog would not be able to work as well with him.
Is it OK to pet a guide dog?
Yes, the more the owner pets his dog, the better the bond is. Strangers may pet the dog, but only after permission is given by the owner. Never attract a guide dog’s attention while in harness.
What is your activity plan for exercise over the weekend
with both dogs?
They love it when we throw tennis balls for them to catch and they love splashing in water.
Do they ever get to play? Who plays with them?
Yes, we play with them and the other members of the family
also play with them.
How many dogs have you had before?
Guide dogs, none, pets many!
How do you thank both dogs for doing a good job?
Lots of praise immediately and treats or something to chew
at home.
May the dogs eat any food at any time of the day?
No, they only eat a certain amount of dog pellets, twice a day. It is important to keep them on the right weight so that they do not pick up ailments from being overweight.
Do they have to stay in your office the whole day while
you are at work?
Yes, but we take them out twice a day to stretch and relieve
themselves.
Does each guide dog have her own personality? Or are
all guide dogs the same?
Each one definitely has his or her own unique personality.
Just like humans, they are all different from one another.
Sally is the calm, reserved and well-behaved guide dog.
Wakita, on the other hand, is the extrovert until she has her
harness on. Then she is focussed on her job.
What happens to Guide Dogs when they are too old to
work? What will happen to Sally and Wakita?
Most dogs retire at 10 years of age. They retire, usually staying with the owner or if this is not possible, the GDA will find a loving home for the retired dog to earn his/her well-deserved rest. Sally and Wakita will both go to my daughter, who adores them.
Tell us a story where either Sally or Wakita saved your
lives?
One day Andries and Sally went to some shops they had never been to before. While walking on the pavement, Sally
very suddenly stopped. Andries felt with his foot and as he
did that, somebody told him that there was a very high step
downwards. If Sally did not stop, Andries would have fallen
and hurt himself badly.
GUIDE DOGS
SUPPORTING GUIDE DOGS
In the end, it comes down to a change in focus. We are normally so focused on ourselves and how we come across.
By getting involved in kind acts, you can take yourself out of your own head a little bit and focus on making good
things happen for those around you. Maybe it is time that we dig a little bit deeper into our pockets and free time
to support those who are in desperate need to have a better quality of live. You can volunteer to raise puppies,
become a breeding stock custodian, provide a home for a retired dog, donate funds and services, or fundraise
in your community. Let’s further this cause by raising awareness today because tomorrow might be too late.
Individually and together, we can learn how to build the qualities that help individuals and communities not just to
endure and survive, but also to flourish.
A few facts about the South African Guide-Dogs Association:
1. Most puppies are bred at the Gladys Evans Training Centre in Johannesburg.
2. Puppies are placed with volunteer Puppy Raising Families at about seven weeks of age.
3. Puppies attend weekly socialising classes for the first 13 weeks that they are living with their Puppy Raisers.
4. Puppy Raisers are responsible for house training and socialising their puppy. Puppy Raisers must have time available to socialise the puppy and attend the compulsory Puppy Socialising classes.
5. All male puppies (who are not being considered as stud dogs) are castrated at about seven months of age.
6. All female puppies (who are not being considered as breeding bitches) are sterilised before 18 months of age.
7. About two thirds of all dogs bred will go on to become Guide, Service, Autism Support Dogs or breeding stock.
8. About one third of dogs will not be suitable as working dogs (for either health or temperament reasons). These dogs often stay with their Puppy Raiser as a family pet (the Puppy Raisers has first option to keep the dog). If the Puppy Raiser can’t keep the dog, the GDA will re-home the dog as a pet. Careful matching is done to ensure that the dog will be compatible with his/her new owners.
9. Each instructor is responsible for training dogs.
10. It takes about six months to train a Guide Dog.
11. A Service Dog may take a bit longer to train depending on the tasks required by the new owner.
12. Once the working dog is fully trained, it is matched to a suitable owner.
13. Before matching a working dog and the new owner, all the facts that are known about the dog are considered (working ability, temperament, energy levels, environmental suitability etc.) and all of the facts known about the new owner are considered (needs, disability, home and work environment, dog handling experience etc.). A good match can be made only once all of these factors have been considered.
14. The new owner will spend two weeks training at the Training Centre (Johannesburg or Cape Town) with their new working dog.
15. The instructor will then work with the new “team” in their home environment for a further two to three weeks.
16. The dog will be introduced to family members, other pets, work colleagues and the local vet during this period.
17. GDA trains between 40 and 60 working dogs per year. Eight to ten of these teams are trained exclusively in Cape Town.
18. GDA visits all working dogs on an annual basis and provides follow up support whenever requested.
19. GDA currently employs six Guide and three Service Dog instructors in Johannesburg. In Cape Town, two Guide Dog Instructors are employed.
20. A learner instructor takes three years to qualify as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor or Service Dog Instructor.
21. Learner instructors undergo theoretical and practical training and they write exams every six months. Prior to qualification, they are closely supervised by an experienced instructor, until they have enough experience to work partially unsupervised.
22. All breeding stock live with families and only visit the Training Centre when required to do so for breeding purposes.
(Source: http://www.guidedog.org.za/some-facts-about-sa-guide-dogs-association/)