"SEEING EYE" DOGS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 4

"SEEING EYE" DOGS

New World Of Freedom For The Blind

Berta and Erua are two of the most enthusiastic opera fans in Chicago. They lie at the feet, of their muster and mistress in a box, for they are Seeing Eye dogs, says the fejduey Morning Herald.” Ail over America Seeing Eye dogs have been wagglug tlieir tails with glee since they have been otliclally recognized as the "eyes’ of their blind owners. From now on a dog and owner may travel on the United Air Lines and on most railways ami bus lines for the price of only one fare, and on all passenger steamers for a fare and a half. In England the training of dogs to guide the blind is carried out by voluntary subscription. In Germany and elsewhere in Europe it is under State control. It is just 12 years since the beginning of one of the most unusual experiments ever attempted the Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey. Mr. Morris Frank, the blind pioneer of this organization, went to Switzerland and came back with Buddy, who became an important tigure in the canine world, for he was ' the . first scientifically educated dog to guide a blind person in I lie United States, When the pair went for a walk crowds would follow them and admire the wonderful Intelligence of the dog and Mr. Frank’s free and confident step. At Mr. Frank’s request, Mrs. Harrison Eustis, an American woman who had been investigating the intelligence of dogs in relation to their service to mankind in Switzerland, returned to found the Seeing Eye, a philanthropic service. Today more than 500 Bertas and Emas pilot their sightless masters and mistresses through cities, towns, and villages in almost every State. Most of the dogs are German shepherds, but Boxers, Dobermann I’inschers, and Labrador Retrievers have also been successfully trained. A blind person has to have a month of study and practice at Morristown learning to use ids dog. It is interesting to know (hat blind people develop mental pictures of tlieir surroundings, ami that all they want is someone to show them round those pictures. The dog guide does not have the responsibility of taking its master to its destination without being told where to go. The master directs his dog by saying right, left, or forward. But before these commands can be given the master has to learn how to interpret the sign language that comes from his guide through the leather harness handle, which is held lightly in the left hand. ’These signals tell him everything Hint is close to him and is liable to interfere with his safe progress. Because of lids almost perfect communication dog and man can actually walk faster than the average pedestrian I