Guide dogs do a great deal for their owners. Not only do they help guide their owners throughout the day, but they also protect them from harm, assist them with tasks, and provide consistent emotional support like no other. Guide dog trainers work hard to help these loyal partners to hone these skills.
These dogs are seen by many as a joy that makes the world a better place for their owners and their families. And International Guide Dog Day aims to help others show appreciation for the hard work they do.
A little history about Guide dogs....
Guide dogs may have been around since 79 AD, a fact which was discovered when paintings of guide dogs being used to help the blind were uncovered on the excavations in Pompeii, Italy.
Guide dogs have been used in various countries throughout the centuries, such as ancient China and medieval Europe. During the 1700s and 1800s, historians and anthropologists seem to have encountered more observations of guide dogs through children’s nursery rhymes and stories.
People who lived in the era of WWII saw extensive use for these kinds of helping dogs, specifically for veterans who had lost their sight in the midst of war due to chemical related injuries.
International Guide Dog Day honors the work that these service dogs provide for people with visual disabilities everywhere. These dogs have skills including leading a blind person around an area, assisting with a hobby, picking up dropped items, providing emotional comfort during their service and much more. This is why guide dogs are some of the best service dogs to have.
In the 1950's Guide Dog Australia was established, which over the years have helped many vision impaired people to live an equitable and dignified way of life.