Can Guide Dogs Be Black? (Reason & Answer Explained)

Can Guide Dogs Be Black

Did you ever imagine those dog colors have something to do with the usefulness of a dog to its owner?

Like brown dogs can do particular tasks that black dogs’ can’t or white dogs do things that black dogs can’t?

The above probably sounds like a racist vendetta against dogs but I can assure you that that is not the case.

You are here to find out the truth about whether guard dogs can be black or not.

 

So can guide dogs be black?

The answer is yes.

Guide dogs can be of any color so long as they are guide dogs.

What matters when it comes to guiding dogs is the dog breed that is chosen for the human.

 

Why do people tend to overlook black dogs are guide dogs?

black guide dog

Why is it that people tend to assume the fact that black dogs cannot be guide dogs?

in most cases, some stores will make it hard for you and your

black guide dog to enter their stores with the claim that guide dogs cannot be black and even go ahead to ask the handler why their guide dogs are black.

This also happens in some public means of transport where the people become abusive, hostile even towards people with black guide dogs.

The irony in such situations is astronomical especially because most people with guide dogs cannot even see their dog’s fur coat colors.

 

Apart from that, black dogs are generally discriminated against even in dog shelters and other adoption centers for dogs.

Why is that?

 

1. Black dogs are generally portrayed as very aggressive dogs that can be extremely violent in TV shows.

An example would be pad foot in the Harry Potter series (congratulations if you get the reference) where the same stereotype is shown.

This makes people shy away from believing black dogs can be calm and helpful guide dogs for people who need them.

 

2. Black dogs (and even cats) are usually portrayed to not look as good as other dogs that may be white or have brown fur coats.

This is extremely far from the truth because black dogs have such nice shiny and thick fur coats that glisten in the sun and if that’s not beauty, what is?

 

 

Learn More:

How to Keep Algae Out Of Dog Pool

 

 

What are the qualities of guide dogs?

Guide dogs have to be carefully selected because they have to help their handlers at all times.

They have to be trained to withstand a lot of external factors that may seem impossible to other dogs.

While ensuring they guide their handlers and even get to make hard decisions at times.

 

Here are the main qualities that are required for a properly trained guide dog:

 

The temperament

A guide dog has to be trained to be level-headed and not quick to act on their temper.

This is important because they may find themselves in situations where they require to remain calm and not act up as other dogs would.

 

The health

Guide dogs are meant to be with their handlers everywhere and they have to be fit and healthy to maintain that kind of responsibility.

If they have illnesses and other conditions, they are usually not fit for the guide dog position.

 

The size

The size of the dog matters because they are required to fit and situations such as under the table in a restaurant or on public means of transport.

The intelligence

Guide dogs have to have some intelligence of their own as well as be obedient to their owners.

They need to be obedient enough to know that they should follow instructions at the same time, they should be able to recognize situations that require them to override the instructions given by their owner.

 

 

What do You need To Know About Your Guide Dog?

a guide dog

There is a lot you may not know about guide dogs especially if you do not own one.

They are much more interesting than you would think especially after taking your time to learn about them.

Here are some of those interesting facts that you may not know about your guide dog:

 

 

1. The Vetting Process

The guide dog chosen for different owners or handlers is carefully chosen with a lot of precision.

There are a lot of factors that come into play when the match is being made.

The factors the decisions are based on are both the owners and the dogs to see which dog breed is more compatible with the owner.

 

These are factors such as their lifestyle, temperaments, hobbies, activity levels, their families, and whether they have more pets in their households.

All these play a key role in how comfortable both you and your dog will be,

In these pairings, it is extremely important that both the handler and the dog are happy.

 

2. Establishing Relations First

When it comes to guiding dogs, they have to establish a relationship first with their handlers.

The relationship is formed by numerous hours of training your dog with professional handlers.

The dog has to bond with its owner; this means that not just anyone can take the dog’s harness and expect the dog to guide them.

There has to be an established relationship mainly one based on trust for them to function properly together.

 

3. Breed-Specific Guide Dogs

Some special dog breeds are used as guide dogs depending on the exact requirements that the handler needs.

The dog breed mainly used as guide dogs are breeds such as Labradors retrievers, German Shepherds, and Golden retrievers.

Some standardbred poodles are also considered when pairing them with dogs that have allergies.

Dog breed matching is extremely important to ensure that active people are paired with more active dogs so as not to wear the other out.

 

4. Guide Dogs for Convenience

For handlers, especially those who have been using canes before, having a guide dog helps them feel more independent and mobile than a cane would.

This because, with a guide dog, they do not require any human assistance at any point for their mobility.

Their guide dog becomes their best pal and with time they learn to trust each other.

 

5. More Than a “Guide” Dogs

Guide dogs are not meant to ‘see’ on behalf of the owner.

They are not GPS trackers.

They are trained to take instructions from their owners but are also taught to override the same instructions in some instances where they can see that the instruction may put their owners in danger.

 

The above is what you need to know about guide dogs.

It is also important to know that a guide dog should not be played with or petted when it has its harness own.

 

See Also

Russel

A pet owner who loves to share useful facts and information about a variety of animals.