Dual Blind Guide Dog

Dual-blind guide dogs help people who have an additional disability in addition to their visual impairment. There are dual-blind guide dogs for diabetics, epileptics, narcoleptics, migraineurs, asthmatics, physically handicapped, hearing impaired or deaf people and people with mental or psychiatric illnesses. In addition to the tasks of a guide dog for the blind, dual guide dogs take on additional tasks of the other type of assistance dog that the partner needs. For example, the Dual Blind Guide Dog Epilepsy Warning Dog warns an epileptic person of an impending seizure by stopping and putting his paw on the epileptic person's leg or nudging him with his nose. Or for someone in a wheelchair who also needs a guide dog, the guide dog learns to pick up objects, open doors and pick up the phone on command when it rings.

Tasks of a dual-blind guide dog

 

The dual guide dog undergoes two complete training courses: the training to become a guide dog and the training to become the other type of assistance dog required. The tasks besides the guide dog tasks are based on the actual needs of the human partner.