Fireworks exploding and unexpected loud noises are an increasing problem for guide dogs and their owners. Sometimes people even consciously throw fireworks at guide dogs (in training). These situations may cause permanent trauma for both owner and dog. Unfortunately, this often results in a temporary or permanent disapproval for the guide work. Occasionally retraining still brings relief, but this is not always successful. The owner, who usually has a lot of fear and stress, just like the dog, has no mobility anymore. Guide dog users and training centers are therefore calling for the legally permitted hours at which fireworks can be set off; strictly. In this way, blind and partially sighted guide dog users are able to walk their guide dog at other times. After all, the guide dog is the freedom, joy and mobility of a blind or partially sighted person.
- What exactly is happening?
- Is training on fireworks / loud noises possible for guide dogs?
- Great impact with such trauma: retraining guide dog Fenna and her owner
- Awareness raising
What exactly is happening?
Violation of legal rules
A blind or partially sighted owner, just like the dog, is unable to estimate where and when someone is setting off fireworks. Often people start the new year with fireworks from the first or second week of December and this continues until a few days or even weeks after the new year. Many guide dog users are then particularly vulnerable and find themselves in an unpleasant position where they always have to check where and when the dog can be most safely let out.
Retraining the guide dog users: time, energy and a lot of money
When a guide dog comes into contact with these explosively loud noises, or when someone pelts them with fireworks, the dog is often extremely anxious and prefers to run away. For example, in 2004, a guide dog attacked with fireworks in The Hague unintentionally caused a serious accident in which the user had to convalesce for months. Usually, after such an incident, the guide dog is no longer able to work for the boss and the boss is thus helpless and disoriented. After all, some dogs associate the place where someone sets off fireworks with fear. This creates the chance that the dog will never again want to walk over a certain bridge or in a certain street. Long retraining and professional support from owner and dog are often necessary to place and deal with this situation. Retraining the dog is not always possible. This implies that the intense and intensive bond that the owner and guide dog had has necessarily stopped. In addition, this is a downer for the guide dog school. After all, a guide dog often wastes a lot of time, energy and money. A graduated guide dog costs an average of EUR 25,000.
Is training on fireworks / loud noises possible for guide dogs?
It is only possible to a limited extent to train a guide dog for (unexpected) fireworks and other sudden, loud noises. During the training, the instructors try to make loud noises announce something fun for the guide dog. First instructors let you hear bangs from a distance that they make with a starting pistol, for example. Meanwhile, the instructor plays with the dog. But contemporary bangs including illegal fireworks are so powerful that some dogs are startled by this. These can almost be matched with explosion sounds. Unfortunately, the police are increasingly intercepting heavy illegal fireworks, aka fireworks bombs. In the normal guide work, many guide dogs have no or no significant problems with fireworks at a sufficiently far distance. Other guide dogs have a bit more difficulty with this what the guide dog user looks at in consultation with the guide dog school. Of course, most guide dog users avoid fireworks peak moments as much as possible.
Great impact with such trauma: retraining guide dog Fenna and her owner
In 2011, many media outlets picked up the great drama of guide dog Fenna and her owner Marianne from Huurhugowaard. They were pelted on a bridge during the walk. Paul De Leeuw welcomed the owner and dog during the talk show “Paul”, where the boss explained in detail what happened when her guide dog was pelted with fireworks. Golden Retriever Fenna was stressed, anxious, almost jumped into the water, wanted to run away and was also very disoriented. A local resident had to take them home again. In the video it became clear that Fenna needed retraining, and that this lady’s previous guide dog was unfortunately also rejected due to fireworks fear. Another video shows Fenna and her owner who went into therapy. Finally, there has never been an article in the media that the perpetrators were found; two youngsters were initially arrested a few days after the drama, but later turned out to have nothing to do with the case.
Awareness raising
The Netherlands
Awareness-raising towards the public remains necessary, especially because many people do not comply with legal rules and continue to set off fireworks for a long period before and after New Year. KNGF Guide Dogs therefore annually distributes information films and / or press releases about the dangers that fireworks and sudden, loud noises entail for both dog and owner. KNGF Guide dogs also sporadically invites primary schools to the school grounds. For example, children are introduced to training guide dogs for loud noises, and they see how difficult this is for some dogs. KNGF also advises Guide dogs never to set off fireworks when a guide dog user is nearby.
Belgium
In newspapers and magazines guide dog users and instructors from other schools get the floor, including from Belgium. For example, Adeline Valkenborg, chairwoman of the Belgian Center for Guide Dogs (BCG) and guide dog user herself, has already had to deal with bullying. Young people threw a firecracker at her guide dog near the train station in Ghent, which frightened her and ran into a bus. Annelies Driesmans, instructor at the BCG, indicates that the guide dog school trains puppies and young dogs on loud and unexpected noises, but that it remains difficult in certain situations.
A guide dog is a valuable asset for a person with a visual impairment. He literally ensures the safety of his blind boss. Consciously testing the dog with fireworks or loud noises is of course distasteful.