Why is it rude to pet a blind persons "seeing eye dog"??? Stupid rude blind people!!! yelled at my 5 yr old..

Question

Yeah, i know he couldnt tell she was 5..but she said : "aww cute doggy".... I know he can hear... should have punched him in his blind eye. he would have never saw that coming!!!

Answer 1

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW HE KNEW SHE WAS PETTING THE DOG. HE CAN'T SEE AND TO SAY AWW CUTE DOGGY DOESN'T MEAN SHE WAS TOUCHING THE DOG. JUST RUDE OF THE PERSON.

Answer 2

As someone else pointed out, it's not only rude to pet a guide dog when it's working (in harness), but it's also dangerous. If the dog is distracted, its handler could end up hit by a car, fall down an open sidewalk grate, or get smacked in the face by a tree branch, among other things. Think of holding your hands over someone's eyes while they're crossing the street, so they can't see what's coming at them.

And having said that, I do think that the blind person could have cut your little girl some slack. He could have said something to the effect of, "Honey, I'm glad you like my dog, but he's working now and helping me to get where I need to go. I'll take off his harness for a minute so you can pet him. But when guide dogs are in their harnesses, they're working, so please don't pet them or talk to them, OK?"

I have several blind friends who've had guide dogs over the years, and that's exactly how they've handled similar situations. They take the dog out of harness while they're still holding onto the dog's lead (guide dogs wear both lead and harness while working), and they let the child pet the dog.

The child (or adult) learns about guide dogs in a positive way, and there are usually no hard feelings.

Answer 3

petting a "seeing eye dog" or other service animal before asking is the same as walking up to some one and just covering their eyes without warning.

As a parent and adult you have a responsibility to teach your children. Also if the person wasn't blind and your child saw the dog wouldn't YOU ask the dog's owner if it was ok for your child to pet their dog? Some dogs can be nervous around strangers and therefore dangerous around children. You are several years older than your 5 yr old surely in those years you have learned SOME manners,no? YOU must raise your child and teach them about the world. Such instances where we make mistakes are valuable for teaching.

The dog's owner shouldn't have yelled if this was the first instance involving you. your child, and the dog. That was rude, too. He was correct to insist that people ask before trying to pet the dog. But just imagine that you can't see and a stranger tried to distract the animal you depend on to protect you from walking into traffic or tripping over obstacles in your path. Try to see other's situations from THEIR viewpoint.

Just because your 5 yr old is the most special child in the world, doesn't mean that her behavior is flawless.

Answer 4

Because that dogs eyes are the blind man's eyes. The poor guy probably feels not only very insecure if his dog is suddenly preoccupied w/anything other than helping him out. And most likely gets tired of dealing with so many people petting his work dog. I understand as well being taken off guard by someone's rudeness disabled or not however. I bet he's bitter over his blindness which is understandable.
I used to waitress yrs. ago before I graduated, and I swear the RUDEST guests were the deaf one's. But that's another story!
It's the holidays, just try to forgive the poor guy, and hug your child and try to explain why the man was rude but didn't mean any harm really.
(He probably felt sad and angry that another yr. was passing where he'd yet again miss all the beautiful Christmas lights, festive decorations,ect........I don't know)

Answer 5

While the dog is working, no one can pet him. The dog needs to stay focused on their job and the task at hand. They get play time at home.

Children need to be taught that they can't pet every animal that comes within their reach and they should ask permission before touching an animal. What if your kid comes up to a dog that has a bad temper and doesn't like children? What would you have done if the dog bit your kid?

P.S. 9 out of 10 "blind" people still have some very limited vision.

Answer 6

Petting a blind person's dog is like poking a seeing person in the eyes. Those dogs are there for a reason and are working. They are highly trained and are the only thing that some blind people have that makes them closer to sight.
I agree that he shouldn't yell at your daughter, but it's a great opportunity to teach your daughter not to pet dogs that she doesn't know (too many kids are getting mauled by dogs these days). It is also a good way to talk to your daughter about handicapped issues. She shouldn't pet a seeing eye dog just as she would never push a wheelchair down the street because it has cool wheels.

Answer 7

Well your child probably shouldn't have been petting the dog but then again kids do that sort of thing. The dog is highly trained, especially to deal appropriately with distractions, many of which are far more dangerous and distracting than the attention of a small child. They have to be not easily spooked or else they would be terrible seeing eye dogs. In this light, the blind person was probably overreacting, or craving attention etc. Blind people are just like regular people: Some of them are jerks.

Answer 8

It is very rude to pet a blind person's "seeing eye dog", because those dogs are specially trained in what they do and are responsible for the blind person's life. they shouldn't be distracted. Maybe you should read about them so you can be more emphathtic, but then on the flip side, the blind person shouldn't have yelled at your daughter, but should have just calmly explained why she couldn't pet his dog. May have got the point across better without making you mad.

Answer 9

Alvin ... you're an idiot! I'd have spoken to your 5 year old if I had seen her petting a seeing eye dog. You have failed to teach your daughter about the blind and their seeing eye dogs, and at 5 she's old enough to understand. Seeing eye dogs are not their owner's pets when they're working ... they are their owners guardian. Why are you so angry at the blind person? You should be angry at your self for being derelict in your responsibility as a parent!

Read the answers posted here ... I'm not seeing anyone siding with your position.

Answer 10

I had a room mate that was blind. She let me know that 1) the dog was a working dog and was not to be confused by being treated as a pet--even out of the harness. It is also very important they remain totally bonded with the blind person. 2) The owner is very vulnerable when the dog is side tracked. She mentioned the fact that it is possible to stab or poison a working dog and then hurt the owner. I had the impression this actually happened some years prior.

Answer 11

Why are you allowing your child to pet ANY dog? I steer clear of dogs when I'm out running, and I would certainly never pet any dog without the owner's permission.

Even domesticated animals, like dogs, can be unstable, unruly, and unpredictable, and allowing your child to pet any dog that is not yours is really not advisable.

Also, you might want to think about addressing your desire to use physical violence in solving problems, i.e., "should have punched him in his blind eye." And towards a disabled person, no less! Wow.