Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
what a beautiful face 
Guide Dogs and Puppies
- Thread starter Boogie
- Start date
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Zoe and Zen, two pups in training at the same school Keir went to, in Leeds.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
These dogs are so beautiful inside and out x
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Mum, Orla, and nine pups - born last night, all black GSs
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Very striking! I wonder if the blind owners get any negativity about them? Big, black shepherd dogs are pretty intimidating looking, even if they're soft as blancmange. I listened to a bit of a podcast with Donna Hill about choosing a service dog and she mentioned public perception being something that's worth considering. And with Emily's experiences with the Rotties, too. Not that there should be any issues from the public, but people are weird.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Wow , they are gorgeous , and Mum is so beautiful , well done that girl x
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
So much negativity towards black dogs. I think once the service jacket, harness etc. is on nobody will take any notice of the black GSDs, Frankly as far as I'm concerned public perception can take a running jump. These wonderful dogs are doing such a lifesaving job, they should be admired not judged. Agreed too many weird people 
Beautiful girl and pups. xx
Beautiful girl and pups. xx
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
The owners often like that fact. The worst thing (apart from pavement parking) for Guide Dog owners is people being over friendly and distracting their dogs. Some even feed them and their owners only know when they hear the dog eating
German Shepherds, black or not, tend to be given more respect.
I get the same silly public trying to stroke the pups and clicking at them
, but I can pre-empt any distraction - and I’m very good at ‘kind-but-assertive’!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Sadly, that's easy to say, but I imagine it's not so easy when you're the one being denied access to places because your service dog doesn't look the right way. Even if it's not legal to do so, that doesn't help you in the moment. Or if you or your dog are verbally or physically assaulted because of their breed type. I seem to recall Emily saying something about being threatened with BSL about Brogan when on a flight to France.
Although, as you say, @Boogie, it must have its benefits, too
British Sign Language?
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
- Location
- Close to Devon/Somerset border
As someone who may need a guide dog - perhaps I should say, more accurately, a service dog, soon - I'm horrified if the perception of a black dog is so negative.
Why? What is wrong with a black dog?
Sadly, there have been incidents locally where guide dogs (regardless of colour) have been attacked by other dogs and have had to be withdrawn from their work because they have been so traumatised. I fear that will still happen regardless of colour or breed.
It's us hoomans, always us hoomans that cause the trouble.
Why? What is wrong with a black dog?
Sadly, there have been incidents locally where guide dogs (regardless of colour) have been attacked by other dogs and have had to be withdrawn from their work because they have been so traumatised. I fear that will still happen regardless of colour or breed.
It's us hoomans, always us hoomans that cause the trouble.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Well I thought it’d be creative, but not impossible. Subtle tooThreatened with British Sign Language?
Breed Specific Legislation....
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
A wonderful vision.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Ooh, those black GSDs are just drop dead gorgeous.
And yes, @snowbunny , good memory about the BSL issue. With our traveling, I had to be very aware of the different BSLs in each country, but certainly the worst was being informed by a check-in crew member of United Airlines at SFO that Brogan would likely be euthanised as soon as we entered France at CDG. He was tactless but he wasn't wrong - that's the law in France that they can confiscate and euthanise restricted breed dogs at will.
In France (and Ireland and elsewhere for that matter), GSDs have the same restricted status as Rottweilers. Of course as a guide or service dog, they are meant to be exempt from BSLs, but the reality can be quite different. It is often at the discretion of whatever law enforcement person is in front of you. For example I always thought it was ironic that Brogan and I were let into the Louvre with zero problems but upon walking out of the Louvre and into the public Tuilieries gardens (literally across the street), we were promptly escorted out of the gardens by two very irate mounted police officers. It's a funny old world and let's just say public perception of Labradors has its advantages!
Yes, also with a Rottie this is the good side of the coin: you get more respect and you feel safer. With Carbon, even if he's black, I feel more like people want to pinch his cheeks than make way for me. Of course he's not in his vest yet, but frankly I can't see that changing even with a vest.
It's cultural. Not so much an issue here in the UK but it can be a huge issue other places.
This is the definitely downside and why I didn't get another Rottie. Brogan and I often got negative verbal 'feedback' (what I'd actually classify as scary and abusive was more rare) and on several memorable occasions Brogan was physically attacked. And that was wearing his vest, harness and goofy scarf. Sometimes people only see the breed.
And yes, @snowbunny , good memory about the BSL issue. With our traveling, I had to be very aware of the different BSLs in each country, but certainly the worst was being informed by a check-in crew member of United Airlines at SFO that Brogan would likely be euthanised as soon as we entered France at CDG. He was tactless but he wasn't wrong - that's the law in France that they can confiscate and euthanise restricted breed dogs at will.
In France (and Ireland and elsewhere for that matter), GSDs have the same restricted status as Rottweilers. Of course as a guide or service dog, they are meant to be exempt from BSLs, but the reality can be quite different. It is often at the discretion of whatever law enforcement person is in front of you. For example I always thought it was ironic that Brogan and I were let into the Louvre with zero problems but upon walking out of the Louvre and into the public Tuilieries gardens (literally across the street), we were promptly escorted out of the gardens by two very irate mounted police officers. It's a funny old world and let's just say public perception of Labradors has its advantages!
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Happy birthday Gypsy - five years old today. I still love you 
She was the first puppy I walked - Tatze was only 15 months old.
She qualified and worked with her owner but was retired when her owner fell ill. I was offered her but I stood strong as I wanted to carry on puppy walking and we often have two pet dogs here. Her trainer had fallen for her and she’s now her pet dog, along with a spaniel and a JR. Gypsy goes everywhere with her and has lots of lovely free runs.
Twelve weeks old -
On her first birthday -
Today -
I still love you She was the first puppy I walked - Tatze was only 15 months old.
She qualified and worked with her owner but was retired when her owner fell ill. I was offered her but I stood strong as I wanted to carry on puppy walking and we often have two pet dogs here. Her trainer had fallen for her and she’s now her pet dog, along with a spaniel and a JR. Gypsy goes everywhere with her and has lots of lovely free runs.
Twelve weeks old -
On her first birthday -
Today -
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Gypsy 
- Location
- Close to Devon/Somerset border
Oh goodness, she is just beautiful. I keep saying it and know I'm boring but what these dogs do, day after day, is just incredible.
Oh, don't we just need to learn from these selfless wonders
Oh, don't we just need to learn from these selfless wonders
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
I am sad that Gypsy isn't still working after all the effort that went into her training but also happy that she has a happy life.
Does she still "work" even though she doesn't have to?
Does she still "work" even though she doesn't have to?