No one knows when the concept of using assistance animals for
the blind first came into being. It is suggested that dogs have
been used in such a capacity in various cultures for a very long
time. It is known, however, that there was no formal guide dog
program in existence until after the First World War.
Why German Shepherds?
Many people have probably wondered why guide dogs and Seeing Eye
dogs are so often German Shepherds. The reason is actually
twofold. First of all the German Shepherd has a strong sense of
loyalty to its owner, giving it a natural tendency to be
protective. Having a very protective dog as a companion is an
obvious asset for someone who may otherwise be easily attacked
by less then scrupulous individuals. The other reason is far
simpler; the first guide dogs for the blind and visually
impaired were trained in Germany to provided assistance for
those blinded in the war.
After the end of World War I the nation of Germany was
devastated by financial depression. Many private businesses
failed and the Potsdam, Germany school that trained the guide
dogs for the blind was one of them.
The Beginning
An American woman named Dorothy Eustis had heard about the
program and decided it was a very worthwhile endeavor. Because
she owned a company that was training German Shepherds as
working dogs, she decided she might try to train guide dogs for
the blind. She did not start this right away, however. In fact
she was still considering the possibilities when she penned a
story for The Saturday Evening Post about the potential for
guide dogs for the blind.
A Nashville man named Morris Frank had heard the story and
decided to write to Ms. Eustis and ask her to train a dog for
him. She did and Mr. Frank became known as the first blind
person to use a guide dog.
As part of an arrangement he’d made with Ms. Eustis, Mr. Frank
started training guide dogs in the United States. The foundation
that Mr. Frank started was dubbed “The Seeing Eye” and the
so-called Seeing Eye dog was effectively born.
Today guide dogs are trained to assist people with many
different disabilities. There are Hearing Ear dogs to assist the
deaf and other dogs that assist the physically disabled. All of
the people who have benefited from the use of a guide dog,
however, owe their thanks to Mr. Morris Frank of Nashville,
Tennessee.
About Author :
Kirsten Hawkins is a dog lover and animal expert from Nashville,
TN. Visit http://www.doghealth411.com/ for more information on dog health, the care of dogs, and dog
travel.
