BY: JAMIE LYNN DROHAN
6 News Anchor/Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a leader dog? Where do they come from? The skills they require? And how these animals impact the lives of people everyday?
One East Tennessee woman who says thanks to these special animals, she has the confidence to live her life.
Bonnie Guyan and her husband Bob just moved to Seymour six months ago. Getting familiar with new surroundings can be tough, but imagine doing it blind.
Bonnie Guyan has been blind for 17 years. She was matched with her first leader dog, Tyler, back in 1993. Then through the years came Albert, then Murray and today, 2-year-old Moses is always by her side.
"You always say your husband is your other half. Well I guess I'm divided up a bit differently because I have me and my other half and then my husband is my other half as well," said Guyan.
Dogs like Moses train for nine months. In all, roughly $30,000 goes into each dog's training, which is covered by local Lyons Clubs, along with public donations. Typical breeds are golden retrievers, Labradors and German shepherds.
However, the personality of the dog is a key factor.
"You become joined. It's amazing," said Guyan.
Bonnie's quick to point out there's a big difference between having a pet and having a working dog like Moses.
"Having a working dog like this that is your partner, it really is a partnership. It goes way beyond having a pet in the house or loving a pet," said Guyan.
Watching Bonnie navigate the downtown with Moses, you'd never know she was stricken with fear the first time she'd crossed a street under the guidance of a leader dog.
"I said I'm going to die. I can't imagine getting across this street," said Guyan.
"This is a very special relationship for a dog to be able to understand enough and it was amazing to get across that street and realize the dog helped me do this," said Guyan.
But dogs like Moses can't do this kind of work forever.
"You work a dog until you find out that its starting to have physical problems. If it develops arthritis or cataracts that is when you would retire the dog," said Guyan.
Bonnie still has her last leader dog Murray. And believe it or not, she says Murray has taught Moses a lot including when it's time for fun and when it's time to work. When they're on the job, the last thing you want to do is distract them.
"IF am trying to cross a street and someone comes over and starts rubbing the dog and talking to Moses, well he's a dog. He's a golden retriever. He's going to look over to them, and all of a sudden he's not going to be paying attention to traffic, and I could get in trouble," said Guyan.
Bonnie says she finds some people are not supportive of the concept of working dogs. Local restaurant owner Bill Moore says it's about acceptance.
"Dogs are cleaner than a lot of folks take care of their self. To be able to help them and make their lives have better quality allowing them in restaurants retail establishments I think is very crucial," said Moore.
"There's this thing by Helen Keller and it says, 'Alone we can do so little and together we can do so much.' That should have been written for leader dogs or any type of service dog like this, because together we can accomplish so many different things. And alone he's a dog and I'm a person that doesn't see too well, but together we are a very good team," said Guyan.
Knoxville (WATE) - Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a leader dog? Where do they come from? The skills they require? And how these animals impact the lives of people everyday?
Well 6 News introduces us to one east Tennessee woman who says thanks to these special animals, she has the confidence to live her life.
BONNIE GUYAN AND HER HUSBAND BOB JUST MOVED TO SEYMOUR 6 MONTHS AGO. GETTING FAMILIAR WITH NEW SURROUNDINGS CAN BE TOUGH, BUT IMAGINE DOING IT BLIND. BONNIE GUYAN HAS BEEN BLIND FOR 17 YEARS. SHE WAS MATCHED WITH HER FIRST LEADER DOG, TYLER, BACK IN 1993. THEN THROUGH THE YEARS CAME ALBERT, THEN MURRAY AND TODAY, 2 YEAR OLD MOSES IS ALWAYS BY HER SIDE.
"You always say your husband is your other half. Well I guess I'm divided up a bit differently because I have me and my other half and then my husband is my other half as well," said Guyan.
DOGS LIKE MOSES TRAIN FOR 9 MONTHS. IN ALL, ROUGHLY 30,000 DOLLARS GOES INTO EACH DOG'S TRAINING, WHICH IS COVERED BY LOCAL LYONS CLUBS, ALONG WITH PUBLIC DONATIONS. TYPICAL BREEDS ARE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS, LABRADORS AND GERMAN SHEPHERDS. HOWEVER, THE PERSONALITY OF THE DOG IS A KEY FACTOR. BONNIE PREFERS GOLDEN'S.
"You become joined. It's amazing," said Guyan.
BONNIE'S QUICK TO POINT OUT THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A PET AND HAVING A WORKING DOG LIKE MOSES.
"Having a working dog like this that is your partner, it really is a partnership. It goes way beyond having a pet in the house or loving a pet," said Guyan.
WATCHING BONNIE NAVIGATE THE DOWNTOWN WITH MOSES, YOU'D NEVER KNOW SHE WAS STRICKEN WITH FEAR THE FIRST TIME SHE'D CROSSED A STREET UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A LEADER DOG.
"I said I'm going to die. I can't imagine getting across this street," said Guyan.
"This is a very special relationship for a dog to be able to understand enough and it was amazing to get across that street and realize the dog helped me do this," said Guyan.
But DOGS LIKE MOSES CAN'T DO THIS KIND OF WORK FOREVER.
"You work a dog until you find out that its starting to have physical problems. If it develops arthritis or cataracts that is when you would retire the dog," said Guyan.
BONNIE STILL HAS HER LAST LEADER DOG MURRAY. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SHE SAYS MURRAY HAS TAUGHT MOSES ALOT. INCLUDING WHEN IT'S TIME FOR FUN AND WHEN IT'S TIME TO WORK. WHEN THEY'RE ON THE JOB, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS DISTRACT THEM.
"IF am trying to cross a street and someone comes over and starts rubbing the dog and talking to Moses, well he's a dog, he's a golden retriever, he's going to look over to them and all of a sudden he's not going to be paying attention to traffic and I could get in trouble," said Guyan.
BONNIE SAYS SHE FINDS SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPT OF WORKING DOGS. LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER BILL MOORE SAYS IT'S ABOUT ACCEPTANCE.
"Dogs are cleaner than a lot of folks take care of their self. To be able to help them and make their lives have better quality allowing them in restaurants retail establishments I think is very crucial," said Moore.
"There's this thing by Helen Keller and it says "alone we can do so little and together we can do so much". oh that should have been written for leader dogs or any type of service dog like this because together we can accomplish so many different things and alone he's a dog and I'm a person that doesn't see too well, but together we are a very good team," said Guyan.
IF YOU SEE BONNIE AROUND TOWN BE SURE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SAY HELLO, BUT REMEMBER, MOSES IS ON THE Job.
