A lone guide dog and handler slip and slide a cross snow and ice covered sidewalks. The two of them pick their way through piles of snow. The temperature hovers just above zero degrees F, and the winds produce windchill readings that often approach negative ten Degrees F. The prevailing winds, which blow anywhere from 10-30 MPH polish the frozen snow to a smooth, shiny, icy finish that could rival a neatly groomed indoor ice rink. Even with all of this the team manages to maintain their standard team speed of three miles per hour. How do they do it?
As professional pedestrians my guide dog and I face all sorts of wintery weather conditions; bitterly cold and dangerous icy conditions, driving rain, sleet, snow, hale and high winds that can blow a 50 pound Labrador off course. Life goes on, no matter what the weather is doing, and it's all about how I prepare myself and my dog to handle the conditions. Like pilots, I follow minimum and maximum operating conditions. For example, the minimum temperature for safe travel is -20 Degrees F and the maximum operating temperature is 110 degrees F (using the appropriate gear for extremes). The only types of weather that ground travel from a safety standpoint are extreme blizzards, thunder storms and extreme winds.
The above mentioned anecdote has been a real life experience during the late fall and winter. Every day is a judgment call on what type of winter gear will help us get safely to and from classes and around town. It's pretty easy to prepare a human for the weather, but a dog who spends roughly 50-60 percent of their time indoors, and who is unable to tell you if he or she is cold or hot is something else. Depending on the winter weather I outfit my guide with rough Wear dog booties and a heavy, fleece lined coat.
The booties keep wet snow, ice and salt from building up in between their toes and on their pads. Salt and other de-icing chemicals is hard on a dog's feet, and in some cases can cause their pads to be very sore. If we have traveled any significant distance over de-iced sidewalks, my dog gets a rinse down in the tub at the end of the day to remove the dirt and de-icing chemicals that have been flecked on to her belly. I do not use soap, because it would dry the dog's skin out, leading to skin irritation and hot spots. Just like people's hands or feet prolonged contact with cold and or wet surfaces can cause frostbite. Still, it's a system of give and take with the booties. My dog does not enjoy wearing them, and she gets less traction on the ice. However, they protect her feet from the elements. I always keep a set of booties in my bag just in case I decide to put them on.
The winter coat is more than just a fashion statement. My dog wears her coat when the air temperature drops below 25 degrees F. This keeps the dog's core warm, especially when waiting for the bus, or standing on a windswept street corner waiting to cross.
It can be very disconcerting for a guide dog when one day the entire outdoor landscape changes from well contrasted sidewalks, curbs, steps and crosswalks to a white, featureless work environment. Guide Dogs generally learn specific, well traveled routs, but like people with sight they rely on visual cues to guide them along. When thees are taken away, my dog's task of guiding becomes more challenging. I have to slow down significantly to allow my dog to orient herself and make the correct judgment calls, especially when turning or locating a street curb. Sometimes I have to be more encouraging than usual in an attempt to assist my dog in locating things.
I must be completely focused so that I can assist my dog while traveling over snow and ice. I have developed smaller "sub-routs," along my desired travel rout to avoid the worst of the slippery conditions. Sometimes it's as simple as slowing down my dog, or as advanced as asking my dog to turn to the right or left, zigzagging around large patches of finely polished ice. Communication between my dog and I must be top notch in order to achieve safe and efficient travel. OUr reflexes must be sharp. Often times both my dog and I don't know how stable our next step will be. Is it scary? No, it's part of life, and I rely on my experience and adventurous spirit to keep me standing up.
Winds can make a 50 pound Labrador's job of guiding quite a challenge. A cross wind blowing 25 MPH, gusting to 40 MPH has enough force to push my dog over by two or three steps. She counters this by turning her body slightly into the wind and pulley with all her strength. As a result it is very challenging to maintain a completely straight line of travel. It feels like we are zigzagging slightly down the sidewalk, and that's because we are. Sometimes slowing down helps keep us on track. I have my own challenges with wind. The constant blowing in my ears makes it very difficult to localize traffic or other audible landmarks. My best defense is to be more cautious and assess each situation individually. Sometimes it's necessary to divert to an intersection that is easier to cross.
The moral of the story?
Life keeps moving, no matter what the weather is doing. One of my jobs when it comes to independent travel is to overcome, adapt and always be prepared, putting my dog's needs of comfort and safety above my own.
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