The Research on the Experiences and Problems of the Guide Dog Users in Taiwan

[[abstract]]The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences and problems of guide dog users in Taiwan. The qualitative research methods were employed, and the data was gathered by in-depth interviews with nine guide dog users. The findings were as follows: I. The guide dog users' motives for applying for a guide dog were to enhance mobility. The sources of the related information came from the advertisements of the guide-dog training institutions and the encouragements of other guide dog users. The requirements for the applicants included physical and mental maturity, good orientation and mobility skills, genuine love toward a guide dog, positive attitudes, the ability to master a dog, social supports, the need for using a guide dog and other psychological adjustments. The evaluation process consisted of two parts: the interview accompanied by the environmental evaluation, and the evaluation of orientation and mobility skills. The time the applicants spent waiting to obtain the guide dog ranged between half a year and five years. The applicants had to be matched with a suitable guide dog by the instructor before the joint training program started. There were two ways of training: attending the guide dog school overseas, and receiving training in the home environment. Because a lack of rapport was found in the early person-dog training process, the difficulty they encountered was usually much more than they had anticipated. The coping strategies were to follow the instructor, learn to analyze the behavior of the guide dog, persevere in what should be done, and achieve a better understanding when experiences and contacts increased. II. Guide dog users had to spend time, energy, and some money on daily care for their dogs. The time they spent daily ranged between 1 and 1.5 hours. The monthly expenditure never exceeded NT$1500. Guide dog users might encounter some problems. First, guide dogs might be excluded in some public places. Second, some sighted people and stray dogs might disturb guide dogs while they were working. In addition, guide dogs were likely to cause hygienic problems, and could not be along with their users in some situations. Those who earned a living by giving massages had some difficulty using guide dogs. Guide dog users' family at first had little knowledge of guide dogs, but they gradually became extremely positive with the increasing of understanding. The attitudes of the general public presented greater discrepancies. Some appreciated and identified with guide dogs while others were disgusted with them. Although the government passed the laws to guarantee the right of guide dogs' access to public places, the enforcement of the laws needed to be improved. The visually impaired people who did not use a guide dog usually took a more negative attitude. III. Guide dogs allowed their users to travel safely at a faster pace, and to extend the range of mobility. They also assisted their users in memorizing the routes, alleviating the pressure of attending to the surroundings, locating the objects for orientation, and seeking public assistance. Additionally, guide dogs provided their users with positive psychological feedbacks, companionship and higher self-esteem and confidence. However, guide dog users might be under the pressure of meeting with the public's expectations, overly arousing the public's attention, and undergoing social rejection. Guide dogs allowed for greater social interaction, offered a starting point for conversation, and served to improve personal relationships. But guide dog users often encountered those who had a bad impression on dogs, and coped with others' curiosity and jealousy. Guide dogs also assisted their users in solving the mobility problem at work and broadening the scope for employment opportunity. Suggestions of this research were made for the government, the guide-dog training institutions, guide dog users, the visually impaired people who intended to apply for a guide dog, the general public, and future studies.