When in Doubt, WIAT!!!

When we travel a busy city street with many busy intersections, Nikki and I work as a team. My main job is to avoid obstacles like trash can, outside seating area of restaurants, store signs & merchandise, and other pedestrians; then stop at the curb for further directions. Nikki has to know where we're going, of course! She also needs to listen for traffic to figure out when to cross safely. Sorry to disappoint some of you, but we guide dogs cannot read street signs, nor traffic light! That's giving us too much credit & too much responsibility! But what guide dogs are train to do is to disobey the command when it's unsafe to execute. This is the famous Intelligent Disobedience.

We do this every day, and we're getting better at it as a team. But when we get to the curb towards the end of a green light, Nikki misjudges the traffic & gives me the "forward" command. Of course she's often in a hurry... Sometimes, I save the situation with my intelligent disobedience, but other times, we step into the street because it does sound safe. Then the light changes when we're right at the middle of the crosswalk; cars coming towards us.... YES, heart attack moment! So far, we've managed to get to the other side safely. But I tell ya; When in doubt, WAIT!!!