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6/01 cJClRC/DateDuepesap. 15

THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER
By

Nudee Sermsrisuwan

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulﬁllment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS
Department of Telecommunication

1999

ABSTRACT
THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER
By

Nudee Sermsrisuwan

This thesis documentary is developed out of the love of the dog, who has been man’s best
friend since the beginning of its domestication. An assistance dog is a good example of a
dedicated working dog. This thesis documentary presents the three kinds of assistance
dogs: the dog guide, the service dog, and the hearing dog. The dog guide is chosen to be
highlighted in the ﬁrst segment of the documentary because it is probably what most
people recognize as assistance dogs. Beginning the program with what the viewer is
familiar with is a good way to lead the viewer into the world of other kinds of assistance
dogs. The program then explores the other two types of assistance dogs, which are the
service and hearing dogs, respectively. Information about rules and etiquette when
meeting an assistance dog team is also provided in the program. After viewing this
program, the viewer is expected to have more knowledge and understanding about
assistance dogs, so they know how to behave or react when meeting a person with an
assistance dog. Hopefully, those who view this documentary will feel the love of animals
from the producer and be kind to them; not only to the dogs, but all other pets and
working animals, who have always been the best companions and dedicated helpers

without wanting anything in return but tender love and care.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It has been two and a half years that I have been in the United States. Without help and

encouragement from a lot of people, I would never have been able to complete this thesis.

I would like, therefore, to take this opportunity to thank, ﬁrst of all, my academic and
thesis advisor, Robert Albers, who has been helping me out with all of the academic
plans and production thesis all through these years. Second of all, I would like to thank
Lisa L. Whiting for being on my thesis committee. Also, thanks to Debbie Johnson, the
Graduate Studies Secretary, for all her help with my enrollment and academic

procedures.

Thanks to all staff at Paws With A Cause, Wayland, MI, and Leader Dogs For The Blind,
Rochester, MI. Without them, this production thesis would not exist. Most of all, Icould
never produce anything if it were not for all the classes I have taken all through my
academic years, thanks to my teachers. teacher’s assistants (TA’s) and classmates in the
production classes. I owe them much for educating, helping me out, and listening to all
the problems I had. Changing from an English major to Telecommunication is difﬁcult,
especially for a novice like myself, who never had any experiences in the production

field.

Living here in East Lansing, Michigan, would be hard for a person like me from

Thailand, had I not known so many nice Thai people who have been keeping me

iii

company whenever I felt lonely here. Special thanks to Katkate Bunnag and Poowanart
Tianniam as well as all those who have given me a hand whenever I needed help for my
class and thesis projects. The next two persons that I feel thankful for are my best friends
since undergraduate years in Thailand, Suthalinee Rongsawas, and Vipawan
Pongtaranggoon, and all other friends, who mentally helped me, from far away, by
keeping in touch with and thus, letting me know that I still exist in their memories, in
their hearts. Most of all, I would like to thank Natawut Nupairoj, Ph.D., although I know

“thank you” is never enough for all he has done for me.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my family for their support all through these
years, especially my father, Prasert Sermsrisuwan. Studying in the United States would
be totally impossible without him and his many years of hard work intended to provide
me with the best education. I really want to say something more, but my feelings and my
gratitude for my father are much, much more than words can describe. The other person
I could never forget is my mother, Panor Sermsrisuwan. Even though she is not here in
this world anymore, she is always here in my heart and gives me the strength to move on
whenever I feel discouraged. She would have been proud to see how far I have come and
how much academic success I have achieved. I love and feel very thankful to both my
parents not only for their love, support, and encouragement in every way, but also for

how they made me who I have become today.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 2

THE DOG, THE BEST FRIEND .................................................................. 3
CHAPTER 3

THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER .................................................................. 5

A. Assistance Dogs And Other N on-assistance Helper Dogs ............................ 6

l. The Dog Guide ........................................................................... 9

a) Dogs .................................................................................. 9

b) Training Staffs .................................................................... 11

c) Training ............................................................................ 11

d) Applicants ......................................................................... 16

e) Public ............................................................................... 17

2. The Service Dog ....................................................................... 18

a) Dogs ................................................................................ 18

b) Training ............................................................................ 19

3. The Hearing Dog ...................................................................... 22

a) Dogs ................................................................................ 22

b) Training ............................................................................ 23

c) Applicants ......................................................................... 24

(1) Public ............................................................................... 24
CHAPTER 4

METHOD ........................................................................................... 26

A. History of Documentary .................................................................. 26

B. Documentary As a Format to Achieve The Goal of The Thesis .................... 28
CHAPTER 5

THEMES OF THIS DOCUMENTARY ....................................................... 30

A. Previously Completed Video Tapes About Service Dogs ............................ 30

B. Components ................................................................................ 32
CHAPTER 6

EVALUATION .................................................................................... 36
CHAPTER 7

CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 4O

APPENDIX A
ACCESS AND ETIQUETTE WHEN MEEING THE GUIDING

DOG AND PEOPLE WHO ARE BLlND ...................................................... 43
APPENDIX B
THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER SCRIPT ................................................... 45
APPENDD( C
EVALUATION FORM ........................................................................... 51
REFERENCES ..................................................................................... 54

vi

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

No one can deny that dogs and mankind are truly meant for each other. Since the day it
was domesticated, the dog was destined to serve man, with loyalty and, as the bond grew
with time, with all its heart. Evidence from bygone ages showed that humans and dogs
have been associated for a long, long time. There were carvings of man and dog found in
ancient caves, a skeleton of an Iron Age dog found in Holland, and a limestone statue of

an eighteenth-dynasty dog from Egypt (Zeuner, 1963).

In ancient times, humans and dogs shared the same social organization that made them
get along very well. Both species worked with one leader in packs to do the most
important activity of the time—hunting for food. Man has the ability to create weapons
but he still needs the excellent sense of smell and speed of the dogs (Boorer, 1994). That
is why hounds were the earliest identiﬁable breeds. Over time, human occupations and
amusement expanded, and thus a wider variety of breeds was developed to serve different
purposes. Some were bred for work, some were bred for sports and others are bred for

fancies of Man (Shaler, 1895).

The dog didn’t start its position in human society as a member of a family, living inside
the house with its master like today. In ancient times. on the contrary, the dog had to stay
outside, despite of its important job in hunting. Not until during the Middle Ages was the
dog welcome to live in the house with its owner and thus, become a part of the family,

and in return, it has been giving us humans unconditional love as our companion.

Because dogs are so close to humans that people see everything they do for mankind as
an ordinary thing, people sometimes forget that it is the dog that gives them a hand when
no one else is there. This thesis documentary is meant to present the dog as the best
helper, particularly to the ones who are in need. There are plenty of incredible jobs the
dog can do for humans: shepherd dog, police dog, guard dog, search and rescue dog,
assistance dog, and therapy dog. Unfortunately, it is impossible to include all of the jobs
that dogs do for us in this thesis documentary. Three kinds of assistance dogs, the dog
guide, the service dog, and the hearing dog, are chosen to be included in the program,

with a focus on the service dog in particular.

CHAPTER 2
THE DOG, THE BEST FRIEND

A dog reared in a family can be even more than just a companion, or a best friend. A
family dog keeps the house safe from burglars, smells leaking gas or sees sparkng of
electric wires and alerts his masters, and also helps keep his baby master safe from
kidnappers. Besides, having a dog in the house can also be helpful to the development of
a child since it “awakens a sense of responsibility in the child, especially if, under the
supervision of the parents, he is expected to groom, feed and exercise his pet. The bond
of sympathy that inevitably grows between the two helps the child to understand himself
in relation to others (Rine, 1965).” In addition, walking the dog can make an owner go
outdoors more often and as a result make new friends who may also be walking their

dogs

That is one reason people consider their dogs and other pets family members and are
willing to pay for sometimes very expensive medical treatment for their dogs. The
results of recent surveys show that the percentage of pet owners who think of their dog as
human, has grown from about forty nine percent twenty years ago to nearly eighty
percent today (Kuncl, 1998). In addition, Dr. Aaron Katcher of the University of
Pennsylvania’s Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society reasons that the overall
decentralization of today’s American family life is the reason for people’s deeper bonds
with their pets. In several studies with Dr. Alan Beck of the Center for Applied
Ethnology and Human—Animal Interaction at the Purdue University School of Veterinary

Medicine, Dr. Katcher found that a dog can help make a house a home because

sometimes a dog is like a child or an infant to the lonely owner who doesn’t have

children.

CHAPTER 3
THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER

For many people, the dog is their best friend, but for some people, the dog is also their
best helper. For people with disabilities, the dog has given them the ability to live
independently with unconditional love as a plus. The dog can be their eyes, their ears,

and even their arms and legs.

It has been a long time that the dog has served as the eyes for humans. Dog guides for
the blind have appeared since ancient times. In 79A.D., a fresco was found in Pompeii.
It depicts a woman and her maid in the market place being approached by

..what seems to be a blind man with a staff and being apparently led by a small

dog, which, in the painting, is turning to his master as if asking for instructions

(Coon, 1959).”
More evidence was found in the seventeenth century in the works of some of the very
famous masters of the period, such as paintings by Rembrandt (1606-1669), especially
the one entitled “TOBIAS” (created in 1651) which shows a picture of a dog trying to
prevent Tobias from going in the wrong direction. In the nineteenth century, the French
lithograph named “Le Chien” was the most remarkable picture showing dogs in many
capacities as a friend and a helper of mankind. In the same century, two works of early
American stories about the use of a dog that appears to be trained by its owner were
uncovered. One was a book found in 1843 with a crude woodcut frontispiece showing a

blind man with his dog with a poem underneath. The other was a hundred—page book

published in Boston in 1856 by Abram V. Courtney.

Those are only some examples of the evidence of the dog as Man’s helper. Today, there
are many kinds of assistance dogs, besides the dog guide, that are trained to help people
with disabilities. The term “assistance dog” will be used regularly in this thesis

document; therefore, it is important to know what an “assistance dog” is.

A. Assistance Dog

An “assistance dog” is deﬁned as any dog of any breed who is trained to help a
person with a physical, cognitive, seizure related disability (or illness) including
but not limited to blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, cancer, or epilepsy (Fay,

1998). There are five types of assistance dogs:

1. Dog guides for the blind or visually impaired people.

2. Hearing Dogs for the deaf or hearing-impaired people. They assist these people by
alerting them to such important sounds as a telephone ring, a doorbell, an alarm
clock, passing trafﬁc, and a smoke alarm. They are usually small breeds.

3. Service Dogs for physically disabled (mobility impaired) people. They are
individually trained to ﬁt the needs of a particular person who they will be assisting
such as a Parkinson's helper dog.

4. Seizure Alert Dogs for people with seizure disorders. Seizure alert dogs can
accurately “predict” when their master will have a seizure. This ability is explained
as follows:

“The ability to predict a seizure cannot be trained for, but dogs with an innate
ability can be trained to alert appropriately. N o-one knows how the dogs can tell,

but many scientists believe that dogs sense or smell a change in body chemistry
which may be the prelude to a seizure (Fay, 1998).”

The warning from the dog helps a person to prepare him/herself when the seizure
comes, such as getting to a safe place where they cannot get hurt during the seizure.
5. Seizure Response Dogs. These are Service Dogs that are trained to “react”

appropriately to a seizure and get help. They also help their handler recover after it.

Assistance dogs are very helpful to disabled persons. They make their master’s life
easier by helping with such general things as picking up dropped items, retrieving items
that are out of reach, and opening doors. They can also save their master’s life by getting
help in an emergency situation, such as when their master falls from the wheelchair, by
either pressing an emergency device attached to the phone or bringing the phone to the
person. This thesis documentary will focus partially on the dog guide, and particularly on

the service dogs, and the hearing dog.

Other Non-Assistance Helper Dogs
Other kinds of dogs besides the above-mentioned are considered. non-assistance helper

dogs. Still, they are dogs who are trained to help people.

1. A Social Dog. A social dog is a dog that helps a disabled person in the social and
relational aspects. For example, the dog helps young children or adults who are
unwilling or cannot continue service dog training, but can be beneﬁted (usually
psychologically and/or emotionally) by an assistance dog.

2. A Therapy Dog. A therapy dog is a dog that helps people in nursing homes,
convalescent homes, or hospitals with their psychological well being. There are three

different types of therapy dogs:

a. Therapeutic Visitation dogs, which is the most common type, are household pets
whose owners have to spend some time in hospitals, nursing homes, detention
facilities, and rehabilitation facilities due to mental or physical illness or court order.
These people miss their pets, and a visit from a visitation dog can “brighten the day,
lift spirits, and help motivate them in their therapy or treatment with the goal of

going home to see their own pets (Fay, 1998).”

b. Animal Assisted Therapy dogs are dogs that assist physical and occupational
therapists to achieve their goal—a patient’s recovery. The dogs help in some
tasks such as gaining limb motion, fine motor control, or regaining pet care skills
for caring for pets at home. Animal Assisted Therapy dogs usually work in

rehabilitation facilities.

c. Facility Therapy Dogs are dogs that primarily work in nursing homes. Their jobs are
often to help keep patients with Alzheimer disease or other mental illnesses from
getting into trouble. They are handled by a trained member of the staff and live at

the facility.

To be a therapy dog, the dog must be well tempered, not shed excessively, well socialized
(exposed to many environments), and last but not least, love to cheer others up. Therapy
and social dogs, however, are not legally considered assistance dogs, and are not

protected under The Americans with Disabilities Act (Fay, 1998). They are not allowed

in public places, like shops or restaurants, unless allowed by a permission of the person in

charge of the facility.

1. Dog Guides

Since dog guides are perhaps the earliest kind of assistance dogs in history, this thesis
documentary will begin with the dog guide to lead the viewer into the world of assistance
dogs, followed by service dog and hearing dog, respectively. Dog guides are trained to
be the eyes for the blind or the visually impaired people. Today, there are ten or more
dog guide schools across the United States; i.e., The Seeing Eye, Inc. in Morristown,
New Jersey, Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. in Smithtown, New York, The
Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, Leader Dogs for the Blind in
Rochester, Michigan. The dog guide segment in this thesis documentary is based on

information and video footage provided by Leader Dogs For The Blind.

a) Dogs

Some dogs at Leader Dogs For The Blind are contributed by donors, while others are
from the organization’s own breeding program. The age of the puppies to be trained may
be slightly different among dog guide organizations. The breeds most commonly used
are German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and crossbreeds among
these three. These are the breeds that meet the basic requirements of a dog guide as they
have a “willing and stable temperament, a realistic size and weight, and an easily cared

for double coat (Dog Guide For The Blind, 1998).”

After being tested, six to eight week old puppies are placed to a foster family until they
reach the age of one year. The so-called foster family program is also practiced by other
organizations, such as the Seeing Eye and the Guide Dogs for the Blind. This is because
raising puppies in a family familiarizes them with basic commands and house manners.
The Leader Dogs For The Blind encourages the foster family to allow the puppy to freely
investigate and learn without the family being overly protective. The foster family
should also expose the puppy to short visits to the homes of other people, overnight trips,
or a day or two in a boarding kennel and all situations in which the puppy is without the

constant presence of the foster family. These help the puppy develop conﬁdence.

The dog guide selection is based initially on the tester’s observations of a dog’s natural
behavior and emotional reactions to quite commonplace situations—from the moment the
donator brings the dog to the school for testing. The size of the animal is another
important qualification. For a dog guide, it must measure between twenty-two and
twenty—six inches at the shoulder. A dog any smaller will lack the necessary feel in
harness, while the larger will be too much dog for the average blind person to handle
comfortably. The dog guides must also have good nature. They must be “eager to please
and willing to work. They like accompanying their partners to their jobs, to go on
shopping excursions and to many other activities (Dog Guide For The Blind, 1998).”
Dogs that are accepted for training are housed initially in a quarantine section for

approximately ten to fourteen days during which physical tests are made. The dogs that

10

pass quarantine will then be moved into the Beginner’s Kennel and the Advanced Kennel

respectively until the time of ﬁnal placement to a blind student.

b) Training Staff

Each instructor has various experiences in training dogs but all of them share a “basic
love and feel for dogs (Gibbs, 1982).” Generally, a dog trainer must have patience,
calmness, fast reflexes, split-second timing, smooth movements, vocal control, ability to
treat each animal as an individual and partner in the learning process, and ability to
instantly analyze every canine action or anticipated action and react accordingly. At the
Leader Dogs For The Blind, trainers must participate in an apprenticeship program after
working in the kennel for a period of time to learn canine character. After the four—month
training period with the dogs, the trainer moves into the school for the study session with

blind students who will be placed with the animals he/she has trained.

Being a trainer is not an easy job. Besides the above prerequisite qualiﬁcations, a trainer
must devote most of their time and responsibilities to the dogs. For trainers (at Leader
Dogs, additional study is expected on their personal time. They must keep abreast of the
latest dog training techniques, behavioral studies and medical research. Classes in

psychology and animal behavior are continually encouraged (Gibbs, 1982).

c) Training

The training methods vary from one school to another. Each dog guide school has its

own program re-evaluation as the latest medical and behavioral research is developed.

11

The dog—training program takes four months. For approximately two weeks, the dogs go
through the beginning of the program, which focuses on the obedience step. The
progress occurs more rapidly once the dogs are introduced to the harness. The dog,
however, must also be taught to follow the commands when they wear a leash. The basic
training in and around the school’s facility in Rochester, Michigan continues for another
six weeks before the dogs are moved up to the advanced level for the next four weeks.
This level is time to polish the dogs’ performances and introduce them to more
complicated routings (Gibbs, 1982).

9’

(1) Obedience Training. In obedience training, the dogs are taught ﬁve commands: “sit,

99 ‘6

“down, come,” stay,” and the dog guide’s “heel”, which is slightly different from that
of the American Kennel Club (AKC) show dog and service dog. The command “heel”
for the dog guide means “to move a little ahead of the owner”, but means “to follow the
handler” for the AKC show dog and the service dog (Gibbs, 1982).” In this stage,
trainers will learn general characteristics of the dog, and study its habits and
temperament. After about one week or more, the introduction to the harness begins. The

Leader Dogs always work in leash, collar, and harness even when fully trained and

placed.

(2) Basic Training. The next step is Basic Training. Here the dogs are trained to observe
curbs, pedestrians, parking meters, and overhanging objects and protrusions since the
handler cannot see and move the dog out of the way. The dogs begin to check trafﬁc and

other hazards as well. In this stage, the training takes place on the streets of Rochester,

12

Michigan. After a few weeks, the future dog guides will move well in harness,
automatically break pace and halt at steps or curbs and be able to avoid obstructions or

overhangs.

(3) Advanced Training. In Advanced Training, upon entering the second month of the
introduction to harness, the trainers will do the “blind fold” training to test the accuracy
of basic work as well as the dog’s ability to take initiative. In the “blind fold” training,
the trainer, with his/her eyes closed, lets the dog lead the way. The dog is responsible for
taking the trainer to the destination by following the commands it has been taught. If the
dog fails to do so, its career as a dog guide is terminated. Also by this time, the dog will
be trained to go through more confusing situations such as heavy trafﬁc, crowded areas,
noisy construction, revolving doors, and elevators. The dog guides, however, do not ride
escalators as it is considered too hazardous. The training in this step takes place on the
streets of Royal Oak, Birmingham and Detroit, Michigan. Straight-line travel is one of
the most important jobs a dog guide must accomplish:
“Moving in a straight line is also important. The dog should move with pedestrian
ﬂow and not angle off course except for a reason. Who wants the dog that
wanders around from left to right on a sidewalk? The dog must also move in a
straight line when there is no sidewalk or path to follow. . .Whenever the dog
veers to avoid an obstacle, it should return to the original path. It’s up to the
handler to feel this and make sure it’s done or know why it isn’t done (Gibbs,
1982).”
After the four-month training program for dogs, the dog is placed with its new master,
who will also have to go through a training process. Students live in the dormitory for 25

days. Students and dogs will have to learn together, to coordinate, to travel in teamwork

and to be independent.

13

“Together they face given trafﬁc problems and learn speciﬁed routes around town
(Rochester, MI). They negotiate heavy trafﬁc, find stores, corners and the
LEADER DOG bus. The student feeds, exercises, grooms and “wins” the dog’s
devotion and respect from the trainer (Leader Dogs For The Blind, 1999).”

For a dog guide team, collar and harness are very important because they are
communication tools between the dog and its handler. Leader Dogs For The Blind found
a collar made of a large, oval link metal choke chain very effective because it would not
cut into the flesh and coat when repeatedly jerked. The steel handle is covered with a soft,
durable, plasticized cover for comfort. The grip should be light with the arm relaxed, so
that the dog’s muscles, lungs, and movements can convey to the handler the signals he
needs as he moves. It is also the only way the dog can take initiative. For example, the
dog may disobey commands for the safety of the owner. To achieve this ability requires
the combination of training, initiative, intelligence, common sense and survival instinct.
Margaret Gibbs describes how an instructor, whose name is Smitty, trained a dog to
disobey a command for the sake of safety in the book The Leader Dogs For The Blind
(1982):

. .We took the school’s station wagon into Rochester during an ordinary
working day for the express purpose of cutting off unwary trainers and dogs as
they were about to cross the streets. As with all other aspects of the program,
trainers had to be relaxed so that animals suspected nothing. Parking near corners
and patiently waiting for the precise moment when trainers and dogs were
stepping off curbs, Smitty drove forward and braked to a screeching halt as close
to the team as possible. The dogs reacted with shock, coming to a rigid stop.
Trainers then banged on the side of the wagon with their hands while
commanding, “No!” After several tests on subsequent days, the dogs became
observant to any movement before stepping out with conﬁdence. The command,
“Forward!” now had a new twist. It was to be obeyed but only if conditions were
right. It was up to the dog alone to ascertain if it was safe to move. Survival
depended on it. The wagon was also used to cut off trainers and dogs in mid-
street. Gunning the engine, Smitty drove forward and sped past them coming as
close as possible. The dogs reacted once again by coming to a fast halt. Lessons

14

such as these are not easily forgotten. They would be utilized and thus reinforced
in the dogs’ future lives (Gibbs, 1982).”
(4) Correction and Praise. There are some basic rules of correction and praise for training
dog guides. Praise helps maintain the dog’s conﬁdence and reinforces its training while
negative behaviors must be corrected at the moment, so that the dog does not repeat the

same mistakes once both the student and the dog graduated.

There are two kinds of praises, physical and verbal, but never food. The purpose is to
teach the dog guides to ignore the potential distractions such as food, noises, other
animals, and people that the dog can come across when working in a person’s everyday
life. Each dog has different preference for praise and correction. Some dogs like vocal
praise, some like physical contact. Others prefer a little bit of both while a few require
both an exuberant tone of voice and a great deal of physical touch. As for correction,
some dogs need strong collar correction while others may need just vocal correction. The
harness which is a semi-U shaped, however, is never used to correct the dog or as an aid
in teaching. Only the leash and/or collar are used to teach by jerking the leash as the

handler drops the harness.

Besides learning to get used to wearing a harness, the dog must learn to know the city in
which their handler lives by heart. To accomplish this, the owner will walk the dog on
the same route day after day so that the dog remembers the way. Each training school
has different ways of assigning a sign or a command to communicate with the dog. The

dog guides must be able to act and react by its own initiation for every day situations that

15

they could confront; i.e. steps, elevators, hectic areas, busy trafﬁc, and pedestrian areas.
The dog guides are:
“expected to move forward on command and signal, walk at a steady pace without
weaving while keeping slightly to right center of the walk, ﬁnd curbs on
command, break pace and halt upon reaching them, and move to right or left upon
command and signal (Gibbs, 1982).”
(1) Applicants
Not everyone can own a dog; neither can every visually handicapped person. The
prerequisite to be eligible for a dog guide is that the person must like dogs. Any
applicant who wants to apply for a dog guide must also keep in mind that having a dog
guide is just like having an ordinary pet. Dog guides are not working machines. They
have their own personalities and needs, they shed, and they need food, require regular

exercise, time, grooming, veterinarian visits, and love. Therefore, having a dog guide

means the person is willing to share a life with the dog (Gibbs, 1982).

The Leader Dogs For The Blind requires its students to be “legally blind”l in good health,
be eighteen years of age and out of high school. Also, an applicant must be emotionally
stable, of good moral character, have basic orientation and mobility skills and be willing

to care for and use the dog in the intended manner.

 

I A corrected vision in the better eye of 20/200 or less, or a ﬁeld of vision that is restricted to 5 degrees or
less at 20 feet.

16

e) Public

People should not distract dog guides in any way. It is very important that the public
keep in mind that the dog guide is working and responsible for leading someone who
cannot see. A person's safety may depend on the dog's alertness and concentration. The
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state laws permit dog guides to accompany
their handlers anywhere the general public may go, including taxis and buses, restaurants,
theaters, stores, hotels, apartments and office buildings. That is the reason why the public
should know what to do when meeting a dog guide team (See Appendix B for details on

rules and etiquette).

It is unnecessary to rush and offer assistance to the dog guide team since the blind
handler is concentrating on the route and is independent enough, with the help of the dog
guide. If the person seems to be confused then one should approach and offer assistance.
Another important issue for the public to keep in mind is not to distract the dog in any
way. Speaking to the dog, calling its name, making noises, offering food or toys, or
petting the dog are all distracting. One should remember that the life of the blind handler
depends greatly on the dog guide. Distracting a working dog guide could bring harm to
its master’s life. In the documentary video, the rules and etiquette are summarized and

also presented in graphic text to provide this information.

17

2. Service Dogs

A service dog is a dog that is trained to assist people with physical disabilities, except for
blindness and deafness. The most common user of a service dog would be the person
who uses a wheelchair (Helping Paws of Minnesota, 1999). Like the dog guides, service
dogs must go through a special training process. Each individual has different kinds of
disabilities and has particular needs. Thus a service dog is trained to fulﬁll an
individual’s needs. Generally, service dogs learn to perform tasks such as opening doors,

turning light switches on and off, and picking up an object.

Currently, there are several organizations around the United States that offer service dog
training program. Among them are Canine Partners For Life, in Cochranville,
Pennsylvania; Paws With A Cause, Wayland, Michigan; Canine Working Companion, in
Waterville, New York; and Canine Companion for Independence, in Santa Rosa,
California. The service dog segment in this thesis documentary is partly produced at
Paws With A Cause. in Michigan, and therefore, the information will be based mostly on

the PAWS’ program.

a) Dogs

Several organizations acquire dogs from donators and shelters or humane societies,
although some, like Paws With A Cause, also use the puppies from their own breeding
program in combination with rescued (approximately thirty-five percent of PAWS’
service dogs) and donated dogs. Generally, puppies are sent to live with a foster family

for about fourteen months before they come back and begin their formal training at

18

between the ages of fifteen and eighteen months. The foster home teaches the puppies
house manners and basic obedience and introduces them to the human social world to
help create confidence in the dogs so that they can begin their important work. Some
PAWS dogs are carefully selected and even trained from birth to become a hearing dog

and a service dog.

Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are the breeds used for service dogs because
of their characteristics. These dogs have retrieving instinct, are friendly and like to work
with people (Helping Paws of Minnesota, 1999). These two breeds are also commonly

used in other organizations besides Paws With A Cause.

b) Training

Generally, the training starts with basic obedience and moves to advanced training where
the dogs learn to do more complicated jobs. At Paws With A Cause, the dogs go through
three phases during the six-month training: obedience training, retrieving training, and
advanced training. Once the advanced training is completed, the dogs are ready for home

placement.

(1) Phase One: Obedience Training. In obedience training, the dog will leam to follow
the basic commands such as “heel”, “sit”, “stay”, “down”, “come”, and “back”. To get a
new dog to follow the commands, a trainer has to lure it with food most of the time.

Praises are still an effective reward but, unlike the dog guides, treats are also used as a

reward for a job well done.

19

Distractions such as food, people, or other animals do not seem to be a problem once the
dog learns to follow the command “Leave it!”. In the training, the trainer puts some
food on the ﬂoor as he moves his wheelchair past it, with the dog heeling beside him. As
they pass the food, the trainer will call the command “Leave it!” and the dog will not
touch the food. This command is used every time the dog loses focus to the command.
Often times, clickers are found to be an effective tool for rewarding. Every time the dog
does a good job, the trainer will click the clicker and the dog knows that it means “Good
Job!” Some organizations use clickers as the most effective rewarding method.

However, rewarding methods vary from one organization to another.

Since the dog has to work with a wheelchair person in the future, it needs to be trained
with the trainer in a wheelchair. The basic commands are repeated, but this time the dog
performs with a wheelchair. For instance, if the command “Left!” is given as the trainer
moves the wheelchair towards left-hand side, the dog would give way to the wheelchair
as it moves leftward, still staying by the side of the wheelchair. When going through a
doorway, the dog is given the command “Through!” and the dog walks past the door
ahead of the trainer, who is on a wheelchair. The dog will then turn around and face the
trainer, waiting for the next command. The trainer will then order the dog to “Back!”
repeatedly as he/she moves forward through the door and the dog will step backward

until they both pass the doorway.

(2) Phase Two: Retrieving Training. In this phase, the dog learns to pick up and retrieve

objects from the ﬂoor. The trainer will lay different kinds of objects, such as electric

20

cords, a piece of cloth, keys, shoes, and plastic cone, on the floor. As the trainer, still in a
wheelchair, and the dog move past each item, the dog will pick it up upon the command
“Take it!”. The dog, with the object in its mouth, then moves to the left side of the
wheelchair and sits. Upon the command “Give!”, the dog will let go of the object.

Again, praises and treats are given to the dog as a reward.

(3) Phase Three: Advanced Training. The last phase of the training is advanced training.
By this time, the dog is already assigned to an individual, and thus, is taught speciﬁc jobs
needed by their future master. Basically, the jobs are to help the owner pull the
wheelchair, open/close doors, turn light switches on and off, pick up dropped objects, and

get the phone and help in emergency situations.

In some cases, such as the one presented in the thesis documentary, the person cannot use
verbal commands. He uses a machine called “the Liberator" on his wheelchair to
communicate with the dog. The Liberator is programmed with words including
commands for the dog and when the person wants to give a command, he presses a
particular command button. Therefore, the dog assigned to this person has to be trained
to receive commands from the Liberator. In addition, because the person cannot speak,
it is important that the dog be satisfied with only physical praises rather than verbal

praises. That is an example of how a dog’s characteristics are matched with a person.

Once the advanced training is completed, the dog is ready for home placement. When

the dog arrives at the new home, the “Field Instructor” keeps working on the training

21

with the owner and the dog at home for another two to six months until they become a
new working team. Yet, the training is not over. Over time, new tasks may also need to
be added to the dog’s duties should the person’s situation change. For Paws With A

Cause, this service will continue for the lifetime of the dog.

3. Hearing Dogs

A hearing dog is a dog who is trained to assist people who are deaf or hearing impaired.
The dog is trained to alert and respond to important sounds such as a smoke alarm, a
ringing telephone, a crying baby or a doorbell (Paws With A Cause, 1999). Upon hearing
the sound, the dog will bring the owner to the sound source except in the case of a smoke
alarm when the dog will lead the individual to the nearest exit. Even though the dog is
not trained to be a protection animal, the hearing dog is trained to alert their partner to the

sound of an intruder.

Besides Paws With A Cause, there are also other organizations across the United States
that offer hearing dogs service. Among them are Florida Dog Guides for The Deaf in
Bradenton, Florida; Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point, Oregon; and Texas Hearing And

Service Dogs in Austin, Texas.
a) Dogs

Ninety ﬁve percent of the hearing dogs at Paws With A Cause are rescued from animal

shelters and humane societies. Some are donated from public and the others may come

22

from PAWS own breeding program. Generally, the breeds used for hearing dogs are of a
mixed breed or smaller dogs such as terriers with some Doberrnans and Standard

Poodles.

b) Training

Hearing dogs at Paws With A Cause have to go through an exclusive training for
approximately two months. The dogs are taught basic obedience and are trained to
recognize and respond to a door knock, a doorbell, two types of telephone rings, a smoke
alarm, an intruder, an alarm clock, and a baby crying. The training takes place in an
apartment-like environment to familiarize the dog with a real-life situation and
surroundings. Also, a cat is one of the props in the apartment to train the dog to get used
to cats and learn to be nice to other pets in the house. Like the training for other kinds of
assistance dogs, the hearing dogs are rewarded with praises and food and sometimes the

sound of the clickers.

After the three phases of training—the basic obedience training, the retrieving training,
and the advanced training—the hearing dog is ready for home placement. Once the dog
arrives at a new home, one-on-one training begins and goes on until the dog and its new
owner become a working team. The training is maintained in case of changes in the

person’s situation.

23

c) Applicants
The process of application for both the service dogs and the hearing dogs at Paws With A
Cause begins with a call from the potential clients. Then the application is sent to the
client. After the application has been received at Headquarters, the funding and the
availability of a Field Instructor in the living area of the client will be determined. After
that, a Needs Assessment interview is scheduled. According to information provided by
Paws With A Cause,
“the Needs Assessment interview is conducted and video taped in the potential
client’s home. The purpose of this meeting is to further determine the needs and
expectations of the potential client as well as the physical layout of the home
environment and to determine whether PAWS can provide the services requested
(Paws With A Cause, 1999).”
Once all funds are in place, PAWS will begin to search for a dog suited to the
individual’s needs and start the training. According to PAWS, if training goes as

planned, the dog will be ready for placement in two months for the hearing dogs and six

months for the service dogs.

(1) Public

Often times people do not recognize hearing dogs as an assistance dog, which prevents
individuals with hearing dogs from accessing public places. One of the purposes of this
production thesis is to let the public know that hearing dogs are also a kind of assistance
dog and have the same legal public access like other kinds of assistance dogs such as the

dog guides and the service dogs.

24

There is a particular etiquette when meeting a person with a service dog and a hearing
dog, most of which is similar to those for the dog guides. The most important thing for
the public to remember is not to distract the dog in any way and always ask for

permission before petting the dog (See Appendix B).

25

CHAPTER 4
METHOD

A. History of Documentary

Since the invention of cameras in late nineteenth century, non-ﬁction ﬁlms have
foreshadowed the birth of what we call today the “documentary”. The beginning of
documentary can be traced back to a newsreel produced in Russia by Denis Arkadievich
Kaufman (1896-1954), known in ﬁlm history as Dziga Vertov (Barnouw, 1993). Vertov
and his group have produced an educational newsreel that “made a vital bid for followers
during the Russian Revolution (Rabiger, 1998).” At the age of twenty—two, Vertov
became editor of a newsreel Film Weekly (Kino-Nedilia) for the Cinema Committee in
Moscow, under the bolshevik’s government. The newsreel was launched in June 1918.
By 1921, Vertov compiled a feature-length History of the Civil War from the all footage

he already had (Barnouw, 1993).

The pioneer of documentary was Robert J. Flaherty and his semi-documentary work
Nanook of the North, 1922. When Flaherty was young, he used to follow his father to
explore the wilderness in Canada for mineral resources. In his third expedition with his
father in 1913, Flaherty’s father suggested that he bring a camera with him and capture
the experience (Bamouw. 1993). That was how Flaherty became obsessed with ﬁlm
making. After accidentally burning thirty thousand feet of his negative ﬁlm, he decided
to raise funds to go to Canada and collect more footage. He ﬁnally managed to go to a
site in Hudson Bay, Canada, where he wanted to shoot his film. With cooperation from

an Eskimo hunter named Nanook, Flaherty began his work, which later on became the

26

famous Nanook of the North. Unlike previous documentarists, Flaherty used the
technique that had evolved in the fiction film. He provided “close-ups, reverse angles, a
few panoramic movements, and tilts to yield moments of revelation (Barnouw, 1993).”
These techniques allowed the viewer to see an episode from many angles and distances,
and were what made Flaherty’s Nanook of the North surpass other non-ﬁction ﬁlms of

that time.

Moana, Flaherty’s second ﬁlm launched in 1926, was not as successful as his Nanook. It
is said that the term documentary was coined by John Grierson (1898-1972), who is
considered to be documentary’s founding father, while he was reviewing this work of
Flaherty’s (Rabiger, 1998). Other “primitive-people” ﬁlms, however, were successful.
Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s feature-length documentary Grass (1925)
and Chang ( 1927) were a success, following Nanook’s pattern of the conﬂict between
(primitive) man and nature. Even though John Grierson acknowledged Flaherty as the
father of documentary, he. along with others, among them was Paul Rotha. condemned
Flaherty’s focus on the remote and primitive. Grierson’s determination was to bring to

the eyes of the viewer truth and social revelation (Barnouw, 1993).

Grierson worked for the Empire Marketing Board in England under the British
government early in 1927. His first film Drifters was premiered at the London Film
Society in late 1929 and was a success to the society’s members. The ﬁlm itself showed
how Grierson deviated from Flaherty. “The herring ﬁsheries. . .used to be a thing of

quaint old villages. . .but the ﬁshing had meanwhile become “an epic of steam and steel.”

27

Grierson gives only the briefest glimpse of the quaint old villages; his eye is on the steam
and steel. Flaherty would have chosen otherwise. . .Grierson shows us in vivid detail “the

team work of man and machine (Barnouw, 1993).”

Meanwhile, Russia in the 1920’s, under new government after the Revolution, wanted the
cinema to be “both realistic and inspirational, and to get away from what it considered the
falseness and escapism of western commercial cinema (Rabiger, 1998)”, there was more
awareness of the power of editing and there came Dziga Vertov’s Kino-Eye. Kino-Eye
was a kind of cinema intended to “record life without imposing on it”. Documentaries of
the 1920’s and 1930’s in European countries reﬂect urban problems and characterized by
innovative, impressionistic shooting and editing (Rabiger, 1998). Not until the 1950’s
that the portable audio recorder and the mechanically quiet camera were developed. By
the early 1960’s, the advances of new technology have already brought about the

development in cinema form.

B. Documentary as a Format to Achieve The Goal of The Thesis

A documentary is the selected format for this production thesis because, according to
Rabiger (1998), the center of documentary’s spirit is “the notion that documentaries
explore actual people and actual situations.” This documentary is created to explore as
well as propose the actual situations in which humans use the dog to be an assistant other
than being a companion. Besides, because a documentary “at a higher level is a
discourse (Rabiger, 1998)”, which means “how the story is told”, it is the appropriate

format for this thesis. This documentary is giving information about three different kinds

28

of assistance dogs and will show that the dog is man’s best friend by being also man’s
best helper. In addition, since a documentary is a discourse and “equally true of narrative
ﬁction that aims not at conditioning or diverting but at sharing something in all
complexity (Rabiger, 1998)”, this production will also let the audience share feelings of
love toward dogs while asking them to look at the dog from a different perspective other

than a family member.

A documentary, however, could not be totally objective because “by turning events into a
story, the documentary cinema could not avoid interpreting its subject and implying,
sometimes with considerable and unconscious self-revelation, its maker’s ideas (Rabiger,
1998)”. Even though this research came out of personal interest, this documentary will
present facts, information, and actuality as objectively as possible although one has to

admit that in every production work lies the point of view of its maker.

29

CHAPTER 5
THEMES OF THIS DOCUMENTARY

A. Previously Completed Video Tapes About Service Dogs

In 1995 , National Geographic produced a documentary, “Those Wonderful Dogs”
presented dogs at work. The documentary consists of show dogs, the service dogs, and
the search and rescue dogs. The service dog segment is a story of a man and his service
dog acquired from Canine Companionship for Independence, in Santa Rosa, California,
which is an organization that provides service dogs. This section presents some footage
at the training school and a brief narration regarding the training process, as well as
interviews with the person’s parents and himself. The questions concern how the dog has

helped him and his social life.

The Discovery Channel also produced a documentary on dogs. However, the
documentary is focus more on the history of the dogs, including domestication. Although
there is a part displaying how humans have utilized the dog’s superb sense of smell in
narcotics dogs, arson dogs, rescue dogs, and dogs who smell for some disease such as

cancer, there is no part concerning assistance or service dogs.

There is another video by A CineFlix Production of Canada called “Dog With Jobs”. The
video, which is distributed by A Mediamax International Distribution, consists of many
episodes. Each episode “follows one extraordinary dog and its unusual story. Each story

is set in a different location and fascinating milieu (A CineFlix Production and Mediamax

30

Distribution, 1999).” The episodes include the dog as a guide for the blind, search and

rescue dogs, and military dogs.

PBS also produced a program called “Nature”. The program aired on March 9th, 1999 at
8.00 pm. (ET) and May 4‘“, 1999 at 8.00 pm. (ET) was called “Extraordinary Dogs”,
which was a story about a dog named “Twany”, who is a service dog to a fourteen-year-

old Child (PBS Online, 1999).

Animal Planet sometimes includes the stories of service dogs in some of their programs
as a short segment in an episode of the program. There are more videos for sale about
police dogs, therapy dogs, and rescue dogs, and dog training videos. Some web sites
about assistance dogs on the Internet also include a brief digital video in their web pages.
For example, at “http://ww.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/lobo/DVid/llitoff.mov”, there is a four-
second digital video showing how a service dog turn a light switch on; and at
“http://www.uwsp.edy/acad/psych/lobo/DVid/ltisl60.mov”, there is an eleven-second

digital video showing a dog retrieving an object for its owner.

This thesis documentary “The Dog, The Best Helper” is the same kind of program as
those mentioned above. However, “The Dog, The Best Helper” is perhaps a little
different because it provides more details on the training process. Above of all. “The
Dog, The Best Helper” provides important information about what the people or the
public should do when meeting a person with an assistance dog, while none of the

programs mentioned above have provided this information.

31

B. Components

This documentary “The Dog, The Best Helper” includes three following themes: the Dog
Guide, the Service Dog, and the Hearing Dog, totaled 16:21 minutes. Each segment
deals with training and placement of the dog with an individual and includes interviews
with assistance dog users. However, the main focus is on the Service Dog trained at
Paws With A Cause, in Wayland, Michigan, where the production took place. However,
some of the interviews in the Service Dog and the Hearing Dog segments are footage
obtained courtesy of Paws With A Cause. As for the Dog Guide, all of the footage is
obtained courtesy of Leader Dogs For The Blind’s video tapes, due to unavailability of
personnel to coordinate the production of this thesis documentary at the site at the time of

production.

1. The Dog Guide

Before the dog guide segment begins, the viewer will see a brief introduction that will
lead them to the world of the dogs with footage and narration. At the end of the
introduction. graphics fade in from black showing the title of the program, “The Dog,
The Best Helper”, and narrator’s name, followed by the graphic title of the segment, The
Dog Guide. The dog guide was chosen to be the opening segment because to most
people it is the most familiar kind of assistance dog. Starting with what the viewer is
more familiar with will prepare them for the next segments which to some people may be

totally new.

32

The segment consists of narration with corresponding images, without interviews of
individuals who use a dog guide, since this segment is intended to be only the lead to the
other two segments to be followed. The narration gives a brief description of the
characteristics of a future dog guide and the training process. The last clip of the segment

is faded into black before the graphic title of the next segment, the Service Dog, fades in.

Note that in this documentary, the dog who serves as the eyes of the blind is referred to as
a “dog guide” instead of a “guide dog” or the “Leader Dog” after the name of the school.
Conventionally, one should refer to any dog guide by the name of the school from which
the dog was graduated; i.e., Leader Dog, Guide Dog, Seeing Eye Dog, etc. Otherwise,
one should refer to the dog guide as a “dog guide” (Gibbs, 1982). However, in order to
maintain objectivity in this documentary and be as neutral as possible, “dog guide” will

be used.

2. The Service Dog

The service dog segment is the focus of the documentary and thus, the longest. The first
clips of the segment consist of images of the trainers in a wheelchair training the dogs to
give the viewer a general picture of what a service dog is, as the voiceover narrator gives
the definition of a service dog. Then the segment proceeds to the sign of Paws With A
Cause. so that the viewer knows that the following footage and information are based on

PAWS ’ process.

33

The narrator leads the viewer through the process of the training, from the arrival of
puppies to the placement of the dog with an individual. The segment shows and
describes the phases of training and the placement of a dog to a person. Then from the
interviews and the B—roll, the viewer sees and hears what an individual feels about the
dog and how the dog helps him/her. After that, the voiceover narrator briefly summarizes

and leads the viewer to the last segment of the program, the Hearing Dog.

3. The Hearing Dog

The style of the hearing dog segment is similar to that of its preceding segment, the
service dog. The segment begins with the description of a hearing dog followed by
training and placement before ending with an interview with an individual who owns a
hearing dog. Since the hearing dog is also trained at Paws With A Cause, the details of
the training, which is the same as those of the service dog, are omitted. In the training
process, only the training that is different from that of the service dog is presented.
Therefore, this segment will only present the training in an apartment-like environment,

and the various sounds that the dogs are trained to alert and respond to.

Before the ending of the segment and the program, the rules and etiquette for the public
when meeting an assistance dog team is given in a form of a graphic text with voiceover
narration. It is important that the public knows what they should do when confronting a

person with an assistance dog.

34

The program ends as the narrator reviews the life of an assistance dog. This is because
some people may think that a working dog, whether as an assistance dog or other works
such as police dog, lives a tormented life. The ending statement informs and reassures
the viewer that assistance dogs are happy working animals and receive excellent

treatment and, above all, love from the handler.

35

CHAPTER 6
EVALUATION

The main purpose of this production thesis is to propose and present a new way of
looking at the dog—an aspect that we all know exists but may overlook. To achieve this
goal, information about the dog as assistants to humans (the dog guide, the service dog,
and the hearing dog) is given in the documentary. The information is intended not only
for those who do not know much about dogs, but also to remind those who may overlook

the signiﬁcance of dogs to mankind.

To evaluate the success of this program, a questionnaire was designed and administered
to selected viewers. This questionnaire, however, is not intended to be comprehensive,
but to provide an overall picture of the degree to which the program meets its goal. In
addition, this evaluation is not a scientiﬁc study and cannot be generalized, and the

participants are not a signiﬁcant sample of the potential universe of viewers.

The process of the evaluation utilized five participants of different ages, gender, and
races. The participants included both Asians and Americans, male and female, and were
randomly selected. The questionnaire is divided into two parts (See Appendix C). The
first part consists of two sets of the same questions. Participants were asked to ﬁll in the
first set of questions before viewing the program, and the other set after viewing the
program. This part of the questionnaire was designed to test whether or not the
participants learned from the program. The second part of the questionnaire is questions

designed to evaluate the overall quality of the program.

36

In the process of the evaluation, the five participants were asked to ﬁll in the ﬁrst set of
question in Part I before viewing the program. This provides a baseline measure of their
knowledge about dogs. After the program is shown, the viewers were asked to answer
the rest of the questions in both Part I and II. The results of the questionnaire are as

follows:

Knowledge of Participants Before and After Viewing The Program

The result from the ﬁrst part of the questionnaire shows that before viewing the program,
all participants had a general idea about what an assistance dog is or does for humans, but
most of them did not know the types of assistance dogs and what they are called (the Dog
Guide, The Service Dog, and The Hearing Dog). Only two of them seemed to know
what the dog guide is, but they did not know the other two kinds of assistance dogs.

After viewing the program, all of the viewers knew each type of the assistance dog shown

in the program.

The Comments on Overall Quality of The Program

Five out of ﬁve people or a hundred percent of the viewers thought that the program was
very informative, especially the information about the service dogs, which is the major
focus of the program. They thought the program was interesting because it provides
information about other kinds of assistance dogs besides the dog guide and it also made

them realize the “intimate relationship between dog and human being”. However, three

37

 

of the participants wanted to know more about the hearing dog and the training process,

including the difﬁculty during the training.

The viewers agreed that the length of the program is suitable, although one of them
wanted to see more about the dog guide and the hearing dog and another thought the
interview with the man in the service dog segment is a little too long. Regarding the
order of the segments of the program, most of the participants thought that it is
appropriate and easy to “outline” the program, especially the title of each segment. One
participant suggested that the service dog segment be the ﬁrst to be shown since it is
meant to be the major focus of the entire documentary. It was a consensus that this
program is of good quality with four of the participants mentioning that they liked the
music and that the narration is clear and easy to listen to. However, one participant
commented that some images and audio were clearly of better quality than others but they
combined very well to be a very informative piece. One of them mentioned that he/she
liked the transitions saying that they are smooth and the program is “well-edited”. In
addition, five out of five viewers or a hundred percent thought that the program is very
useful in providing information about the assistance dogs and what to do when meeting

with an assistance dog team.

Other Suggestions and Comments
The comments and suggestions vary from one participant to another. One of the
suggestions is that the text shown during parts of the program should be a little bigger, if

the program is intended for people with special needs. This suggestion is helpful,

38

however, the program is actually intended for people in general rather than for those with

disabilities.

Another person thought that the program is good as an informative piece while being
interested to know more about the details in the training, such as the difﬁculties in
training a new dog. At the same time, one participant had a suggestion for a future
production, saying it may be effective to provide more direction for the body of the video
in the introduction. One of the viewers enjoyed the program and thought it was well
made, and it was nice of the program to state the location of the organizations. One of
the viewers suggests that there be another version of the program in Thai so that it could

be broadcast in Thailand.

Conclusion

From the evaluation, it can be concluded that the program is successful. It is informative
and clearly presents the idea of the dog as the “best helper” to the viewers, which is the
goal of this documentary. The result shows that the viewers enjoyed learning about the
assistance dogs and might be able to apply the knowledge from the program to their
everyday lives, especially how to treat people with assistance dogs. Also, the program is
able to provide information to the viewer as well as enjoyment, which is considered to be
another purpose of the program. By making a person “realize the intimate relationship
between dog and human being”, the program has succeeded beyond its goal. It shows
that the program has made a person, who might not know much about assistance dogs

before, understand more about the relationship between the two species.

39

CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION

The evaluation shows that the program “The Dog, The Best Helper” is successful as it
has met its goal of providing information about assistance dogs. However, although the
participants agreed that this program was of a good quality, there is something that could
have been done better. Because of time constraints during the production, some
interviews and B-roll footage could not be obtained. Therefore, some of the program
footage was footage provided by Leader Dogs For The Blind and Paws With A Cause.
As a result, the quality of the video images and the audio is clearly different between
those produced by the program production team and those obtained from the two
organizations. Had there been no time limitation, the program would have been more

consistent in terms of video and audio quality.

Since this program is very informative and could be useful for the general public, it may
be a good idea to seek an opportunity to broadcast this program through network or cable
television. With the sixteen minutes length, this program could be included as a part of a
program or show. For example, “The Dog, The Best Helper” could be one of the
episodes shown in the thirty-minute program called “The Twisted Tails” on Animal
Planet; or it could be included as part of a program about dogs on the Discovery Channel.
These distribution possibilities would help reach an American audience. Because “The
Dog, The Best Helper” was based on circumstances in the United States where working

dogs are quite common, it is appropriate for American viewers. It is possible that this

40

program could be useful to other countries or cultures. However, presenting this program
elsewhere would require more research on the viewer and the cultures or circumstances
of individual country. In addition, there may be other opportunities besides broadcasting
to present this program to the public, such as schools or communities where there are

assistance dog users, animal clinics, and home videos.

Overall, it can be concluded that there is an opportunity that this program could be
extended into more episodes. For example, an episode about training with more details,
such as the difﬁculties with new dogs; an episode about the dog guide; an episode about
the hearing dog; and maybe more episodes about other kinds of assistance dogs such as
seizure alert dogs or therapy dogs. This is because the result of the evaluation above
shows that this program has made the viewer become eager to know more about the dogs.

Thus, extending this program into more detailed episodes could be useful to the public.

41

APPENDICES

42

 

APENDIX A

Access and Etiquette When Meeting The Guiding Dog and People Who Are Blind

The Rules

1.

2.

Remember the guiding dog is the eyes of the blind man ﬁrst and a dog’s second.

Do not interfere in any way with either the leading dog or the blind master. When
correction for the dog’s mistake occurs. This correction usually involves a verbal
admonishment coupled with a leash correction. Dog guide handlers have been taught
the apprOpriate correction methods to use with their dogs.

Do not speak to the dog at any time and under no circumstances call the name of the
dog.

Do not touch or pet the dog. This will distract the dog from his work.

Do not whistle to the dog or otherwise try to attract his attention, so diverting his
mind from his work.

Do not feed the dog. A Dog guide should never be offered food or other distracting
treats. The dogs are fed on a schedule and follow a speciﬁc diet in order to keep them
in optimum condition. Even slight deviations from their routine can disrupt their
regular eating and relieving schedules and seriously inconvenience their handlers.
Dog guides are trained to resist offers of food so they will be able to visit restaurants
without begging. Feeding treats to a Dog guide weakens this training.

Don't tell children the dog bites and, at the same time, don't send children to pet the

dog.

43

The Etiquette

l.

2.

Do not shriek or exclaim as you pass the dog guide or meet the dog unexpectedly.
Give the opportunity for the dog to pass and do not willfully obstruct his way in order

to see what he will do.

. Speak to the master before touching the dog guide.

. The blind master cannot protect himself or his/her dog. The dog can only protect

itself and its master by a growl, which the public resents. Therefore, do not put the

dog in a position where it is necessary for the dog to appear disagreeable.

. Ask the master before you pet his/her dog guide. Many people enjoy introducing their

dogs when they have the time. It is important that the dog not become solicitous,

although the dog's primary responsibility is to its blind partner.

. Although dog guides cannot read trafﬁc signals, they are responsible for helping their

handlers safely cross a street. Calling out to a dog guide or intentionally obstructing

its path can be dangerous for the team as it could break the dog's concentration.

. Do not honk your horn or call out from your car to signal when it is safe for the dog

guide handlers to cross the road. The honks from the cars can be distracting and

confuses the dog guide.

. Please do not offer toys to the dog guides without asking for permission. For their

safety they are only allowed to play with specific toys.

. In some situations, working with a dog guide may not be appropriate. Instead, the

handler may prefer to take your arm just above the elbow and allow their dog to heel.
Others will prefer to have their dog follow you. In this case, be sure to talk to the

handler and not to the dog when giving directions for turns.

44

 

APPENDIX B
THE DOG, THE BEST HELPER SCRIPT

 

 

 

VIDEO AUDIO
I. Introduction
FADE IN IMAGES OF PEOPLE FADE IN MUSIC

PLAYING/W ALKIN G WITH DOGS

CUT TO IMAGES OF PEOPLE WITH
ASSISTANCE DOGS

FADE TO BLACK
FADE IN TITLE
FADE TO BLACK

11. Dog Guide

FADE IN TITLE “THE DOG GUIDE”
STILL IMAGES OF DOG GUIDE
PEOPLE WITH DOG GUIDES

WS OF SCHOOL

IMAGES OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE W/
GUIDE DOGS IN PUBLIC

FS A PERSON MEETING A DOG
PEOPLE IN TRAINING WITH THE DOG
GUIDES

GUIDE DOG TEAM IN PUBLIC

WS HANDICAPPED SIGNS ON
PUBLIC DOORS AND ZOOM IN TO
THE SIGNS

SHOT OF PERSON ON WHEELCHAIR
W/ SERVICE DOG

FADE TO BLACK

 

MUSIC UNDER

NARRATOR: For a long time, dogs have

been man’s best friend. Today, the dog has
given us something beyond companionship
and for some people, the best friend is also
the best helper.

FADE OUT MUSIC

FADE IN TITLE MUSIC
FADE OUT TITLE MUSIC

FADE IN MUSIC

MUSIC UNDER

NARRATOR: The Dog Guide.

The dog guides seem to be the earliest kind
of assistance dog trained to assist the blind
or visually impaired people. The dog
guides at the Leader Dogs For The Blind,
in Rochester, Michigan, are trained for 4
months before they are assigned to the
students, who will be trained with the dog
for another month.

NARRATOR: Being the eyes for the
blind, however, is not the only way the dog
can help humans. In fact, there are fewer
people who are blind or visually impaired
than those who are physically challenged in
some other way. And the dogs are trained
to help these people, too.

FADE IN MUSIC

FADE OUT MUSIC

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO AUDIO
111. Service Dog
FADE IN GRAPHIC TITLE: THE FADE IN MUSIC
SERVICE DOG MUSIC UNDER

WS OF A PERSON ON WHEELCHAIR
W/ SERVICE DOG

TRAINING SHOTS

FS OF DOGS IN KENNEL

PAWS ’ SIGN

PUPPIES SHOTS
KENNELS SHOTS

IMAGE OF PUPPIES AND FOSTER
FAMH.Y

FS DOG GET OFF A CAR AND

CG 3 PHASES OF TRAINING

CG: OBEDIENCE TRAINING
DIFFERENT SHOTS OF OBEDIENCE
TRAINING

SHOT OF DOG GETS TREATS AS
REWARD

SHOTS OF OBEDIENCE TRAINING W/
WHEELCHAIR

 

NARRATOR: The Service Dog.

A service dog is another kind of assistance
dog trained to help people with physical
disabilities. These dogs are individually
trained to ﬁt the needs of a particular
person they will be assisting. The common
breeds used are Golden Retrievers and
Labrador Retrievers

NARRATOR: At Paws With a Cause, near
Grand Rapids, Michigan, some of the dogs
are donated from public breeders, some are
from PAWS’ breeding program, and others
are rescued from shelters and the humane
society.

NARRATOR: The puppies are placed into
a foster family to learn the basic
commands. Once the dog is returned to the
facility, they go through 3 phases of a 6-
month long training. The phases are
Obedience Training, Retrieving Training,
and Advanced training.

NARRATOR: The ﬁrst phase is obedience
training. Here the new dog begins their
lessons with basic commands such as heel,
sit, stay, down, come, and back. Most of
the time, the trainer has to lure the dog with
treats in order to have him follow the
commands.

NARRATOR: Another kind of obedience
training is training with a wheelchair.
Again, the dog will learn the basic
commands but this time the dog will have
to learn to work with a wheelchair.

 

46

 

 

 

VIDEO

AUDIO

 

 

FS OF TRAINER CALLS “LEAVE IT”
COMMAND

CG “RETRIEVIN G PHASE”
FS OF DOGS PICKING UP OBJECTS
FROM THE FLOOR

CG “ADVANCED TRAINING”

SHOTS OF SPECIFIC SKILLS OF THE
DOG FOR THE ASSIGNED PERSON

TRAINING OF “SANDY” IN AN

“APARTMENT” RETRIEVING PHONE,

GETTING THINGS FROM FRIDGE,
TURN ON LIGHT SWITCH

MCU LIBERATOR
WS OF THE RELATED COMMANDS

WS DOG GETS OUT OF CAR TO A
NEW HOME

HOME TRAINING

 

NARRATOR: Should the dog lose focus,
the command “leave it” will be used to
bring the dog back to concentrate on the
commands.

NARRATOR: The second phase of
training is retrieving. The dog will learn to
pick up any objects its master tells it to.

NARRATOR: The last phase is advanced
training. The dog will be trained
speciﬁcally to the needs of the person to
whom the dog is assigned.

TRAINER: Describe Sandy the dog, his
job, and the client.

TRAINER: Explains the liberator and the
training of this dog.

NARRATOR: Once the advanced training
is completed, the dog is ready for home
placement. The “Field Instructor” will
work on the training and instruction in the
client’s home for another 2-6 months. Even
after this training process is completed, the
work is still not done. Over time new tasks
may be added to the dog’s duties should
the person’s situation change.

FADE IN MUSIC
FADE OUT MUSIC

 

47

 

 

 

VIDEO

AUDIO

 

 

MCU INTERVIEWEE 1
(THE LADY W/ GLASSES FROM PAWS
TAPES)

IMAGES OF INTERVIEWEE 2 AT
WORK WITH DOG (“PHANTOM”)

MCU INTERVIEWEE 2
B-ROLL HHVI AT WORK WITH DOG’S
HELP

B-ROLL INTERVIEWEE AND
“PHANTOM”

MCU INTERVIEWEE 2

(BOB KOZMINSKI)

IMAGES OF PEOPLE WITH SERVICE
DOGS

FADE TO BLACK

 

INTERVIEWEE 1: Talks about how the
dog helps her; i.e. pull wheelchair, turning
light switches, retrieve things.

NARRATOR: With a service dog, people
with physical challenges become more
independent. They can go anywhere they
want, even to work.

INTERVIEWEE 2: Talks about his job,
how he goes to work, how the dog helps
him, etc.

NARRATOR: The service dogs don’t live
only to work. They have time to relax as
well.

INTERVIEWEE 3: Talks about leisure
time with the dog.

NARRATOR: The service dogs do not
only serve as the hands, the arms and the

legs, but sometimes the ears of the owner,
also.

FADE IN MUSIC
FADE OUT MUSIC

 

48

 

 

 

VIDEO

AUDIO

 

 

IV Hearing Dogs
GRAPHIC TITLE: THE HEARING DOG
HEARING DOG TRAINING

CG EACH SOUND THAT THE DOG IS
TRAINED FOR

MCU BREED SHOTS
KENNEL SHOTS
(PAWS’ TAPE)

IIVIAGES OF TRAINING

SHOTS OF REWARD: FOOD AND
CLICKERS

FS TELEPHONE TRAINING

FS SMOKE ALARM TRAINING

MCU INTERVIEWEE l “SMOKEY”
OWNER (PAWS’ TAPE)

ONE ON ONE HOME TRAINING
(PAWS’ TAPE)

 

FADE IN MUSIC

MUSIC UNDER

NARRATOR: The Hearing Dog.

The hearing dogs are the ears of individuals
who are deaf or hearing impaired. They are
trained to recognize and respond to
important sounds such as a smoke alarm, a
ringing telephone, a baby crying, a
doorknock or a doorbell, and an alarm
clock.

NARRATOR: Paws With A Cause uses
mixed and smaller breeds for the hearing
dogs, of which 90 % are rescued from
shelters or humane societies. The dogs go
through an exclusive training for
approximately 2 months. In the training,
the dogs always get rewards for a good job,
either by food or praising and sometimes,
by the sound of clickers.

NARRATOR: In an apartment—like
environment, the hearing dog learns to
respond to various sounds.

INTERVIEWEE 1: Talks a bout the dog
and the smoke alarm and how the dog
helps her.

NARRATOR: After the 2 month training,
a hearing dog is ready for a new home,
where the dog and the new master will be
trained one-on-one until they become a
working team. The training is maintained
in case of changes in the person’s situation.

 

49

 

 

VIDEO

AUDIO

 

 

CLIPS OF THE ASSISTANCE DOGS IN
PUBLIC

TITLE: TEXT ABOUT WHAT TO DO
WHEN MEETING A PERSON WITH
SERVICE DOG

IMAGES OF ALL THE ASSITANCE
DOGS

CU “PHANTOM” LOOKING UP AT HIS
MASTER

FADE TO BLACK
CREDITS

END

NARRATOR: Whether it is a dog guide, a
service dog or the hearing dog, all kinds of
assistance dog need some understanding
and the right treatment from the public. If
you happen to meet someone with an
assistance dog,

1. Treat them like an independent person.
If the person seems to need any help,
ask before you give a hand.

Do not speak to the dog or call its
name.

Do not touch or pet the dog. This will
distract the dog from his work. Always
ask for permission before you pet the
dog.

And do not feed the dog. A working
dog should never be offered food or
other distracting treats or toys.

NARRATOR: Assistance dogs are happy
working animals. Although they have to
assist their master 24 hours a day, they are
very well-treated and loved, like a family
member, like a friend, and like the best
helper any man could ever have.

FADE IN MUSIC

FADE OUT MUSIC

 

 

50

 

APPENDIX C
EVALUATION FORM

EVALUATION FORM
For A Documentary Video “The Dog, The Best Helper”

Produced By N udee Sermsrisuwan

 

Part I

Please answer the following questions

1. What is an assistance dog?

2. An assistance dog that helps a blind person is called

 

3. An assistance dog that helps a mobility impaired person is called

 

4. An assistance dog that helps a hearing impaired person is called

 

PLEASE VIEW THE PROGRAM BEFORE ANSWERING THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

According to the video, please answer the following questions

5. What is an assistance dog?

6. An assistance dog that helps a blind person is called

 

7. An assistance dog that helps a mobility impaired person is called

 

8. An assistance dog that helps a hearing impaired person is called

 

51

 

Part II

Please answer the following questions in the space provided.

1.

Does the program provide enough information about the service dog and the hearing

dog? If not, what else should be included in the program?

Is the program length appropriate according to its content? If not, how long do you

think it should be?

Do you think the program is interesting or boring? What makes you feel that way?

Are the sequence of images and the order of the segments (the Dog Guide, The
Service Dog, and the Hearing Dog) appropriate and convey the message of the

program? Please explain.

What do you think about the quality of the program, considering the combination of

the content with the images, choice of music, and narration?

Do you think the program is useful? Please explain.

Do you have any further comments or suggestions for the program? Please specify.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

52

 

REFERENCES

53

REFERENCES

Bamouw, Erik. Documentary: A History of the Non-Fiction Film. 2nd Revised ed.
Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Boorer, Wendy. Dogs: A Complete Guide to More than 200 Breeds. Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania: Running Press Gem, 1994.

Coon, Nelson. A Brief History of Dog Guides For The Blind. Morristown, New Jersey:
The Seeing Eye Inc. 1959.

Dog Guide For The Blind, Inc. [Online] Available http://www.guidedogs.com, November
17, 1998.

Eustis, Dorothy Harrison. Dogs as Guides for the Blind. [Online] Available
http://www.seeingeye.org/deustis.shtml, December 17, 1998.

Fay, Elisheba. “Dog guides and Assistance Dogs”. [Online] Available
http://www.elisheba.thefays.com, December 19, 1998.

Gibbs, Margaret. Leader Dogs For The Blind. Fairfax, Virginia: Denlinger’s Publishers,
Ltd., 1982.

 

Helping Paws of Minnesota. “What Is Service Dog”. [Online] Available
http://www.helpingpaws.org/WhatIsServiceDoghtm, August 10, 1999.

Hyams, Edward. Animals in the Service of Man. London: J .M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1972.

Kuncl, Tom. What Do Dogs Dream About? New York, NY: Globe Communications
Corp., 1998.

 

Miller, H.H. Speaking of Pets. New York: Fleet Publishing Corporation, 1958.

 

Paws With A Cause. Organization’s informational pamphlet.

Rabiger, Michael. Directingthe Documentary. 3rd ed. Maryland: Focal Press, 1997.

 

Rine, Josephine Z. The World of Dogs. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1965.

 

Shaler, Nathaniel Southgate. Domesticated Animals: Their Relation To Man and To His
Advancement In Civilization. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1895.

 

Skalski, John. “The Right Dog For You”. Canine Courier. March, 1995.

54

 

 

Social Security Administration. “Chapter 6: Factors In Evaluating Disability”. [Online]
Available http://www.ssa.gov/odhome/, November 20, 1999.

The Manual of Style. 11th ed., Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1949.

Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. “Learning Assistance Center: Services for Students
with Disabilities”. [Online] Available
http://www.xu.edu/studev/learning/physdis.html, October 27, 1999

Zeuner, Frederick E. A History of Domesticated Animals. London: Hutchinson & Co.
Ltd., 1963.

55

 

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