Whoever disagrees that dogs (forever faithful, devoted, perceptive, intuitive and supremely intelligent) are extremely special, gifted and a great blessing to we mere humans, has never truly known, loved or taken the time to spend in the company of these heavenly creatures. It is as if God was thinking of a way to truly enrich and bless the lives of humankind and came up with the animal we know as the dog. 
How else could we explain the unexplainable? One of the great and beautiful mysteries of this often troubled and turbulent (yet also frequently sublime) human existence are the undeniably strong bonds that we humans share with our doggie family members. They would do anything for us and we for them.

No other two species on planet earth have such a strong and co-dependent relationship. To paraphrase a line from English novelist and poet, George Orwell’s (1903 – 1950), morally ricocheting and allegorical in nature,1945 novella, Animal Farm, ‘All animals are special and beautiful but some are more special and beautiful than others’. (The quote from Animal Farm was actually “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”).

Entrenched deeply in these accurate musings is the integral (to the functioning of blind persons in our society and thus society itself) presence and work of the formidable guide dogs that live in our midst.(There are over 1, 500 guide dogs in Australia, where I live. In America that number reaches 10, 000 to 15, 000).

American author, public speaker, businessman and ambassador for the National Federation of the Blind in America, Michael Hingson, has written a phenomenal account of life with his eight guide dogs (Michael is in his seventies and has had a guide dog since 1964) in the highly transformative memoir, Live Like a Guide Dog. Kerry Wyatt Kent is the co-author.

Michael tells us in the preface that “Since childhood, I’ve been mainstreamed into (the) world, although that world did not always accept my participation. I’ve needed courage to make my way and to fight against discrimination and condescension that wanted to prevent me from thriving”.

Michael talks of fear, how he has felt it and overcome it in his life. He talks of how we humans can “turn our fear into courage and a positive and powerful tool we can use anytime”. Michael tells us that “Dogs do this. Especially when guarding or assisting their humans, they will be quite brave, even in the face of scary circumstances. But often their courage is developed by training. The good news is that you can train yourself to control your fears as well”.

Michael certainly found these facts to be solidly truthful when he and his “one in a million” fifth guide dog, Roselle (an exemplary yellow Labrador) were on the in Michael’s “office on the 78th floor off Tower One of the World Trade Center” in New York city on the 11th of September, 2001. At 8.46am that day (as the world now knows) a plane hit Tower One,

Miraculously (guide dogs and dogs in general rock!) Roselle exhibited no fear at all when the plane hit Tower One, nor in the terrifying aftermath when Michael, Roselle and thousands of others needed to flee the building. Unsafe to use the lifts, Michael and many other workers had to walk down many flights of stairs. Michael and Roselle had to walk down “all 1, 463 of them”.

Michael tells us that “People often ask, ‘Weren’t you afraid?’. Of course I was. But it’s not about not being afraid. Rather, it’s about not letting fear blind you. Roselle, even though she sometimes cowered during thunderstorms, stayed focused on her work. Dogs live in the moment, and she didn’t waste time thinking about what could have happened – which is a key part of being brave. Instead, she just guided me down the stairs……Guide dogs know that when you work with a team you trust, you’ll be braver than you ever could be on your own”. 

Michael and Roselle nobly and bravely helped others that day, as well as each other and themselves. Michael called out to those frantically and frighteningly descending the stairs that “If the lights happen to go out and we lose power, don’t worry a bit. I am blind and using a guide dog. Roselle and I are offering a two-for-one special today and will get you out of here. No problem”.

When a friend of Michael’s, David, freaked out at one point, Michael sternly told David “Stop it, David. If Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you”.

It was because David and Roselle trusted each other and were a team that both lived that day. We could all do with a Roselle in our life!

Michael tells us that “Not every blind or low-vision person uses a guide dog. In fact, less than 10 percent do. Not everyone wants a guide dog. The level of commitment required for the responsibility of handling and caring for a guide dog is more than some people want to do. …..Blind people “must want to take on the added requirement of building a team, for which they must be the team leader. Guide dogs are simply not for everyone”.

Michael further tells us that it is the guide dog’s job to ‘guide’ not lead. Human handlers need to know where they are wanting “to go”.

“The dog’s job is to make sure we walk safely. I am the navigator and the dog is the pilot”.

Each of Michael’s guide dogs (from the time he was fourteen) have helped him safely navigate the world (he has flown overseas with some of his guide dogs) and live a highly productive life. These four legged angels, who have been loyally by Michael’s side, and his staunch friends, allies, protectors and confidantes, will forever be in Michael’s heart, I am sure. And always with him in spirit.

Michael’s definitively capable and clever guide dogs have been: Squire, Holland, Klondike, Roselle, Meryl, Africa, Fantasia and Alamo. Poor Meryl found being a guide dog too stressful and was a very fearful dog. She was always ‘on’ in her mind, in terms of working, and did not engage in ‘playtime’, something that all good guide dogs need to do. It helps them work better and more efficiently if they have had down-time playing. Meryl “eventually went to live with her puppy raisers in Nevada. Once she realised she didn’t have to guide anyone, and could just be a dog, she did much better”.

A strong belief in God, as well as his guide dogs, help Michael to be brave. He talks about how God has really helped him in his life (including on September 11, when there was so much fear in and among people in New York, America and around the world).

Michael mentions his wonderful wife, Karen, frequently in the book. She was (she has since passed away) in a wheelchair and had her own superb assistance dogs to help her.

A fantastic account of Michael and Roselle working together on September 11, 2001, is the New York Times bestselling memoir written by Michael, Thunder Dog.

I don’t think you’ll ever look at life in exactly the same way after reading ‘Live Like a Guide Dog’.

With so much ugliness in the world at present (aka wars, crime and many tragedies), it will brighten your day and give you a lift to read about Michael’s and his guide dogs’ adventures and experiences.

Michael and Keri have written a book that people all throughout the world (from all walks of life) should be reading. Dogs have given Michael so much. And he has given so much to them. Think love, friendship, loyalty, adventure and a great life.

Michael and Keri write with so much intelligence and wisdom. All Michael’s guide dogs are honoured magnificently. And a spoiler alert, we are told of dogs dying, so you may need the tissues handy.

Bravo Michael! This book gave me a lot to think about (all great books do) and I will forever by grateful to you for writing it, and for the world to get to know about your life, and that of your outstanding guide dogs. Roselle got medals for her service and I believe all guide dogs, assistance dogs and therapy dogs (and indeed all dogs) do.

I’d like to bring up the fact that there has been discrimination shown towards guide, assistance and therapy dogs, and their owners, throughout the world, at times. Guide and assistance dogs are being denied entry to restaurants, cafes, accommodation, taxis, ubers, cinemas, shopping centres and so on. And this is illegal and in violation of human rights. Guide and assistance dogs are allowed virtually everywhere that humans are.

Therapy dogs are allowed in approved settings such as schools.

A special shout out to all the dogs in the world. Whether you find yourselves guiding your owner down over 1000 flights of steps, like Roselle, or just show up every day (emotionally and physically) for your humans – comforting, encouraging, getting them to exercise and showing them empathy. You (our dogs in all types of places, with all types of people) are amazing! In case you are not told enough, you are wonderful and we humans would be lost without you in our lives.

Sending my love to dogs everywhere!

I loved reading Live Like a Guide Dog. I wish Michael and his current guide dog, Alamo, all the best.