April 2, 2025 • 28 mins
On this episode of the Seeing Eye Dogs Show, Harriet is joined by two guests.
First, we have Chris Diefenthaler, Executive Director of Assistance Dogs International, joining us to talk about Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the work they do and what ADI standards mean for those working with assistance dogs across the world. If you'd like to find out more about ADI head to their website: https://assistancedogsinternational.org/.
Then, we have part 2 of my interview with Seeing Eye Dogs handler Dale Pierce talking about his life, his story and his partnership with Yana. Dale is a busy and active handler and trail runner and he’s set to take on an exciting 100K Your Way challenge. In this episode, we talk about their lives and partnership together, home life with a Seeing Eye Dog and how Yana has settled in living with a cat! To support Dale’s 100K Your Way fundraising efforts, head to Dale's 100K Your Way page.
Part 1 of the interview with Dale is available at your preferred podcast platform or here: https://omny.fm/shows/seeing-eye-dogs-show/dale-yanas-story-part-1-getting-active-trail-runni
If you’d like to learn about Seeing Eye Dogs, the work we do, becoming a handler, or supporting us head to our website at sed.visionaustralia.org.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:11):
On Vision Australia radio. You're listening to the chaotic show
with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I've got two
interviews for you. The first is with Assistance Dogs International,
the executive director, Chris Dieffenthaller. She's going to be talking
to us about the work of Assistance Dogs International, what
the standards mean for our handlers, and a bit about
(00:32):
that organisation. Then I'm going to be playing part two
of the interview with Dale Pearce, senior dog handler of jhana.
Dale joined us last week talking about his trail running
and active adventures. So we're just talking a bit about
the rest of their partnership and their life together, including
how seeing Eye Dogs has fit in at home with
a cat. So it's a bit of an interesting one
(00:54):
there for anyone who's considering getting a seeing eye dog
and has a pet cat as well. If you'd like
to hear part one of my interview with Dale, make
sure you head to your preferred podcast provider or Omni
FM platform. For part one of that interview. Now let's
start off this episode with my interview with Chris. Hi, Chris,
(01:18):
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S2 (01:20):
Great. Thank you for having me.
S1 (01:22):
So just to start off with, what is your role
at Assistance Dogs International and what's your background in the industry?
S2 (01:29):
Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much for inviting me.
I'm the executive director for Assistance Dogs International. I've been
in the assistance dogs sector industry beginning back in 1997.
So it's coming up on about 30 years. Um, we, um,
I was the executive director of one of our member
(01:52):
organisations at the time, Assistance Dogs of America. Um, I
was in that role. And during that tenure, I was
also on the board of Assistance Dogs International. So I
have been involved in RTI in many different capacities. Um,
I was also an accreditation assessor during that time. And um,
(02:16):
I did my, my organization did merge with an independent
living agency. Um, at the end of my tenure. And
so I did do a, um, a role with the
American Red cross for eight years. Um, but then had
the opportunity to come back in this capacity with Assistance
(02:37):
Dogs International, which has been a huge blessing for me
to have the pleasure to do that.
S1 (02:45):
It's quite amazing how broad RTI is. Where are the
RTI member organizations located?
S2 (02:52):
Um, we have um, right now, I believe it's around
168 accredited members throughout the globe, which encompasses 31 one
countries US, and we have 58 candidate organizations that are
working towards becoming an accredited member. So our membership is
(03:13):
continuing to grow, um, as more organizations realize how important, um,
our membership is to be able to say they are
meeting Ada standards.
S1 (03:26):
Just briefly, what does it mean to be in that
process of getting the accreditation? You know, what are they
what are they doing? What does that mean?
S2 (03:34):
Yeah. All organizations that would like to become an Ada
accredited member, they start out as, um, a candidate organization,
which means that they, uh, have been training assistance dogs
for a minimum of generally 1 to 3 years minimum. Um,
and they have placed at least five assistance dogs that
(03:56):
have been working at least one year, um, before they
could apply for candidacy. But then, um, during their candidacy period,
which ranges from two years at a minimum to five
years at a maximum, they are looking at our standards
and then looking at how their organization could meet our standards,
(04:20):
and what changes they may have to make in their
operations to meet our standards, because within that time frame,
they will have to complete our accreditation process, which is
a very comprehensive evaluation and assessment of their organization to
ensure that they are meeting Ada standards.
S1 (04:44):
I was going to ask what the purpose of Ada is,
and I guess as well in that, you know, what
do those standards mean for both the organizations and also
potential clients as well of any organizations?
S2 (04:54):
Um, absolutely. Uh, Ada standards really started in the early 1990s,
and they were established to really raise the level of
the operation of assistance dogs organizations globally. So, um, that way,
um members and clients looking for an assistance dog could
(05:16):
be assured that the organizations that they were inquiring about
getting a service dog from did have some standards in
the quality of dog training that they're using for the
training of their dogs, as well as client ethics in
how they are treated. Um, from the organization. And um,
(05:38):
most important also is what kind of support can they
expect from an organization once they have received a dog? Um,
and one of our standards is that the the organization
must support the team for the lifetime of the dog. Um,
because dogs and people are ever changing throughout their lifetime
(06:01):
together as a partnership.
S1 (06:04):
So it's quite reassuring really, when you think about that,
that any of the schools you know as well for,
for anyone else, you know, whether you're a client or
even a volunteer or someone who's, you know, thinking about
supporting a, um, an organization that, you know, those standards
really mean that everyone is doing what they should and,
and striving for the best outcomes, which is, which is, um, cool.
S2 (06:24):
Yeah, absolutely. And that's really what organizations want to as well.
They want to show that their organization is training very
high quality assistance dogs and that they are meeting standards.
So it is a little bit of a, um, celebration
for them when an organization is able to successfully complete
(06:45):
the accreditation process, because then they are awarded almost immediate credibility,
that Aidai has the global reputation for these standards, that
they can say that they are meeting those standards.
S1 (07:02):
And how is ADP staffed and resourced? How do you
do the work that you do?
S2 (07:06):
Yeah, we are a member driven organization, which means that
our members are very engaged and involved in the mission
of RTI. And really, the work is done by our
member organizations. We have actually a very small staff of
five full time staff that are around the globe. But
(07:28):
our members, all the work is done in primarily within
our boards, within our regional councils, and then in our committees.
And those members that are involved in those type of
activities are really helping to drive the organization and implementing
many of the benefits to being an accredited member, as
(07:52):
well as the advocacy that RTI supports to help um,
our members graduates in their navigating the challenges they experience
while using their assistance dog out in public.
S1 (08:08):
When we talk about advocacy, you really do find as
a global challenge. I mean, actually, it's interesting in talking
to we had a um, A.D. Oceania conference at Seeing
Dogs recently. And I think talking to the members, you
realize how similar we all are. And, you know, whether
you're located in, you know, I mean, for us, Asia
(08:29):
or New Zealand or Australia or on the other side
of the world, a lot of the challenges that we
face are the same. It's quite fascinating.
S2 (08:37):
Yeah. And actually, A.D., we were originally structured that the
regional councils took the role of have of advocating on
behalf of the graduates in their region because the legislative
laws tended to be regional and any cultural issues could
(08:58):
be handled on a regional basis. Whereas over the past
I would say five eight years, the changes that have
happened globally that have really impacted our graduate teams and
their experiences when they're out in public, have now become
really more globally focused. So across the globe, we're seeing
(09:23):
access issues. We're seeing dogs that are maybe ill trained
and they're out in public and they're not acting appropriately
out in public. They're lunging at other dogs, they're barking.
They're carrying on. And those are really disruptive behaviors to dogs,
to handlers. And they're trained assistance dog. And so that
(09:46):
has become a global concern. So 80 last year actually
formed an international National Advocacy Committee to really look at
those global issues so we can help drive change by
doing maybe some campaigns, awareness campaigns, um, legislative issues, trying
(10:08):
to be a part of the solution to really help
our graduates deal with the barriers that they experience out
in public.
S1 (10:16):
I guess that's that fake assistance dog piece.
S2 (10:20):
Yeah, we kind of have two different categories for that.
One I think is more common is really the ill
trained meaning the the dog is not a fake. Meaning
it probably in the person's viewpoint is their assistance dog. Um,
but maybe the dog just doesn't have the proper training,
maybe the the right temperament to really be working out
(10:40):
in public. And, um, so the dog is being disruptive
and acting out when they are in the public, um,
because of the stresses of the environment, um, versus someone
that would be a fake assistance dog, is someone that
is just passing off their pet dog as a service dog,
and they really don't have a disability. Um, that certainly
(11:03):
does happen. But I think the the problems really arise
more from an ill trained than a, than a fake one.
S1 (11:11):
We've probably covered this a little bit, but how does
the work of Addie benefit assistance dogs users worldwide?
S2 (11:19):
Again, I've kind of already mentioned some of it, but
the um, the confidence that when they are dealing with
an Ada accredited member, that that organization has proven that
they are meeting Ada standards. So it is a very
high quality organization that they can expect to be dealing
with an organization that's ethical and, um, is concerned about
(11:43):
dog welfare and animal health, as well as, um, have
client ethics and values that are meaningful and are implemented
within their organization. Um, as well as then Aidai also
then supports our members and helping with the big picture
of the advocacy, which I just mentioned. Um, so we
(12:07):
are there, um, helping to alleviate and or improve the
quality of our graduate dogs and the rights that they
have while working out in public.
S1 (12:19):
And just to finish off, is there anything else that
you would like to share with our listeners about Aidai?
S2 (12:26):
Um, other than just that, you know, we are here
to work together with everybody. Collaboration. We are a small
organization in staffing, but we have, um, a lot of
numbers in our members, and we have a very collaborative
environment within Aidai, and we look for collaboration outside of Aidai. Um,
(12:49):
because it really is something that to really make the
changes and to improve the quality, we do need to
collaborate with our partners and agencies and other organizations that
value assistance dogs and assistance dogs partnerships to really make
it a better place for people that are living with disabilities.
S1 (13:12):
Well, thank you so much for coming on the show
and all of the work that you and the team
at RTI do.
S2 (13:17):
Well, thank you very much, Harriet. I enjoyed being here. And, um, again,
thanks a lot for inviting us.
S1 (13:29):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with
Chris Tiefenthaler, Executive director of Assistance Dogs International. If you'd
like to find out more about Ady, you can head
to their website at Assistance Dogs International. Now I'm going
to be playing part two of my interview with Sinead
(13:50):
Oxhandler Dale Pierce. We're going to be talking about his
partnership with Janna and how she settled in at home.
For part one of that interview, you can head to
your preferred podcast platform or Omnia FM platform to hear
about Dale's active adventures and the start of their partnership.
I hope you enjoy and thank you for listening. I
think one of the things that a lot of people
(14:10):
probably who listen to the show would, would know, but
some members of the general public, they do not think
that the dogs get very much affection or of off
duty time or, you know, I mean, as a puppy carer,
I get the comments of, well, they don't really get
much fun, do they? I'm like, oh.
S3 (14:26):
It's all fun. I would say that. Yeah. So I
guess the easiest way I think is Jana probably only
works for 2 to 3 hours a day in most days.
Those days, if I go to Melbourne, she's on for
the whole day sort of thing, so we know that.
But a general day, like I've been to the shops
this morning, it was an hour and a half return trip.
I've got to go out again this afternoon and tonight
(14:47):
she'll work probably about 5 or 6 hours tonight. So
probably an eight hour day today. Um, tomorrow may only
be a couple of hours. Um, the rest of the time,
she's got two toys. She plays in the backyard. She, um,
loves our cat. Um, a little too much for our
cat to say, but she is quite adorable. She'll lay
in the sun, she'll have a nap. She does what
(15:09):
she does as a dog. Um, and she is very
much a dog. At the end of the day, she's
a lab that bounds around the house and loves life
and wags her tail at everything she can and all
those things. So for those that think it is all work,
it's far from it. So it's it's a very wonderful
thing to see the difference in how she acts as well.
(15:30):
And everyone comments that those are in both lights. They
see her working, you know, she's so good and all this.
And then they see her at home and go, she's
just a dog. And it's like, well yeah, you know,
she that's what she is. She's a dog.
S1 (15:43):
She's still and she's still kind of a young dog.
You know, she's still very much a baby when you
think about some pet dogs pet Labradors, they're, um, pretty
chaotic until eight, eight years old, you know?
S3 (15:55):
Yeah. Don't tell me that.
S1 (15:57):
No, no. But, you know, our dogs are different. They. Well,
you know, I mean, the fact that she can, you know,
do the work that she does is is a pretty
good testament to the fact that she's not, like, a
pet lab.
S3 (16:06):
Yeah. So, yeah, she, she loves having a chew toy.
And her squeakers are floating around the house constantly and
you know it. And she loves playing, you know, bit
of a throw in the backyard and all those things
so very much. She gets all the love and attention
she needs. She gets all the pats and cuddles and
all those things outside of work. But she knows when
(16:28):
that harness goes on, she's she, she, she knows it
and she loves it too. So you can see, especially
when it's busy. Like I notice it in in very
busy situations. She's really on it and she's just Amazing. Like,
you can see the bounce in her and she's. The
head's on a swivel and she's she's very switched on
(16:51):
to it. Whereas if we're just walking around the park,
there's so many distractions. And because there's not much for
me to ask her to do, she might just she
doesn't switch off. But, you know, she'll want to have
a sniff of the grass and all those things, and
there's little distraction there. Not all the time. And she
comes back to me working well. But, um, there's those
(17:11):
little tiny distractions compared to when she's in the city
where you think there's more distraction, but she's paying more
attention because she really knows her job. So it's a
really cool thing to to feel in the handle. Um,
but also for those around me to see as well,
because I've got people that walk with me and just go, oh, wow,
she's just done x, y or whatever. And I'm just like, yeah,
(17:32):
I know that's just what she does.
S1 (17:34):
Yeah. Either that or sometimes you didn't notice that or or,
you know, the things that they go around that you
don't even pick up on I think sometimes are quite amazing.
S3 (17:43):
Yeah, definitely. And there's there's been that circumstance that we've
done that sort of thing and gone, oh, what did
we just go around or what what just happened? Or,
you know, and someone's told me and I've gone, oh, okay.
And I'm oblivious to it half the time.
S1 (17:58):
Are you going to be taking her to Trek for vision.
S3 (18:01):
At this stage? I've decided not to. Um, it's a
big undertaking. She's not travelled, um, on a plane yet,
for a start. So a four hour international trip is
going to be a fairly long one for it. Yeah. Um,
as a as a number one. Um, but while I've
got enough sight, um, that I can navigate myself with,
(18:25):
you know, someone around me, and I've got a support
person coming with me. I should be okay. Um, there's.
If I was just sightseeing, like, generally very easy. Not
too bad, but it's 53 over five days, so it's
a fairly not just one day of hard work. It's
for her. It's five days worth of pretty solid walking.
(18:48):
So with some hills in there as well. So I
don't doubt that she could probably do it. But at
the same time, I think it's going to be wise
at this stage, being a very new handler as well. Yeah.
For me to leave it, leave her at home, unfortunately. And, um,
and go it alone.
S1 (19:07):
Does it make sense for you? And handling and being
new to it yourself? It's still like you guys figuring
each other out and you having to use mental energy
to understand her cues. Right?
S3 (19:16):
Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So, um, and, you know, I got
told by my trainers going back when I was going
through the process of there's times you're going to not
want your dog with you if you can, if you
don't need a dog just for convenience or for whatever
it may be, you know, you might be going to
a concert and you go, I just can't take the dog.
(19:36):
You might be going like, I'm going on a hiking
trip I can't take. I can, but is it easier
to go without. The answer is probably yes at this stage.
Whereas there's another, um, there is a dog going and
she's an experienced handler. So she's got a bit more
understanding of dogs needs, I guess, in those things, especially
for travel. So as I developed with Jana, then obviously that,
(19:59):
you know, in years to come, that's going to be
a whole different thing for me.
S1 (20:02):
I mean, it sounds like you've got lots of adventures
coming up, so it's not like it's now or never. Um,
and I'm sure you can book it, book yourself in
a fun flight to go somewhere and do a trail
run interstate or something.
S3 (20:13):
Indeed. So we've actually found that the other dog going
is actually Jana's sister on the track, and she's in Sydney.
So the fact that they won't meet on the track,
we're probably going to, um, make a flight to Sydney
in the, in the, um, this year sometime and just
have a play date, so to speak. Oh, that would.
S1 (20:32):
Be so cool.
S3 (20:33):
So, with Luna's handler, Jana's sister. Yeah, it'll be amazing. Yeah,
she gets to do that, and she gets a flight,
and I get some experience doing that. And, um. Yeah,
she gets to see her sister.
S1 (20:44):
Amazing. Yeah. And I think you briefly mentioned about having
a cat, which I'm interested in. Um, because I think some,
some people especially who would be considering getting seen as like, oh,
I've got, you know, a cat. How did the, um,
settling in go?
S3 (20:57):
Yeah. So my cat's eight was eight years old when
I got him as a rescue. So he's about 11 now.
We think he's been around dogs before, but we weren't sure. Um,
so day one meeting yhana. He did the whole cat
thing of higher grounds, but was still curious and went, oh, okay,
(21:20):
what's this going on? Um, and there was no he's
fairly placid anyway, so there was no hissing and and
scratching and all those things. Um, but I think probably
week one, he got a little close. Um, and, um,
I think he gave Yhana a little bit of a
swipe when she lunged at him at one point. Fair enough,
(21:40):
fair enough. Fair enough. And I think that after that
they started to find their common ground. Um, the sort
of thing. Um, but in general, like, he keeps his
distance to a point, like he won't sit right next
to her. He'll sit on one of us on our
laps or on the chair or something. Um, or on
the table. So he's out of the way a little bit.
(22:01):
But in saying that, he'll follow her around. If she's
in the room with me, he'll come and find us
because he doesn't want to be alone. So it's a
bit cute that he really doesn't like her, but he
really kind of does. Um.
S1 (22:15):
It's a secret.
S3 (22:16):
It is a secret. It's very cute. But in general,
for anyone that's got a cat that's thinking about it,
it's it's very doable. It's not a problem as long
as your cat's, you know, not an aggressive cat that's
going to swipe at anything I think is probably the
the key. But they'll wander around the backyard together. He'll
wander under between her legs and all those things. They'll
(22:37):
sit there and bump noses, and sometimes she gets a
little bit rough because she's, you know, six times his
body weight. Um, and he'll just go, well, that's enough
and wander off and find his own quiet spot for
an hour or two and then come back. Um, so
that's fine. And she doesn't understand what she's doing. If,
you know, she's just having fun, she's just getting to
know him.
S1 (22:57):
Sometimes they don't realize that the cats aren't another dog.
Start to play like a dog, and you're like, no,
not really.
S3 (23:03):
Yeah. And she'll give him a nudge or a bump.
And next thing you know, he's he's flown halfway across
the room and he's like, no, that's enough. And see
you later. And off he goes. Um, sort of thing.
So and she's now used to him every time he
used to jump up onto something. It was a fast movement.
So she'd lunge at him, but now she doesn't care.
So we're seven months into living as a family, and, um. Yeah,
(23:28):
she couldn't care less if he jumps up and down
now and does what he does. Um, she'll occasionally, if
he's having a full sprint, she might go, oh, this
is a game. And that's what she thinks. She thinks.
S1 (23:37):
So.
S3 (23:37):
She just thinks it's playing. So she'll just go chase him.
And then he goes, oh, that's not the plan. Um, and, um,
next thing you know, he's trying to hide because he's going,
I didn't really want that first place.
S1 (23:47):
Not a single hint of aggression. She just is like, oh,
that's fun.
S3 (23:51):
Yeah. It's just it is. It's a game to her.
So in terms of that, they're very well acclimatized, I think.
I think I said to you before, Harriet, like in
six months or a year's time, I'm going to walk
out of my room and see her on the bed
and him cuddled up next to her, just randomly. It
might take six months or a year, who knows? But
it may never happen. But I've just got this gut feeling.
(24:13):
One day I'm just going to walk out and it's
going to, oh, okay, that's where they are. Um, so, um, yeah,
they they get along pretty well, all things considered.
S1 (24:23):
So, so sweet, I love it. It's, um. Yeah. Well
it's out. I mean, it sounds like you guys in
your very short partnership have. I mean, not only kind
of got up to quite a lot, but it's. Yeah.
Settling in really nicely.
S3 (24:36):
Yeah. It is. It's, um. I was obviously always a
bit hesitant, um, as to how it will integrate with
not just the cat, but life and all those things
in general. Um, but really thankful that I've taken on Jana. Um,
even with that bit of sight that I've got left.
(24:56):
Because it just means that I can build that confidence
on know what to do if and when the site drops. Um, further.
So I've got that ability. And I guess the other
thing is I've got that confidence that when I go
out as well, I'm not getting any rebuttals in terms
of being denied anywhere to go. All those things, the
(25:19):
odd Uber, which is a bone of contention with all handlers. Yeah. Um,
but I've not been refused entry anywhere. I've been in hospitals,
ed departments, um, obviously restaurants, cafes, all those things. There's
no issues at all. So, um, which is nice. So
it's actually give me a bit of confidence. Whereas I
(25:39):
think if I was 100% blind or very close to
and doing this for the first time, I'd be like,
is this okay type thing? Um, so yeah, I think
it's the perfect time for, for us to be together and,
and start the journey. So. Yeah.
S1 (25:56):
And just to finish it off, do you have any
last messages for any, um, supporters of seeing eye dogs? Um,
kind of general public or other handlers?
S3 (26:05):
I guess it's, um, supporters is just get out there
and support seeing eye dogs if you can. Foster, foster.
We need more dogs out there. Um, it's a very
small number that get, um, matched every year. So the
more foster families and things we have supporting, the better. Um,
(26:25):
obviously donate some dollars if you can, um, towards it,
because not every dog's funded by NDIS. Um, most are,
but not every dog gets all that funding. So um,
donate obviously. Um, and go from there. But other than that,
it's just for the general public. Feel free to, you know,
(26:48):
approach people that have handlers. You might get a no
occasionally if you want a pet. Um, but there's every
chance that if the dog settled and, you know, especially myself,
if the dog settled and, and, you know, in a
relaxed position, I'm just having a break myself. It might
be a bit of a chance to get some education
for you or your kids to to understand what Jana
(27:11):
does for me or a dog does for the handler. Um,
and maybe get a pet at the same time. So, um,
we're all pretty open about it and talk about it.
More than happy to to educate the general public as
we go on a case by case basis.
S1 (27:26):
Well, thank you so much for joining me on the
show and sharing your story.
S3 (27:31):
No problems at all. Harriet, thank you so much for
having me. It's been great.
S1 (27:41):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interviews. The
first with Assistance Dogs International's executive Director, Chris Tiefenthaler, and
the second with Seeing Eye Dogs handler Dale Pearce. If
you'd like to find part one of my interview with Dale,
you can head to your preferred podcast provider or on
(28:01):
the FM page. If you'd like to find out more
about Assistance Dogs International, you can head to their website
at Assistance Dogs International. Org. For more information about Seeing
Eye Dogs the work We do, how you can help.
Information about becoming a handler. You can head to our
website at. Don't forget to tune in! Same time next
(28:22):
week for another episode of The Seeing Eye Dog Show.
Thank you for listening and have a lovely week.
On Vision Australia radio. You're listening to the chaotic show
with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I've got two
interviews for you. The first is with Assistance Dogs International,
the executive director, Chris Dieffenthaller. She's going to be talking
to us about the work of Assistance Dogs International, what
the standards mean for our handlers, and a bit about
(00:32):
that organisation. Then I'm going to be playing part two
of the interview with Dale Pearce, senior dog handler of jhana.
Dale joined us last week talking about his trail running
and active adventures. So we're just talking a bit about
the rest of their partnership and their life together, including
how seeing Eye Dogs has fit in at home with
a cat. So it's a bit of an interesting one
(00:54):
there for anyone who's considering getting a seeing eye dog
and has a pet cat as well. If you'd like
to hear part one of my interview with Dale, make
sure you head to your preferred podcast provider or Omni
FM platform. For part one of that interview. Now let's
start off this episode with my interview with Chris. Hi, Chris,
(01:18):
thank you for joining me on the show today.
S2 (01:20):
Great. Thank you for having me.
S1 (01:22):
So just to start off with, what is your role
at Assistance Dogs International and what's your background in the industry?
S2 (01:29):
Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much for inviting me.
I'm the executive director for Assistance Dogs International. I've been
in the assistance dogs sector industry beginning back in 1997.
So it's coming up on about 30 years. Um, we, um,
I was the executive director of one of our member
(01:52):
organisations at the time, Assistance Dogs of America. Um, I
was in that role. And during that tenure, I was
also on the board of Assistance Dogs International. So I
have been involved in RTI in many different capacities. Um,
I was also an accreditation assessor during that time. And um,
(02:16):
I did my, my organization did merge with an independent
living agency. Um, at the end of my tenure. And
so I did do a, um, a role with the
American Red cross for eight years. Um, but then had
the opportunity to come back in this capacity with Assistance
(02:37):
Dogs International, which has been a huge blessing for me
to have the pleasure to do that.
S1 (02:45):
It's quite amazing how broad RTI is. Where are the
RTI member organizations located?
S2 (02:52):
Um, we have um, right now, I believe it's around
168 accredited members throughout the globe, which encompasses 31 one
countries US, and we have 58 candidate organizations that are
working towards becoming an accredited member. So our membership is
(03:13):
continuing to grow, um, as more organizations realize how important, um,
our membership is to be able to say they are
meeting Ada standards.
S1 (03:26):
Just briefly, what does it mean to be in that
process of getting the accreditation? You know, what are they
what are they doing? What does that mean?
S2 (03:34):
Yeah. All organizations that would like to become an Ada
accredited member, they start out as, um, a candidate organization,
which means that they, uh, have been training assistance dogs
for a minimum of generally 1 to 3 years minimum. Um,
and they have placed at least five assistance dogs that
(03:56):
have been working at least one year, um, before they
could apply for candidacy. But then, um, during their candidacy period,
which ranges from two years at a minimum to five
years at a maximum, they are looking at our standards
and then looking at how their organization could meet our standards,
(04:20):
and what changes they may have to make in their
operations to meet our standards, because within that time frame,
they will have to complete our accreditation process, which is
a very comprehensive evaluation and assessment of their organization to
ensure that they are meeting Ada standards.
S1 (04:44):
I was going to ask what the purpose of Ada is,
and I guess as well in that, you know, what
do those standards mean for both the organizations and also
potential clients as well of any organizations?
S2 (04:54):
Um, absolutely. Uh, Ada standards really started in the early 1990s,
and they were established to really raise the level of
the operation of assistance dogs organizations globally. So, um, that way,
um members and clients looking for an assistance dog could
(05:16):
be assured that the organizations that they were inquiring about
getting a service dog from did have some standards in
the quality of dog training that they're using for the
training of their dogs, as well as client ethics in
how they are treated. Um, from the organization. And um,
(05:38):
most important also is what kind of support can they
expect from an organization once they have received a dog? Um,
and one of our standards is that the the organization
must support the team for the lifetime of the dog. Um,
because dogs and people are ever changing throughout their lifetime
(06:01):
together as a partnership.
S1 (06:04):
So it's quite reassuring really, when you think about that,
that any of the schools you know as well for,
for anyone else, you know, whether you're a client or
even a volunteer or someone who's, you know, thinking about
supporting a, um, an organization that, you know, those standards
really mean that everyone is doing what they should and,
and striving for the best outcomes, which is, which is, um, cool.
S2 (06:24):
Yeah, absolutely. And that's really what organizations want to as well.
They want to show that their organization is training very
high quality assistance dogs and that they are meeting standards.
So it is a little bit of a, um, celebration
for them when an organization is able to successfully complete
(06:45):
the accreditation process, because then they are awarded almost immediate credibility,
that Aidai has the global reputation for these standards, that
they can say that they are meeting those standards.
S1 (07:02):
And how is ADP staffed and resourced? How do you
do the work that you do?
S2 (07:06):
Yeah, we are a member driven organization, which means that
our members are very engaged and involved in the mission
of RTI. And really, the work is done by our
member organizations. We have actually a very small staff of
five full time staff that are around the globe. But
(07:28):
our members, all the work is done in primarily within
our boards, within our regional councils, and then in our committees.
And those members that are involved in those type of
activities are really helping to drive the organization and implementing
many of the benefits to being an accredited member, as
(07:52):
well as the advocacy that RTI supports to help um,
our members graduates in their navigating the challenges they experience
while using their assistance dog out in public.
S1 (08:08):
When we talk about advocacy, you really do find as
a global challenge. I mean, actually, it's interesting in talking
to we had a um, A.D. Oceania conference at Seeing
Dogs recently. And I think talking to the members, you
realize how similar we all are. And, you know, whether
you're located in, you know, I mean, for us, Asia
(08:29):
or New Zealand or Australia or on the other side
of the world, a lot of the challenges that we
face are the same. It's quite fascinating.
S2 (08:37):
Yeah. And actually, A.D., we were originally structured that the
regional councils took the role of have of advocating on
behalf of the graduates in their region because the legislative
laws tended to be regional and any cultural issues could
(08:58):
be handled on a regional basis. Whereas over the past
I would say five eight years, the changes that have
happened globally that have really impacted our graduate teams and
their experiences when they're out in public, have now become
really more globally focused. So across the globe, we're seeing
(09:23):
access issues. We're seeing dogs that are maybe ill trained
and they're out in public and they're not acting appropriately
out in public. They're lunging at other dogs, they're barking.
They're carrying on. And those are really disruptive behaviors to dogs,
to handlers. And they're trained assistance dog. And so that
(09:46):
has become a global concern. So 80 last year actually
formed an international National Advocacy Committee to really look at
those global issues so we can help drive change by
doing maybe some campaigns, awareness campaigns, um, legislative issues, trying
(10:08):
to be a part of the solution to really help
our graduates deal with the barriers that they experience out
in public.
S1 (10:16):
I guess that's that fake assistance dog piece.
S2 (10:20):
Yeah, we kind of have two different categories for that.
One I think is more common is really the ill
trained meaning the the dog is not a fake. Meaning
it probably in the person's viewpoint is their assistance dog. Um,
but maybe the dog just doesn't have the proper training,
maybe the the right temperament to really be working out
(10:40):
in public. And, um, so the dog is being disruptive
and acting out when they are in the public, um,
because of the stresses of the environment, um, versus someone
that would be a fake assistance dog, is someone that
is just passing off their pet dog as a service dog,
and they really don't have a disability. Um, that certainly
(11:03):
does happen. But I think the the problems really arise
more from an ill trained than a, than a fake one.
S1 (11:11):
We've probably covered this a little bit, but how does
the work of Addie benefit assistance dogs users worldwide?
S2 (11:19):
Again, I've kind of already mentioned some of it, but
the um, the confidence that when they are dealing with
an Ada accredited member, that that organization has proven that
they are meeting Ada standards. So it is a very
high quality organization that they can expect to be dealing
with an organization that's ethical and, um, is concerned about
(11:43):
dog welfare and animal health, as well as, um, have
client ethics and values that are meaningful and are implemented
within their organization. Um, as well as then Aidai also
then supports our members and helping with the big picture
of the advocacy, which I just mentioned. Um, so we
(12:07):
are there, um, helping to alleviate and or improve the
quality of our graduate dogs and the rights that they
have while working out in public.
S1 (12:19):
And just to finish off, is there anything else that
you would like to share with our listeners about Aidai?
S2 (12:26):
Um, other than just that, you know, we are here
to work together with everybody. Collaboration. We are a small
organization in staffing, but we have, um, a lot of
numbers in our members, and we have a very collaborative
environment within Aidai, and we look for collaboration outside of Aidai. Um,
(12:49):
because it really is something that to really make the
changes and to improve the quality, we do need to
collaborate with our partners and agencies and other organizations that
value assistance dogs and assistance dogs partnerships to really make
it a better place for people that are living with disabilities.
S1 (13:12):
Well, thank you so much for coming on the show
and all of the work that you and the team
at RTI do.
S2 (13:17):
Well, thank you very much, Harriet. I enjoyed being here. And, um, again,
thanks a lot for inviting us.
S1 (13:29):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with
Chris Tiefenthaler, Executive director of Assistance Dogs International. If you'd
like to find out more about Ady, you can head
to their website at Assistance Dogs International. Now I'm going
to be playing part two of my interview with Sinead
(13:50):
Oxhandler Dale Pierce. We're going to be talking about his
partnership with Janna and how she settled in at home.
For part one of that interview, you can head to
your preferred podcast platform or Omnia FM platform to hear
about Dale's active adventures and the start of their partnership.
I hope you enjoy and thank you for listening. I
think one of the things that a lot of people
(14:10):
probably who listen to the show would, would know, but
some members of the general public, they do not think
that the dogs get very much affection or of off
duty time or, you know, I mean, as a puppy carer,
I get the comments of, well, they don't really get
much fun, do they? I'm like, oh.
S3 (14:26):
It's all fun. I would say that. Yeah. So I
guess the easiest way I think is Jana probably only
works for 2 to 3 hours a day in most days.
Those days, if I go to Melbourne, she's on for
the whole day sort of thing, so we know that.
But a general day, like I've been to the shops
this morning, it was an hour and a half return trip.
I've got to go out again this afternoon and tonight
(14:47):
she'll work probably about 5 or 6 hours tonight. So
probably an eight hour day today. Um, tomorrow may only
be a couple of hours. Um, the rest of the time,
she's got two toys. She plays in the backyard. She, um,
loves our cat. Um, a little too much for our
cat to say, but she is quite adorable. She'll lay
in the sun, she'll have a nap. She does what
(15:09):
she does as a dog. Um, and she is very
much a dog. At the end of the day, she's
a lab that bounds around the house and loves life
and wags her tail at everything she can and all
those things. So for those that think it is all work,
it's far from it. So it's it's a very wonderful
thing to see the difference in how she acts as well.
(15:30):
And everyone comments that those are in both lights. They
see her working, you know, she's so good and all this.
And then they see her at home and go, she's
just a dog. And it's like, well yeah, you know,
she that's what she is. She's a dog.
S1 (15:43):
She's still and she's still kind of a young dog.
You know, she's still very much a baby when you
think about some pet dogs pet Labradors, they're, um, pretty
chaotic until eight, eight years old, you know?
S3 (15:55):
Yeah. Don't tell me that.
S1 (15:57):
No, no. But, you know, our dogs are different. They. Well,
you know, I mean, the fact that she can, you know,
do the work that she does is is a pretty
good testament to the fact that she's not, like, a
pet lab.
S3 (16:06):
Yeah. So, yeah, she, she loves having a chew toy.
And her squeakers are floating around the house constantly and
you know it. And she loves playing, you know, bit
of a throw in the backyard and all those things
so very much. She gets all the love and attention
she needs. She gets all the pats and cuddles and
all those things outside of work. But she knows when
(16:28):
that harness goes on, she's she, she, she knows it
and she loves it too. So you can see, especially
when it's busy. Like I notice it in in very
busy situations. She's really on it and she's just Amazing. Like,
you can see the bounce in her and she's. The
head's on a swivel and she's she's very switched on
(16:51):
to it. Whereas if we're just walking around the park,
there's so many distractions. And because there's not much for
me to ask her to do, she might just she
doesn't switch off. But, you know, she'll want to have
a sniff of the grass and all those things, and
there's little distraction there. Not all the time. And she
comes back to me working well. But, um, there's those
(17:11):
little tiny distractions compared to when she's in the city
where you think there's more distraction, but she's paying more
attention because she really knows her job. So it's a
really cool thing to to feel in the handle. Um,
but also for those around me to see as well,
because I've got people that walk with me and just go, oh, wow,
she's just done x, y or whatever. And I'm just like, yeah,
(17:32):
I know that's just what she does.
S1 (17:34):
Yeah. Either that or sometimes you didn't notice that or or,
you know, the things that they go around that you
don't even pick up on I think sometimes are quite amazing.
S3 (17:43):
Yeah, definitely. And there's there's been that circumstance that we've
done that sort of thing and gone, oh, what did
we just go around or what what just happened? Or,
you know, and someone's told me and I've gone, oh, okay.
And I'm oblivious to it half the time.
S1 (17:58):
Are you going to be taking her to Trek for vision.
S3 (18:01):
At this stage? I've decided not to. Um, it's a
big undertaking. She's not travelled, um, on a plane yet,
for a start. So a four hour international trip is
going to be a fairly long one for it. Yeah. Um,
as a as a number one. Um, but while I've
got enough sight, um, that I can navigate myself with,
(18:25):
you know, someone around me, and I've got a support
person coming with me. I should be okay. Um, there's.
If I was just sightseeing, like, generally very easy. Not
too bad, but it's 53 over five days, so it's
a fairly not just one day of hard work. It's
for her. It's five days worth of pretty solid walking.
(18:48):
So with some hills in there as well. So I
don't doubt that she could probably do it. But at
the same time, I think it's going to be wise
at this stage, being a very new handler as well. Yeah.
For me to leave it, leave her at home, unfortunately. And, um,
and go it alone.
S1 (19:07):
Does it make sense for you? And handling and being
new to it yourself? It's still like you guys figuring
each other out and you having to use mental energy
to understand her cues. Right?
S3 (19:16):
Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So, um, and, you know, I got
told by my trainers going back when I was going
through the process of there's times you're going to not
want your dog with you if you can, if you
don't need a dog just for convenience or for whatever
it may be, you know, you might be going to
a concert and you go, I just can't take the dog.
(19:36):
You might be going like, I'm going on a hiking
trip I can't take. I can, but is it easier
to go without. The answer is probably yes at this stage.
Whereas there's another, um, there is a dog going and
she's an experienced handler. So she's got a bit more
understanding of dogs needs, I guess, in those things, especially
for travel. So as I developed with Jana, then obviously that,
(19:59):
you know, in years to come, that's going to be
a whole different thing for me.
S1 (20:02):
I mean, it sounds like you've got lots of adventures
coming up, so it's not like it's now or never. Um,
and I'm sure you can book it, book yourself in
a fun flight to go somewhere and do a trail
run interstate or something.
S3 (20:13):
Indeed. So we've actually found that the other dog going
is actually Jana's sister on the track, and she's in Sydney.
So the fact that they won't meet on the track,
we're probably going to, um, make a flight to Sydney
in the, in the, um, this year sometime and just
have a play date, so to speak. Oh, that would.
S1 (20:32):
Be so cool.
S3 (20:33):
So, with Luna's handler, Jana's sister. Yeah, it'll be amazing. Yeah,
she gets to do that, and she gets a flight,
and I get some experience doing that. And, um. Yeah,
she gets to see her sister.
S1 (20:44):
Amazing. Yeah. And I think you briefly mentioned about having
a cat, which I'm interested in. Um, because I think some,
some people especially who would be considering getting seen as like, oh,
I've got, you know, a cat. How did the, um,
settling in go?
S3 (20:57):
Yeah. So my cat's eight was eight years old when
I got him as a rescue. So he's about 11 now.
We think he's been around dogs before, but we weren't sure. Um,
so day one meeting yhana. He did the whole cat
thing of higher grounds, but was still curious and went, oh, okay,
(21:20):
what's this going on? Um, and there was no he's
fairly placid anyway, so there was no hissing and and
scratching and all those things. Um, but I think probably
week one, he got a little close. Um, and, um,
I think he gave Yhana a little bit of a
swipe when she lunged at him at one point. Fair enough,
(21:40):
fair enough. Fair enough. And I think that after that
they started to find their common ground. Um, the sort
of thing. Um, but in general, like, he keeps his
distance to a point, like he won't sit right next
to her. He'll sit on one of us on our
laps or on the chair or something. Um, or on
the table. So he's out of the way a little bit.
(22:01):
But in saying that, he'll follow her around. If she's
in the room with me, he'll come and find us
because he doesn't want to be alone. So it's a
bit cute that he really doesn't like her, but he
really kind of does. Um.
S1 (22:15):
It's a secret.
S3 (22:16):
It is a secret. It's very cute. But in general,
for anyone that's got a cat that's thinking about it,
it's it's very doable. It's not a problem as long
as your cat's, you know, not an aggressive cat that's
going to swipe at anything I think is probably the
the key. But they'll wander around the backyard together. He'll
wander under between her legs and all those things. They'll
(22:37):
sit there and bump noses, and sometimes she gets a
little bit rough because she's, you know, six times his
body weight. Um, and he'll just go, well, that's enough
and wander off and find his own quiet spot for
an hour or two and then come back. Um, so
that's fine. And she doesn't understand what she's doing. If,
you know, she's just having fun, she's just getting to
know him.
S1 (22:57):
Sometimes they don't realize that the cats aren't another dog.
Start to play like a dog, and you're like, no,
not really.
S3 (23:03):
Yeah. And she'll give him a nudge or a bump.
And next thing you know, he's he's flown halfway across
the room and he's like, no, that's enough. And see
you later. And off he goes. Um, sort of thing.
So and she's now used to him every time he
used to jump up onto something. It was a fast movement.
So she'd lunge at him, but now she doesn't care.
So we're seven months into living as a family, and, um. Yeah,
(23:28):
she couldn't care less if he jumps up and down
now and does what he does. Um, she'll occasionally, if
he's having a full sprint, she might go, oh, this
is a game. And that's what she thinks. She thinks.
S1 (23:37):
So.
S3 (23:37):
She just thinks it's playing. So she'll just go chase him.
And then he goes, oh, that's not the plan. Um, and, um,
next thing you know, he's trying to hide because he's going,
I didn't really want that first place.
S1 (23:47):
Not a single hint of aggression. She just is like, oh,
that's fun.
S3 (23:51):
Yeah. It's just it is. It's a game to her.
So in terms of that, they're very well acclimatized, I think.
I think I said to you before, Harriet, like in
six months or a year's time, I'm going to walk
out of my room and see her on the bed
and him cuddled up next to her, just randomly. It
might take six months or a year, who knows? But
it may never happen. But I've just got this gut feeling.
(24:13):
One day I'm just going to walk out and it's
going to, oh, okay, that's where they are. Um, so, um, yeah,
they they get along pretty well, all things considered.
S1 (24:23):
So, so sweet, I love it. It's, um. Yeah. Well
it's out. I mean, it sounds like you guys in
your very short partnership have. I mean, not only kind
of got up to quite a lot, but it's. Yeah.
Settling in really nicely.
S3 (24:36):
Yeah. It is. It's, um. I was obviously always a
bit hesitant, um, as to how it will integrate with
not just the cat, but life and all those things
in general. Um, but really thankful that I've taken on Jana. Um,
even with that bit of sight that I've got left.
(24:56):
Because it just means that I can build that confidence
on know what to do if and when the site drops. Um, further.
So I've got that ability. And I guess the other
thing is I've got that confidence that when I go
out as well, I'm not getting any rebuttals in terms
of being denied anywhere to go. All those things, the
(25:19):
odd Uber, which is a bone of contention with all handlers. Yeah. Um,
but I've not been refused entry anywhere. I've been in hospitals,
ed departments, um, obviously restaurants, cafes, all those things. There's
no issues at all. So, um, which is nice. So
it's actually give me a bit of confidence. Whereas I
(25:39):
think if I was 100% blind or very close to
and doing this for the first time, I'd be like,
is this okay type thing? Um, so yeah, I think
it's the perfect time for, for us to be together and,
and start the journey. So. Yeah.
S1 (25:56):
And just to finish it off, do you have any
last messages for any, um, supporters of seeing eye dogs? Um,
kind of general public or other handlers?
S3 (26:05):
I guess it's, um, supporters is just get out there
and support seeing eye dogs if you can. Foster, foster.
We need more dogs out there. Um, it's a very
small number that get, um, matched every year. So the
more foster families and things we have supporting, the better. Um,
(26:25):
obviously donate some dollars if you can, um, towards it,
because not every dog's funded by NDIS. Um, most are,
but not every dog gets all that funding. So um,
donate obviously. Um, and go from there. But other than that,
it's just for the general public. Feel free to, you know,
(26:48):
approach people that have handlers. You might get a no
occasionally if you want a pet. Um, but there's every
chance that if the dog settled and, you know, especially myself,
if the dog settled and, and, you know, in a
relaxed position, I'm just having a break myself. It might
be a bit of a chance to get some education
for you or your kids to to understand what Jana
(27:11):
does for me or a dog does for the handler. Um,
and maybe get a pet at the same time. So, um,
we're all pretty open about it and talk about it.
More than happy to to educate the general public as
we go on a case by case basis.
S1 (27:26):
Well, thank you so much for joining me on the
show and sharing your story.
S3 (27:31):
No problems at all. Harriet, thank you so much for
having me. It's been great.
S1 (27:41):
You've been listening to the Seeing Eye Dog show on
Vision Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interviews. The
first with Assistance Dogs International's executive Director, Chris Tiefenthaler, and
the second with Seeing Eye Dogs handler Dale Pearce. If
you'd like to find part one of my interview with Dale,
you can head to your preferred podcast provider or on
(28:01):
the FM page. If you'd like to find out more
about Assistance Dogs International, you can head to their website
at Assistance Dogs International. Org. For more information about Seeing
Eye Dogs the work We do, how you can help.
Information about becoming a handler. You can head to our
website at. Don't forget to tune in! Same time next
(28:22):
week for another episode of The Seeing Eye Dog Show.
Thank you for listening and have a lovely week.
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