July 7, 2025 • 28 mins
On this episode of the Seeing Eye Dogs Show, Harriet is joined by Seeing Eye Dogs handler Annette Ferguson. Annette chats to us about her life, new partnership with Scotty, working as a graphic designer with low vision, and being part of the community of dog guide handlers in Australia.
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Episode Transcript
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S1 (00:19):
On Vision Australia radio. You're listening to the Seeing Eye
Dog show with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I'm
joined by Seeing Eye Dogs handler Annette Ferguson, who's going
to be talking to us about her life and partnership
with Seeing Eye dog Scotty. These two are a new team,
and Annette is going to be talking about their lives together,
as well as her involvement with Dog Eyed Handlers Australia,
(00:40):
her work as a graphic designer, and her love of
travel around Australia with her seeing eye dog. Without further ado,
let's begin my interview with Annette. I hope you enjoy.
S2 (00:58):
Hi Annette, thank you for joining me on the show today.
S3 (01:00):
Hi, Harriet. Nice to be here.
S2 (01:02):
Could you please start off by introducing yourself?
S3 (01:05):
Yes, I'm Annette, I'm from Dubbo in New South Wales.
I work as a graphic designer with low vision, and
I've just started working with a brand new seeing eye
dog called Scotty.
S2 (01:17):
Could you please introduce Sir Scotty?
S3 (01:19):
He has a lot of names. He has a lot
of nicknames, including Mr. Perfect, Scotty the Hotty, and Scotty Hotcakes. Um,
he's a golden Labrador. He's quite a giant. He's a
very tall, very long boy. He is full of jumping beans.
I don't know where he gets his energy from. And
(01:39):
he gets along really well with my other two dogs. Um,
one is a retired guide dog and one is a
pet dog. And, yeah, he's doing really well. We've been
working together for about 6 or 7 weeks now. And yeah,
his nickname, Mr. Perfect, really suits him because he's very perfect.
S2 (01:57):
It hasn't been long at all, and I don't know
why I thought it was longer than that. That you've
been working together?
S3 (02:02):
No, no, it's not very long at all, really. And
even in that time. So we did two weeks of training,
and then I think it was about 3 or 4
weeks later, we went on a big trip to Melbourne
and we've.
S2 (02:14):
You.
S3 (02:14):
Know, he's doing really, really well for such a young dog.
He's my third dog, so I guess I have a
bit of experience, but just feels like we've been working
together for five years, you know, like it was just
the perfect match. So yeah, very happy with that.
S2 (02:31):
So when you were, I guess, retiring your old dog,
what made you decide to reapply or, you know, get
another dog, I guess.
S3 (02:38):
Oh, well, I just I don't know how people live
without dogs, to be honest. Even even the sighted people.
I'm like, how do you people even survive without a dog,
I guess. Um, I've always been a horse and dog person.
I had horses when I was a kid, and I've
always had a dog, and I don't know, it just
feels right for me. Um, so between my retired dog
(03:02):
and my Scottie, my new dog, um, I had six
months using a white cane Kane. And, you know, kudos
to the people who who use white canes, but it's
just not for me. I just I just feel, you know,
like I've got a limb missing or something, you know,
and and it's so much more mental effort. Um, I just,
(03:26):
I don't know, I just feel like I can cruise
around town with a guide dog. Um, they're so intuitive
and so helpful. And they do all of those little
things that, you know, relieve the need to have to,
you know, count steps and remember where that door was,
you know, because they take you straight to the door or,
you know, straight to the, um, the pram ramp in
(03:47):
the footpath and straight to the bus door and, and
that sort of thing. You don't have to kind of,
you know, think about that sort of stuff. They do
all the work for you. So it was a no brainer.
I didn't really have to think much about, do I
want another dog? Yeah, absolutely. Do want another dog.
S2 (04:02):
So is that even a question?
S3 (04:05):
Yeah, Exactly.
S2 (04:08):
What are the types of outings that you get up
to in a week?
S3 (04:12):
Oh, what do we do? Well, I swim a couple
of times a week, so he comes to the pool
with me. He would love to have a swim himself,
but he's not allowed. And there have been a few
times where I've thought, oh my God, he's going to
jump in any minute. So I've had to stop him.
I spend a fair bit of time out and about.
I work from home, so I get sick of my
(04:33):
four walls. So I sometimes take my laptop to the
library or to sit in a cafe, and he comes
with me to do that. Um, we have all the
general little errands like shopping, and I don't know that
sort of, you know, the little errands that you have
to run every now and then. We also go on
lots of long walks. I live near a lovely Japanese garden,
(04:54):
so we walk over there. That's probably our 3 or
4 kilometre walk that we do several times a week.
I go out with friends, go to the occasional pub
or dinner out, that sort of thing as well. I
guess the highlight of our lives are more that we
travel away probably 3 or 4, sometimes more times a year.
My daughter lives in Sydney, so like to go down
(05:16):
to Sydney and visit my daughter. I've just been to
Melbourne for the Blind Citizens Australia conference and I, you know,
did a lot of socialising down there and that's where
it really benefits me to have a dog. I don't
know how I would have found my way around Melbourne
with just a cane. I think it would have been
really taxing. Many people do that and you know that's
(05:38):
their way. But a dog is my way. So yeah,
we like to go on little trips away. So yeah,
that's pretty much my life, I think.
S2 (05:46):
And what did you get up to at the Blind
Citizens Australia Convention, and what was it like kind of
travelling together?
S3 (05:53):
It was fantastic. We flew there. We had two flights
there and two flights home. Scott is not not the
keenest flyer, but so on the first trip he was
quite nervous. But by the fourth flight, you know, on
the way home, he was really good. He was just nervous.
He didn't misbehave or anything. I could just tell he
was like, I don't like this. But you know, by
(06:15):
the fourth flight, he was like, okay, we're in this,
you know, hunk of metal, and we're flying through the air.
I just have to suck it up because I can't
get out the window. So that part of it. Yeah,
he was a little bit nervous, but once we got there,
we went and visited the Seeing Eye Dogs training center
at Kensington. We went and stayed with a friend on
Wednesday night, and then we had lunch with another friend
(06:38):
on Thursday and then, you know, went and stayed with
another friend on Thursday night like.
S2 (06:42):
We were so busy.
S3 (06:43):
Traveling around. It was really good. Yeah, we were just
on the go the whole time. He had to get
on the little buggies at Southern Cross Station. Um, we
used Travelers Aid, which is the most fantastic service. Um,
and they have these little blue buggies that come and
pick you up from your train or from wherever you
are and take you to where you need to be.
(07:03):
And he just jumped on those like he'd been doing
that for a hundred years. We caught trains and taxis
and yeah, we were out and about the whole time. Um,
we spent the weekend at the convention where all of
the dogs, I think there were 33 dogs at this convention,
and they were all kind of shoved under the tables
so that people wouldn't trip over them. And he handled
(07:26):
all of that really, really well. I'm pretty sure he's
never been to a convention before, so he just, yeah,
handled everything like a total trooper. For a brand new dog,
he's pretty amazing.
S2 (07:37):
It's a bit of a test of your, I guess,
teamwork to some degree as well. You know? And if
you think about what he's like now, um, you know,
when you, I guess, have been working together for a
few years, how that might evolve.
S3 (07:48):
He's very intuitive. When I started working with him, I
was quite sort of aware that, you know, I'd been
working with a dog that I'd had for six years.
And after you've been working with a dog for maybe
around a year, six months to a year, you kind
of start to read each other's mind a little bit.
And I was really wary that, you know, I'm so
(08:10):
used to a dog that knows all my favorite places
and what I like and where I need to go,
and that this brand new dog is not going to
know any of that. But I have to say, you know,
it hasn't really been much of an issue. And yes,
he he is still learning lots of stuff, but he's
learning very quickly. Like I can actually go to our
(08:31):
local shopping center and say to him, okay, we're going
to go to Woolies. So it's not a queue or
a command. I just talk to him and say, okay,
let's go to Woolies and get some bananas or whatever.
And he already is going, okay, I know where Woolies
is and he.
S2 (08:46):
Starts.
S3 (08:47):
That path. So that's pretty clever, I think. My previous dog,
you know, he knew all my favorite places. I could
just say, let's go to big W or let's go
to Woolies or let's go to the post office. And
he would do that, but I. I didn't expect Scotty
to start doing that as quickly as he has. So
I can only see us getting better and better, to
be honest, as time goes on. So yeah, it's been
(09:09):
very good.
S2 (09:10):
So you saying you work from home? And I am
curious in the Non-dog related field, but did you say
you were a graphic designer?
S3 (09:18):
Yes.
S2 (09:18):
I'm sure you get the question a lot. So I'm
going to ask, how do you work as a graphic
designer with, you know, low vision?
S3 (09:25):
Yeah, that is a good question. And I think sometimes
people are too scared to ask that because they're they're
either thinking, God, am I going to call her out? Or,
you know, maybe that's a bit uncomfortable, but I'm really
happy to answer that question. And I like it when
people ask because, um, it sort of gives me an
opportunity to, you know, be really upfront about it. So
(09:46):
I use Adobe software. So Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator
and Fresco I occasionally make videos as well. So I
use Premiere Pro. Um, so Photoshop, illustrator and InDesign have
a built in ability to zoom in. I can see
enough on a screen to see a layout when it's
(10:09):
zoomed out, and you can see the whole page, but
if I want to see details or check spelling or,
you know, zoom in, I can I can very easily
zoom in and, you know, see the finer details. And
I guess I've developed the part of my brain that
keeps track of a whole layout, even when I'm zoomed in,
and I can only see part of it. I kind of,
(10:29):
I don't know, hold it in my brain that I
know where everything is. And then, of course, there's also
the built in accessibility features on my Mac. So I
use an iMac and an iPad, and you can zoom
in very easily on those, you know, to see things
that you might not be able to see. So it
actually works really well for me. I occasionally do portraits
(10:50):
of animals and that sort of thing, and I love that.
I can do really fine detail. Whereas if I was
painting on canvas or drawing on paper, I wouldn't be
able to see that fine detail as easily. I could
possibly use a magnifier, but I just wouldn't have the
same flow as working digitally does. And with the digital tools,
(11:11):
you know, you can replicate a pencil or charcoal or
watercolor or whatever in the digital space as well. So
I really enjoy it. You know, I know that there
are fully sighted people who only work digitally as well.
I don't know, I just think it's the medium for me.
And I was born at the right time that I
can do this. If I had been born 200 years ago,
(11:32):
it would have been quite a struggle using canvas and
paint and that sort of thing.
S2 (11:36):
So although I have to say, every time I see
the Vision Australia calendars with the artwork from, you know,
clients who are willing to have that vision, I'm quite
blown away. There are some incredible, although I don't know
if I've ever seen anything digital, so that feels like
that's maybe a challenge for you.
S3 (11:50):
Well, I have actually approached Vision Australia because they didn't.
I guess they just didn't think of it. You had
to submit your work as paper or canvas or whatever
it is. So I have actually said, hey, next year
can you let us submit digital artwork?
S2 (12:08):
So oh well, my fingers are crossed. I feel like
that'd be great because.
S3 (12:13):
Thank.
S2 (12:13):
You. And you're right about the right time. I think it's,
you know, the technology that you have, even, you know,
I've spoken to people on this show about working with
technology and you're seeing Eye Dog. There's so many different
forms of mapping software and other, other tools that just
make your life well, all of our lives in different ways. Easier.
S3 (12:32):
So much easier. Yeah, I, I read an article the
other day about we're so reliant on GPS and Google
Maps and that sort of thing. And I thought, yeah,
how did we survive without it? I don't know how
I survived without it, and I think I just got
lost a lot of the time. And, you know, there
were a lot of surprises and it was a lot
more stressful. And I think, you know, once things get easier,
(12:53):
you kind of wonder, how do we how do we
cope before this? So, um, the technology side of life
is fantastic at the moment. And we were definitely born
in the right era.
S2 (13:06):
What are some of the favorite things about, I guess
being a dog handler for you?
S3 (13:11):
I just like having a dog beside me. I think
I like dogs a lot more than people. I just
like the companionship and the teamwork. Um, they don't resist
things in the way that people do. I don't know,
maybe it's me, but I just find that I get
along much better with dogs, and they're just, I don't know,
they just have such a nice presence. And I did
(13:33):
notice that the world was a different place while I
was using a cane for that six months between dogs,
so it just felt like it wasn't as happy and
it wasn't as nice in some way. You know, when
you go out with a dog, I mean, I when
I've been out with friends, they always say to me, oh,
you know, people just smile at your dog and people
(13:54):
just seem so happy. And I can't see that. But
I guess I must be able to feel it in
some way that you know, and you get better service,
mostly when you have a dog with you.
S2 (14:03):
Interesting.
S3 (14:04):
Yeah, it's a good way to get good service because
people just want to I don't know, they want to.
They know they can't interact with the dog, but they
just want to be around the dog, I guess. I
don't suffer from depression, but they're like an antidepressant in
some ways. So, you know, they they cause a lot
of dopamine release.
S2 (14:22):
I think just to Pat and a and a, you know,
a little bit of a tail wag and that stuff
is just enough to make you feel.
S3 (14:30):
It is. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. And Scotty is if you
walk over to pat him, he will every single time
he will put his shoulder to the ground and show
you his belly because he just wants belly rubs. It's
it's really cute. So yeah, they just they just feel
good animals and I don't know people that are like
(14:51):
that so much. But dogs definitely are.
S2 (14:54):
When it comes to the people element, though, you're quite
involved in parts of the kind of dog guide handlers community.
Would you like to tell us a bit about that?
S3 (15:02):
Yeah, sure. For I don't know how long it was.
I think maybe two, 2 or 3 years. I was the, um,
chairperson of Dog Guide Handlers Australia. I led the organisation
of their 2023 conference, which was held in Brisbane, which
was an absolute cracker of a conference. We had 39
(15:24):
or 40 dogs and, you know, 70 or 80 people,
and it was a fantastic weekend. So yeah, I have
been involved in that, that side of things. Um, I've
done a little bit of advocacy work as well, but
at the moment I'm just having a little break from that.
I will get back to it. I hope to be
very involved in organising the next conference, which we hope
(15:45):
will be 2026. That's an organization that I'm really passionate about.
It is the voice for handlers that is not associated
with any schools. So it's where we can speak freely
and ask for help and, you know, support each other.
It's a peer led organization, which I think is a
really important thing to have in our community. Uh, and
(16:07):
it's a fantastic group of people. We have a Facebook
group that is really, really helpful. You can get on
there and ask any question and you will get a
whole lot of answers, uh, within a short period of
time that will be just, you know, from everyone else's experience.
So there's usually something in those answers that is helpful. Yeah,
it's a great, great group of people. If anyone's interested
(16:31):
in getting on our committee, please give me a call.
S2 (16:34):
So, I mean, I guess people can reach out through
is it an email do you have.
S3 (16:38):
We do have an email DG at DG. And you
can email and um, membership is only $20 for a lifetime,
which is a pretty good deal. And if you're not
a handler, you can be an associate member for $10
for a lifetime. So yeah, it's a pretty good deal, really.
S2 (16:59):
And for a handler kind of getting involved within your
own community, you know, might just be a really great,
especially for first time handlers, I imagine getting some ideas from,
you know, your peers.
S3 (17:09):
It's it's excellent for first time handlers. I think I
joined before I got my first dog. I might have
been on the waiting list for a couple of months,
and it was really good to just read through the conversations. Um,
I mean, it's not always people asking questions. They share
stories and share their ups and downs as well. Um,
(17:29):
and it was really good to just, um, see what
happens in that community and the, you know, the things
that they talk about. I mean, Pooh is a very
common issue or not an issue, but a very common topic. So,
you know, it's kind of like having a baby. If
you've had a baby, you know that there is poo
talk at times. But it's an important topic. We need
(17:50):
to monitor their poo.
S2 (17:51):
So their output is quite important. In a way it is.
S3 (17:56):
It's very important. So yeah, but there are lots of,
you know, lots of conversations in there that, you know, um,
some of them are about the struggles that we have, um,
you know, with taxi and rideshare refusals and, um, accessibility issues.
But there's a lot of triumphs as well, a lot
of good things that happen. And, you know, people getting
new dogs or retiring their old dogs or going on adventures, um,
(18:20):
you know, it's just it's a really good community. Um, and,
you know, the thing is that if you live in
regional Australia somewhere, it's very, you know, likely that you're
the only one in your town, or there might only
be you and 1 or 2 others in your town.
So it's a great way to connect with other handlers
the schools can't always put us in touch with each other. So,
(18:43):
you know, it's a way for us to get in
touch with each other and form our own little communities. So, yeah,
it's a good space.
S2 (18:50):
It's a nice, nice, kind of positive community building and.
S3 (18:53):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
S2 (18:56):
So when it comes to, um, home life and you
said you've got pets, I'm always interested to hear how, um,
new dogs settle in. How do you find, um, Scotty
is going with your, um, home crew?
S3 (19:07):
Oh, look, it was just love at first sight. Um,
it may not be like that for everybody, but my
other two dogs are Labradors. One. One was a guide
dog was a guide dog. Um, and they, I guess
when they all grow up in kennels and and they breed,
they're all Labradors. So they, I don't know, Labradors kind
of get along with everyone, really. And it was all
(19:28):
just love at first sight. My, um, they're pretty rowdy. Um,
but they're also very, um, they have strict rules, like,
you know, if I open a door, they're not allowed
to just barrel out the door. They've got to wait
until their name is called, and then they can go
out because, you know, it could be quite dangerous having
three big Labradors, you know, barrel out the door between
(19:52):
your legs. Um, you know, and we have a feeding
routine where they've all got to sit in their spot and, um,
wait until their name is called and then they can
go and eat their food. Um, it's probably a little
bit pedantic for some people, but it works for me. Yeah. Um,
and they get along like a house on fire. They
are all good mates. Um, but they also give each
(20:13):
other space when they need space as well. So. Yeah. Um,
it takes a little bit of coordination, I guess. Um, but,
you know, they all snuggle up in my bedroom at night. Um,
I've got three beds, um, at the end of my bed,
and they all kind of snuggle in there and, um, yeah,
they get along really well. And there is some, you know,
(20:35):
sometimes I think my neighbours must think, oh my God,
someone's going to die in that backyard because there is
a bit of rough play. Yeah. And, um, you know,
there's growling and whatever, but it's it's not serious. It's
just it's just Labradors. Yeah. It's just Labradors. So, uh. Yeah,
they get along really well.
S2 (20:54):
Oh. That's nice.
S3 (20:55):
Yeah.
S2 (20:57):
So just to kind of, uh, I guess, um, looking
in the future of your partnership, is there anything in
particular that you're looking forward to with Scottie or even
kind of, you know, whether that's trips or anything? Yeah.
S3 (21:09):
Um, yeah. I'm looking forward to lots more trips with him. Um,
I love going away. Um, we either fly, um, or
we catch the XPT to Sydney. Um, I haven't done
that with him yet, but we have a trip to
Sydney planned in about 2 or 3 weeks. Um, so
that's going to be fun. Um, I guess, um, yeah, I,
(21:33):
I look forward, like, with my previous dog. He he
has been to everywhere from Townsville to Perth to Melbourne.
And Sydney. Um, Adelaide. You know, I just yeah, I'm
just looking forward to going to lots of places with him. Um,
and I think I wouldn't probably be as keen to
(21:54):
go to those places if I didn't have a dog. Um,
because he just makes it so much easier. Um, yeah.
I don't think I'm interested in really taking him out
of the country. Um, um, so the next Dog Guide
handlers conference, we haven't 100% decided on the location yet,
but it may be in Perth or it may be
in Adelaide. So that'll be, um, something that we look
(22:18):
forward to. I also have a couple of friends who
I go traveling with. Um, I have a bunch of
school friends who, you know, we organise weekends away every
couple of years and we just go and hang out
and eat nice food and drink nice cocktails. Wherever we
wherever we go to. Um, so yeah, I'm just looking
(22:38):
forward to lots of little trips. I'm not a not
a fan of big trips away, but those little, you know,
weekend or five days or something.
S2 (22:46):
Kind of short, short and sweet and where you don't
have to pack your whole life in.
S3 (22:49):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely.
S2 (22:52):
Are there any stories that you'd like to share about
you and Scotty in your lives together? What was it
like when you met?
S3 (22:59):
I was visiting my retired guide dog in Queensland, and
Scotty and his trainer, Yoav came up for a visit
to give me a trial of him. And the first
thing he did was turn himself upside down for a
belly rub, and we went for a walk from the
Vision Australia office to, uh, shopping centre was just with
(23:23):
the trainer, and he had a leash on Scotty. And,
you know, that was just for me to have a
trial walk of him to, to see if he was,
you know, my perfect match or not. And he just
absolutely was my perfect match. The trainer, you know, said
to me, now take your time and just think about this.
And I'm like, no, I don't need to think. I
know my perfect match. It was kind of love at
(23:43):
first sight. And yeah, he was just such a pleasure
to walk. He's he's a big dog and he has
a lovely big stride. And he pulls out into the
harness really nicely. And, um, you know, I actually had
a big blister on my foot at the time that
I'd bandaged up and I thought, oh, I hope this
is not going to be a problem. But honestly, I
(24:05):
don't think my feet even touch the ground. He was
just such a pleasure to work. And, you know, it
just felt right. So, um, I know not everybody's story
is like that. Um, sometimes it can take a bit
longer to bond with your dog, but, yeah, Scotty and I,
I think we just bonded instantly, so.
S2 (24:24):
Oh. How nice.
S3 (24:26):
Yeah, it was good. Yeah, yeah.
S2 (24:30):
Well, and just to finish off, are there any messages
that you would like to share with other handlers? You know, supporters, volunteers,
all of that type of stuff. Anyone you like?
S3 (24:39):
Any messages? Yeah, I think I would just like to say, um,
that the relationship between the dog and the handler is
a really important one. And, you know, sometimes we can,
I don't know, get carried away in where we're going
or what we're doing, but I think it's always really
important to slow down and just make sure that you're
working with your dog. Always listen to your dog like
(25:02):
they're so much smarter than what we give them credit for. Like,
I know we give our guide dogs a lot of credit,
but they know so much more than we do. They
they get context and they, they just have senses that
we don't have. So I think it's really important to
trust them and to listen to them. And, you know,
sometimes they it feels like they might not want to
(25:25):
do what we want them to do, but there's usually
a reason for that. So, you know, make sure that
you kind of communicate with your dog and really listen
to them. Um, yeah.
S2 (25:38):
I mean, I think it's nice even for pet dog owners,
to be fair. It's that like, you know, they are
our partners and we do need to kind of respect
their they they know what's going on, don't they?
S3 (25:48):
Yeah. Yeah they do. They know more than we do.
They really do. Like just as an example, you know, um,
Scotty's not quite at this point yet, but my two
previous dogs, you know, if ever I was sick, they
would know that I was sick. Um, I was lying
on my bed one day with a really sore knee. I,
I don't know, probably fallen over or twisted my knee
(26:08):
or something. And my dog just came and laid right
next to that knee, like she knew that that knee
was in pain. So, uh, you know, they they know.
And if you're ever upset about anything, they just know.
And they, they come and lick your face, which is, um, yeah,
sometimes good, sometimes not. But they totally get us. You know,
(26:32):
they're so much smarter than we are.
S2 (26:35):
Well, thank you so much for joining me on the
show and sharing your story with, uh, you and Scotty.
S3 (26:40):
No worries. Thank you.
S2 (26:47):
You've been listening to the Seeing Auto show on Vision
Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Annette.
Seeing eye dogs handler to Scotty. If you'd like to
find out more about seeing eye dogs, the work we do,
or how you can help, head to our website at.
If you're a dog guide handler, whether that's seeing eye
dogs or another school, you are welcome to attend our
(27:09):
one day workshop all about caring for your retiring or
aging Seeing Eye Dog, which will be held on Saturday,
July 19th at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Australian Eastern
Standard Time. You can attend this workshop at Seeing Eye
Dogs Org's headquarters in Kensington, Victoria. Vision Australia. Queensland. Vision Australia. Caringbah,
(27:30):
New South Wales or. Vision Australia, West Leederville in Western Australia.
You can also join the webinar online via teams. The
workshop is free but registration is required. During this workshop,
you'll learn all about recognising signs of ageing in your dog,
guide health conditions, hear about personal experiences with retiring a
(27:51):
dog and transitioning to a new one, as well as
coping with the grief that comes with that and treatment
and care options for older dogs. The day will include
five sessions on those topics, led by senior dogs, experts
and special guests. The workshop is free and you can
find out more about that on the Seeing Eye Dogs
website or email us at. Thank you for listening to
(28:14):
the Seeing Eye Dog show, and don't forget to tune
in Same time next week for another episode.
On Vision Australia radio. You're listening to the Seeing Eye
Dog show with me, your host, Harriet Moffatt. Today I'm
joined by Seeing Eye Dogs handler Annette Ferguson, who's going
to be talking to us about her life and partnership
with Seeing Eye dog Scotty. These two are a new team,
and Annette is going to be talking about their lives together,
as well as her involvement with Dog Eyed Handlers Australia,
(00:40):
her work as a graphic designer, and her love of
travel around Australia with her seeing eye dog. Without further ado,
let's begin my interview with Annette. I hope you enjoy.
S2 (00:58):
Hi Annette, thank you for joining me on the show today.
S3 (01:00):
Hi, Harriet. Nice to be here.
S2 (01:02):
Could you please start off by introducing yourself?
S3 (01:05):
Yes, I'm Annette, I'm from Dubbo in New South Wales.
I work as a graphic designer with low vision, and
I've just started working with a brand new seeing eye
dog called Scotty.
S2 (01:17):
Could you please introduce Sir Scotty?
S3 (01:19):
He has a lot of names. He has a lot
of nicknames, including Mr. Perfect, Scotty the Hotty, and Scotty Hotcakes. Um,
he's a golden Labrador. He's quite a giant. He's a
very tall, very long boy. He is full of jumping beans.
I don't know where he gets his energy from. And
(01:39):
he gets along really well with my other two dogs. Um,
one is a retired guide dog and one is a
pet dog. And, yeah, he's doing really well. We've been
working together for about 6 or 7 weeks now. And yeah,
his nickname, Mr. Perfect, really suits him because he's very perfect.
S2 (01:57):
It hasn't been long at all, and I don't know
why I thought it was longer than that. That you've
been working together?
S3 (02:02):
No, no, it's not very long at all, really. And
even in that time. So we did two weeks of training,
and then I think it was about 3 or 4
weeks later, we went on a big trip to Melbourne
and we've.
S2 (02:14):
You.
S3 (02:14):
Know, he's doing really, really well for such a young dog.
He's my third dog, so I guess I have a
bit of experience, but just feels like we've been working
together for five years, you know, like it was just
the perfect match. So yeah, very happy with that.
S2 (02:31):
So when you were, I guess, retiring your old dog,
what made you decide to reapply or, you know, get
another dog, I guess.
S3 (02:38):
Oh, well, I just I don't know how people live
without dogs, to be honest. Even even the sighted people.
I'm like, how do you people even survive without a dog,
I guess. Um, I've always been a horse and dog person.
I had horses when I was a kid, and I've
always had a dog, and I don't know, it just
feels right for me. Um, so between my retired dog
(03:02):
and my Scottie, my new dog, um, I had six
months using a white cane Kane. And, you know, kudos
to the people who who use white canes, but it's
just not for me. I just I just feel, you know,
like I've got a limb missing or something, you know,
and and it's so much more mental effort. Um, I just,
(03:26):
I don't know, I just feel like I can cruise
around town with a guide dog. Um, they're so intuitive
and so helpful. And they do all of those little
things that, you know, relieve the need to have to,
you know, count steps and remember where that door was,
you know, because they take you straight to the door or,
you know, straight to the, um, the pram ramp in
(03:47):
the footpath and straight to the bus door and, and
that sort of thing. You don't have to kind of,
you know, think about that sort of stuff. They do
all the work for you. So it was a no brainer.
I didn't really have to think much about, do I
want another dog? Yeah, absolutely. Do want another dog.
S2 (04:02):
So is that even a question?
S3 (04:05):
Yeah, Exactly.
S2 (04:08):
What are the types of outings that you get up
to in a week?
S3 (04:12):
Oh, what do we do? Well, I swim a couple
of times a week, so he comes to the pool
with me. He would love to have a swim himself,
but he's not allowed. And there have been a few
times where I've thought, oh my God, he's going to
jump in any minute. So I've had to stop him.
I spend a fair bit of time out and about.
I work from home, so I get sick of my
(04:33):
four walls. So I sometimes take my laptop to the
library or to sit in a cafe, and he comes
with me to do that. Um, we have all the
general little errands like shopping, and I don't know that
sort of, you know, the little errands that you have
to run every now and then. We also go on
lots of long walks. I live near a lovely Japanese garden,
(04:54):
so we walk over there. That's probably our 3 or
4 kilometre walk that we do several times a week.
I go out with friends, go to the occasional pub
or dinner out, that sort of thing as well. I
guess the highlight of our lives are more that we
travel away probably 3 or 4, sometimes more times a year.
My daughter lives in Sydney, so like to go down
(05:16):
to Sydney and visit my daughter. I've just been to
Melbourne for the Blind Citizens Australia conference and I, you know,
did a lot of socialising down there and that's where
it really benefits me to have a dog. I don't
know how I would have found my way around Melbourne
with just a cane. I think it would have been
really taxing. Many people do that and you know that's
(05:38):
their way. But a dog is my way. So yeah,
we like to go on little trips away. So yeah,
that's pretty much my life, I think.
S2 (05:46):
And what did you get up to at the Blind
Citizens Australia Convention, and what was it like kind of
travelling together?
S3 (05:53):
It was fantastic. We flew there. We had two flights
there and two flights home. Scott is not not the
keenest flyer, but so on the first trip he was
quite nervous. But by the fourth flight, you know, on
the way home, he was really good. He was just nervous.
He didn't misbehave or anything. I could just tell he
was like, I don't like this. But you know, by
(06:15):
the fourth flight, he was like, okay, we're in this,
you know, hunk of metal, and we're flying through the air.
I just have to suck it up because I can't
get out the window. So that part of it. Yeah,
he was a little bit nervous, but once we got there,
we went and visited the Seeing Eye Dogs training center
at Kensington. We went and stayed with a friend on
Wednesday night, and then we had lunch with another friend
(06:38):
on Thursday and then, you know, went and stayed with
another friend on Thursday night like.
S2 (06:42):
We were so busy.
S3 (06:43):
Traveling around. It was really good. Yeah, we were just
on the go the whole time. He had to get
on the little buggies at Southern Cross Station. Um, we
used Travelers Aid, which is the most fantastic service. Um,
and they have these little blue buggies that come and
pick you up from your train or from wherever you
are and take you to where you need to be.
(07:03):
And he just jumped on those like he'd been doing
that for a hundred years. We caught trains and taxis
and yeah, we were out and about the whole time. Um,
we spent the weekend at the convention where all of
the dogs, I think there were 33 dogs at this convention,
and they were all kind of shoved under the tables
so that people wouldn't trip over them. And he handled
(07:26):
all of that really, really well. I'm pretty sure he's
never been to a convention before, so he just, yeah,
handled everything like a total trooper. For a brand new dog,
he's pretty amazing.
S2 (07:37):
It's a bit of a test of your, I guess,
teamwork to some degree as well. You know? And if
you think about what he's like now, um, you know,
when you, I guess, have been working together for a
few years, how that might evolve.
S3 (07:48):
He's very intuitive. When I started working with him, I
was quite sort of aware that, you know, I'd been
working with a dog that I'd had for six years.
And after you've been working with a dog for maybe
around a year, six months to a year, you kind
of start to read each other's mind a little bit.
And I was really wary that, you know, I'm so
(08:10):
used to a dog that knows all my favorite places
and what I like and where I need to go,
and that this brand new dog is not going to
know any of that. But I have to say, you know,
it hasn't really been much of an issue. And yes,
he he is still learning lots of stuff, but he's
learning very quickly. Like I can actually go to our
(08:31):
local shopping center and say to him, okay, we're going
to go to Woolies. So it's not a queue or
a command. I just talk to him and say, okay,
let's go to Woolies and get some bananas or whatever.
And he already is going, okay, I know where Woolies
is and he.
S2 (08:46):
Starts.
S3 (08:47):
That path. So that's pretty clever, I think. My previous dog,
you know, he knew all my favorite places. I could
just say, let's go to big W or let's go
to Woolies or let's go to the post office. And
he would do that, but I. I didn't expect Scotty
to start doing that as quickly as he has. So
I can only see us getting better and better, to
be honest, as time goes on. So yeah, it's been
(09:09):
very good.
S2 (09:10):
So you saying you work from home? And I am
curious in the Non-dog related field, but did you say
you were a graphic designer?
S3 (09:18):
Yes.
S2 (09:18):
I'm sure you get the question a lot. So I'm
going to ask, how do you work as a graphic
designer with, you know, low vision?
S3 (09:25):
Yeah, that is a good question. And I think sometimes
people are too scared to ask that because they're they're
either thinking, God, am I going to call her out? Or,
you know, maybe that's a bit uncomfortable, but I'm really
happy to answer that question. And I like it when
people ask because, um, it sort of gives me an
opportunity to, you know, be really upfront about it. So
(09:46):
I use Adobe software. So Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator
and Fresco I occasionally make videos as well. So I
use Premiere Pro. Um, so Photoshop, illustrator and InDesign have
a built in ability to zoom in. I can see
enough on a screen to see a layout when it's
(10:09):
zoomed out, and you can see the whole page, but
if I want to see details or check spelling or,
you know, zoom in, I can I can very easily
zoom in and, you know, see the finer details. And
I guess I've developed the part of my brain that
keeps track of a whole layout, even when I'm zoomed in,
and I can only see part of it. I kind of,
(10:29):
I don't know, hold it in my brain that I
know where everything is. And then, of course, there's also
the built in accessibility features on my Mac. So I
use an iMac and an iPad, and you can zoom
in very easily on those, you know, to see things
that you might not be able to see. So it
actually works really well for me. I occasionally do portraits
(10:50):
of animals and that sort of thing, and I love that.
I can do really fine detail. Whereas if I was
painting on canvas or drawing on paper, I wouldn't be
able to see that fine detail as easily. I could
possibly use a magnifier, but I just wouldn't have the
same flow as working digitally does. And with the digital tools,
(11:11):
you know, you can replicate a pencil or charcoal or
watercolor or whatever in the digital space as well. So
I really enjoy it. You know, I know that there
are fully sighted people who only work digitally as well.
I don't know, I just think it's the medium for me.
And I was born at the right time that I
can do this. If I had been born 200 years ago,
(11:32):
it would have been quite a struggle using canvas and
paint and that sort of thing.
S2 (11:36):
So although I have to say, every time I see
the Vision Australia calendars with the artwork from, you know,
clients who are willing to have that vision, I'm quite
blown away. There are some incredible, although I don't know
if I've ever seen anything digital, so that feels like
that's maybe a challenge for you.
S3 (11:50):
Well, I have actually approached Vision Australia because they didn't.
I guess they just didn't think of it. You had
to submit your work as paper or canvas or whatever
it is. So I have actually said, hey, next year
can you let us submit digital artwork?
S2 (12:08):
So oh well, my fingers are crossed. I feel like
that'd be great because.
S3 (12:13):
Thank.
S2 (12:13):
You. And you're right about the right time. I think it's,
you know, the technology that you have, even, you know,
I've spoken to people on this show about working with
technology and you're seeing Eye Dog. There's so many different
forms of mapping software and other, other tools that just
make your life well, all of our lives in different ways. Easier.
S3 (12:32):
So much easier. Yeah, I, I read an article the
other day about we're so reliant on GPS and Google
Maps and that sort of thing. And I thought, yeah,
how did we survive without it? I don't know how
I survived without it, and I think I just got
lost a lot of the time. And, you know, there
were a lot of surprises and it was a lot
more stressful. And I think, you know, once things get easier,
(12:53):
you kind of wonder, how do we how do we
cope before this? So, um, the technology side of life
is fantastic at the moment. And we were definitely born
in the right era.
S2 (13:06):
What are some of the favorite things about, I guess
being a dog handler for you?
S3 (13:11):
I just like having a dog beside me. I think
I like dogs a lot more than people. I just
like the companionship and the teamwork. Um, they don't resist
things in the way that people do. I don't know,
maybe it's me, but I just find that I get
along much better with dogs, and they're just, I don't know,
they just have such a nice presence. And I did
(13:33):
notice that the world was a different place while I
was using a cane for that six months between dogs,
so it just felt like it wasn't as happy and
it wasn't as nice in some way. You know, when
you go out with a dog, I mean, I when
I've been out with friends, they always say to me, oh,
you know, people just smile at your dog and people
(13:54):
just seem so happy. And I can't see that. But
I guess I must be able to feel it in
some way that you know, and you get better service,
mostly when you have a dog with you.
S2 (14:03):
Interesting.
S3 (14:04):
Yeah, it's a good way to get good service because
people just want to I don't know, they want to.
They know they can't interact with the dog, but they
just want to be around the dog, I guess. I
don't suffer from depression, but they're like an antidepressant in
some ways. So, you know, they they cause a lot
of dopamine release.
S2 (14:22):
I think just to Pat and a and a, you know,
a little bit of a tail wag and that stuff
is just enough to make you feel.
S3 (14:30):
It is. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. And Scotty is if you
walk over to pat him, he will every single time
he will put his shoulder to the ground and show
you his belly because he just wants belly rubs. It's
it's really cute. So yeah, they just they just feel
good animals and I don't know people that are like
(14:51):
that so much. But dogs definitely are.
S2 (14:54):
When it comes to the people element, though, you're quite
involved in parts of the kind of dog guide handlers community.
Would you like to tell us a bit about that?
S3 (15:02):
Yeah, sure. For I don't know how long it was.
I think maybe two, 2 or 3 years. I was the, um,
chairperson of Dog Guide Handlers Australia. I led the organisation
of their 2023 conference, which was held in Brisbane, which
was an absolute cracker of a conference. We had 39
(15:24):
or 40 dogs and, you know, 70 or 80 people,
and it was a fantastic weekend. So yeah, I have
been involved in that, that side of things. Um, I've
done a little bit of advocacy work as well, but
at the moment I'm just having a little break from that.
I will get back to it. I hope to be
very involved in organising the next conference, which we hope
(15:45):
will be 2026. That's an organization that I'm really passionate about.
It is the voice for handlers that is not associated
with any schools. So it's where we can speak freely
and ask for help and, you know, support each other.
It's a peer led organization, which I think is a
really important thing to have in our community. Uh, and
(16:07):
it's a fantastic group of people. We have a Facebook
group that is really, really helpful. You can get on
there and ask any question and you will get a
whole lot of answers, uh, within a short period of
time that will be just, you know, from everyone else's experience.
So there's usually something in those answers that is helpful. Yeah,
it's a great, great group of people. If anyone's interested
(16:31):
in getting on our committee, please give me a call.
S2 (16:34):
So, I mean, I guess people can reach out through
is it an email do you have.
S3 (16:38):
We do have an email DG at DG. And you
can email and um, membership is only $20 for a lifetime,
which is a pretty good deal. And if you're not
a handler, you can be an associate member for $10
for a lifetime. So yeah, it's a pretty good deal, really.
S2 (16:59):
And for a handler kind of getting involved within your
own community, you know, might just be a really great,
especially for first time handlers, I imagine getting some ideas from,
you know, your peers.
S3 (17:09):
It's it's excellent for first time handlers. I think I
joined before I got my first dog. I might have
been on the waiting list for a couple of months,
and it was really good to just read through the conversations. Um,
I mean, it's not always people asking questions. They share
stories and share their ups and downs as well. Um,
(17:29):
and it was really good to just, um, see what
happens in that community and the, you know, the things
that they talk about. I mean, Pooh is a very
common issue or not an issue, but a very common topic. So,
you know, it's kind of like having a baby. If
you've had a baby, you know that there is poo
talk at times. But it's an important topic. We need
(17:50):
to monitor their poo.
S2 (17:51):
So their output is quite important. In a way it is.
S3 (17:56):
It's very important. So yeah, but there are lots of,
you know, lots of conversations in there that, you know, um,
some of them are about the struggles that we have, um,
you know, with taxi and rideshare refusals and, um, accessibility issues.
But there's a lot of triumphs as well, a lot
of good things that happen. And, you know, people getting
new dogs or retiring their old dogs or going on adventures, um,
(18:20):
you know, it's just it's a really good community. Um, and,
you know, the thing is that if you live in
regional Australia somewhere, it's very, you know, likely that you're
the only one in your town, or there might only
be you and 1 or 2 others in your town.
So it's a great way to connect with other handlers
the schools can't always put us in touch with each other. So,
(18:43):
you know, it's a way for us to get in
touch with each other and form our own little communities. So, yeah,
it's a good space.
S2 (18:50):
It's a nice, nice, kind of positive community building and.
S3 (18:53):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
S2 (18:56):
So when it comes to, um, home life and you
said you've got pets, I'm always interested to hear how, um,
new dogs settle in. How do you find, um, Scotty
is going with your, um, home crew?
S3 (19:07):
Oh, look, it was just love at first sight. Um,
it may not be like that for everybody, but my
other two dogs are Labradors. One. One was a guide
dog was a guide dog. Um, and they, I guess
when they all grow up in kennels and and they breed,
they're all Labradors. So they, I don't know, Labradors kind
of get along with everyone, really. And it was all
(19:28):
just love at first sight. My, um, they're pretty rowdy. Um,
but they're also very, um, they have strict rules, like,
you know, if I open a door, they're not allowed
to just barrel out the door. They've got to wait
until their name is called, and then they can go
out because, you know, it could be quite dangerous having
three big Labradors, you know, barrel out the door between
(19:52):
your legs. Um, you know, and we have a feeding
routine where they've all got to sit in their spot and, um,
wait until their name is called and then they can
go and eat their food. Um, it's probably a little
bit pedantic for some people, but it works for me. Yeah. Um,
and they get along like a house on fire. They
are all good mates. Um, but they also give each
(20:13):
other space when they need space as well. So. Yeah. Um,
it takes a little bit of coordination, I guess. Um, but,
you know, they all snuggle up in my bedroom at night. Um,
I've got three beds, um, at the end of my bed,
and they all kind of snuggle in there and, um, yeah,
they get along really well. And there is some, you know,
(20:35):
sometimes I think my neighbours must think, oh my God,
someone's going to die in that backyard because there is
a bit of rough play. Yeah. And, um, you know,
there's growling and whatever, but it's it's not serious. It's
just it's just Labradors. Yeah. It's just Labradors. So, uh. Yeah,
they get along really well.
S2 (20:54):
Oh. That's nice.
S3 (20:55):
Yeah.
S2 (20:57):
So just to kind of, uh, I guess, um, looking
in the future of your partnership, is there anything in
particular that you're looking forward to with Scottie or even
kind of, you know, whether that's trips or anything? Yeah.
S3 (21:09):
Um, yeah. I'm looking forward to lots more trips with him. Um,
I love going away. Um, we either fly, um, or
we catch the XPT to Sydney. Um, I haven't done
that with him yet, but we have a trip to
Sydney planned in about 2 or 3 weeks. Um, so
that's going to be fun. Um, I guess, um, yeah, I,
(21:33):
I look forward, like, with my previous dog. He he
has been to everywhere from Townsville to Perth to Melbourne.
And Sydney. Um, Adelaide. You know, I just yeah, I'm
just looking forward to going to lots of places with him. Um,
and I think I wouldn't probably be as keen to
(21:54):
go to those places if I didn't have a dog. Um,
because he just makes it so much easier. Um, yeah.
I don't think I'm interested in really taking him out
of the country. Um, um, so the next Dog Guide
handlers conference, we haven't 100% decided on the location yet,
but it may be in Perth or it may be
in Adelaide. So that'll be, um, something that we look
(22:18):
forward to. I also have a couple of friends who
I go traveling with. Um, I have a bunch of
school friends who, you know, we organise weekends away every
couple of years and we just go and hang out
and eat nice food and drink nice cocktails. Wherever we
wherever we go to. Um, so yeah, I'm just looking
(22:38):
forward to lots of little trips. I'm not a not
a fan of big trips away, but those little, you know,
weekend or five days or something.
S2 (22:46):
Kind of short, short and sweet and where you don't
have to pack your whole life in.
S3 (22:49):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely.
S2 (22:52):
Are there any stories that you'd like to share about
you and Scotty in your lives together? What was it
like when you met?
S3 (22:59):
I was visiting my retired guide dog in Queensland, and
Scotty and his trainer, Yoav came up for a visit
to give me a trial of him. And the first
thing he did was turn himself upside down for a
belly rub, and we went for a walk from the
Vision Australia office to, uh, shopping centre was just with
(23:23):
the trainer, and he had a leash on Scotty. And,
you know, that was just for me to have a
trial walk of him to, to see if he was,
you know, my perfect match or not. And he just
absolutely was my perfect match. The trainer, you know, said
to me, now take your time and just think about this.
And I'm like, no, I don't need to think. I
know my perfect match. It was kind of love at
(23:43):
first sight. And yeah, he was just such a pleasure
to walk. He's he's a big dog and he has
a lovely big stride. And he pulls out into the
harness really nicely. And, um, you know, I actually had
a big blister on my foot at the time that
I'd bandaged up and I thought, oh, I hope this
is not going to be a problem. But honestly, I
(24:05):
don't think my feet even touch the ground. He was
just such a pleasure to work. And, you know, it
just felt right. So, um, I know not everybody's story
is like that. Um, sometimes it can take a bit
longer to bond with your dog, but, yeah, Scotty and I,
I think we just bonded instantly, so.
S2 (24:24):
Oh. How nice.
S3 (24:26):
Yeah, it was good. Yeah, yeah.
S2 (24:30):
Well, and just to finish off, are there any messages
that you would like to share with other handlers? You know, supporters, volunteers,
all of that type of stuff. Anyone you like?
S3 (24:39):
Any messages? Yeah, I think I would just like to say, um,
that the relationship between the dog and the handler is
a really important one. And, you know, sometimes we can,
I don't know, get carried away in where we're going
or what we're doing, but I think it's always really
important to slow down and just make sure that you're
working with your dog. Always listen to your dog like
(25:02):
they're so much smarter than what we give them credit for. Like,
I know we give our guide dogs a lot of credit,
but they know so much more than we do. They
they get context and they, they just have senses that
we don't have. So I think it's really important to
trust them and to listen to them. And, you know,
sometimes they it feels like they might not want to
(25:25):
do what we want them to do, but there's usually
a reason for that. So, you know, make sure that
you kind of communicate with your dog and really listen
to them. Um, yeah.
S2 (25:38):
I mean, I think it's nice even for pet dog owners,
to be fair. It's that like, you know, they are
our partners and we do need to kind of respect
their they they know what's going on, don't they?
S3 (25:48):
Yeah. Yeah they do. They know more than we do.
They really do. Like just as an example, you know, um,
Scotty's not quite at this point yet, but my two
previous dogs, you know, if ever I was sick, they
would know that I was sick. Um, I was lying
on my bed one day with a really sore knee. I,
I don't know, probably fallen over or twisted my knee
(26:08):
or something. And my dog just came and laid right
next to that knee, like she knew that that knee
was in pain. So, uh, you know, they they know.
And if you're ever upset about anything, they just know.
And they, they come and lick your face, which is, um, yeah,
sometimes good, sometimes not. But they totally get us. You know,
(26:32):
they're so much smarter than we are.
S2 (26:35):
Well, thank you so much for joining me on the
show and sharing your story with, uh, you and Scotty.
S3 (26:40):
No worries. Thank you.
S2 (26:47):
You've been listening to the Seeing Auto show on Vision
Australia Radio. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Annette.
Seeing eye dogs handler to Scotty. If you'd like to
find out more about seeing eye dogs, the work we do,
or how you can help, head to our website at.
If you're a dog guide handler, whether that's seeing eye
dogs or another school, you are welcome to attend our
(27:09):
one day workshop all about caring for your retiring or
aging Seeing Eye Dog, which will be held on Saturday,
July 19th at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Australian Eastern
Standard Time. You can attend this workshop at Seeing Eye
Dogs Org's headquarters in Kensington, Victoria. Vision Australia. Queensland. Vision Australia. Caringbah,
(27:30):
New South Wales or. Vision Australia, West Leederville in Western Australia.
You can also join the webinar online via teams. The
workshop is free but registration is required. During this workshop,
you'll learn all about recognising signs of ageing in your dog,
guide health conditions, hear about personal experiences with retiring a
(27:51):
dog and transitioning to a new one, as well as
coping with the grief that comes with that and treatment
and care options for older dogs. The day will include
five sessions on those topics, led by senior dogs, experts
and special guests. The workshop is free and you can
find out more about that on the Seeing Eye Dogs
website or email us at. Thank you for listening to
(28:14):
the Seeing Eye Dog show, and don't forget to tune
in Same time next week for another episode.
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