BEAVERTON -- TriMet still isn't sure why guide dogs for the blind are sometimes shocked by its westside MAX line. But officials say they believe the problem now is fixed.

Beginning eight years ago, guide dogs for the blind were sometimes shocked while walking near westside MAX tracks after a rain.

The shocks weren't strong enough to physically harm the dogs but were strong enough to undo the extensive training for some dogs.



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Westside Max Tracks

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Service Animals - General Information

This issue seems to be still an on going problem! Frankly it's quite scary if I do say so!

Here is my point of view:

Even though I train my own dogs using a different method with some of the schools as they teach the traditional method. (negative punishment) I use OC with positive re-enforcement! However no matter as to which method is taught, these shocks could make ones service animal shut down totally due to stress, refuse to work the area, bolt causing injury to both of them, etc. They could think that it’s a negative punishment and therefore wouldn’t proceed even if you try to say forward.

I know people say that oh a little shock wouldn’t hurt them. Well unless they have had that type of shock and are in the minds of the dogs they cannot actually state that as facts just an opinion. I have been shocked though didn’t kill me but dang it it hurt! Numbness and tingling isn’t a normal thing for either a human or a animal!

As far as lasting results goes if a dog becomes stressed out over that area then they are not doing their job correctly. In other words if they refuse walking the area and that’s the only suppose to be a safe place for their partner then what happens. Therefore then we have to reshape their behaviour if possible back to where everything is OK. Sometimes it’s impossible and henceforth our dogs would have to retire prematurely, all due to a situation that wasn’t the dogs fault nor their partner.

So maybe the hurt factour may not be extremely high as in a physical factour (though one cannot say foresure), but in a more of a stressful factour this issue hurts both the trained dog and the person with the disability. The training is intense and it’s not an overnight type of thing it takes several years and these dogs goes through many temperament evaluations to make sure they have the right temperament. Then bang being shocked that isn’t normal for them to feel such a thing. Majour issue even if they want to down play it! I feel if only 1 out of 5 has to retire because of safety issues then that is one too many!

TriMet eases guide dog shock problems
MAX - The agency puts capacitor boxes on the east and checks the west frequently Thursday, April 10, 2008 JOHN SNELL The Oregonian Staff

The problem of guide dogs receiving electric shocks on light rail tracks has spread to the east side, TriMet officials say. Guide dogs for the blind have occasionally been shocked when stepping on MAX tracks since 2000. TriMet was never able to determine why but figured the problem was limited to west-side tracks and only after it rained.

But on Jan. 29 it discovered that the problem was back, at least at the Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue MAX station, said Mary Fetsch, spokeswoman for the transportation agency. A few days later, TriMet was told by Kepler that her dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd named Reuben, also was shocked at the Elmonica MAX Station.



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April 10, 2008 Update