seeing eye dog
Noun: A guide dog specifically trained to assist a blind or visually impaired person with navigation and mobility. The term is a trademark that originated with The Seeing Eye, the oldest guide dog school in the United States.
The term is used as a noun to refer to the specific working animal. It is typically used in a formal or descriptive context when discussing assistance animals for the blind. * A seeing eye dog helps its handler navigate streets and obstacles safely. * She relies on her seeing eye dog for independence.
- The pedestrian waited patiently with his seeing eye dog for the traffic light to change.
- Training a seeing eye dog requires months of specialized instruction.
- Access laws allow seeing eye dogs to enter public buildings and transportation.
- The term is often used generically, though it remains a registered trademark. In many contexts, the more generic term "guide dog" is preferred.
- It can be used attributively (like an adjective) in compound nouns, e.g., seeing eye dog training, seeing eye dog program.
- Guide dog: The more common, generic, and non-trademark term for a dog trained to lead a blind or visually impaired person.
- Service dog: A broader category for dogs trained to perform tasks for people with various disabilities (e.g., mobility assistance, alerting to seizures).
- Assistance dog: A synonym for service dog, commonly used internationally.
- Guide dog
- Assistance dog (in the specific context of visual impairment)
While "seeing eye dog" is widely understood, many organizations and individuals within the blind community prefer the term guide dog, as it is more descriptive of the dog's function (guiding) rather than implying a replacement for sight. The trademark status also means "Seeing Eye dog" technically refers only to dogs trained by The Seeing Eye school, though common usage often ignores this distinction.
- (trademark) a guide dog trained to guide a blind person