Tom and Bear: The Training of a Guide Dog Team

by Richard B. McPhee

A journalistic account of twelve blind men and women as they undertake their twenty-six-day training program with seeing-eye dogs designed to develop the important working relationship between owners and dogs

Genres: Nonfiction

148 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1981

Reviews

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author was allowed to observe a 26-day guide dog training class at Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY. Although this book followed one partnership in particular, between 24-year-old Tom and his golden retriever guide Bear, the author interacted with and wrote about all the class members, including the trainers. The result is a positive group portrait of people and dogs developing into working teams as the bonds between them grow.
I received my first guide dog from Guiding Eyes in July 1988, and many of the author's descriptions brought back good memories. I recognized details and enjoyed that aspect of readble the book. Although training methods have changed somewhat since this book was written in the 1980s, it offers readers an in-depth look at how people are matched with guide dogs. It would be suitable reading for ano blind person considering getting a guide dog, or for young people who think a career in working with the blind or training guide dogs might interest them.