My name is Bill and I live an active life on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia with my guide dog and left-hand partner, Lionheart.
As a Lion and community representative, I attend several meetings both on and off the Sunshine Coast. To get to the mainland (Vancouver), Lionheart and I always need to use a ferry.
A typical trip into Vancouver starts with a 45-minute bus ride to the Langdale ferry terminal. We then take the ferry for another 45 minutes to Horseshoe Bay, followed by another 45-minute bus ride into downtown Vancouver.
Navigating the ferry takes teamwork. When we arrive at the terminal, we walk about the length of a football field to get to the waiting area. It can be very congested with people and sometimes other dogs.
When it’s time to board, Lionheart guides me down the ferry ramp. The ramps are made of steel and can be slippery and wet. Once we step onto the car deck, I direct Lionheart to find the stairs, and we walk up three flights of steel stairs to the passenger deck. Once we’re there, I decide where we’re going to sit. Sometimes we go to the snack bar for coffee, or we might go to the cafeteria for breakfast or supper.
Coming home, we do it all again, but a little differently.
When the captain announces that we’re about to land at Langdale, all walk-on passengers must go down to the car deck to disembark.This area is extremely noisy, and Lionheart and I walk down the three flights of stairs and make our way to the front of the vehicles. During that walk. Lionheart must watch out for cars and trucks, including mirrors that can be at my hip or head level.
At the front of the vehicles, there is nothing to hold onto while the captain manoeuvres the ferry into the dock. The ferry makes a lot of noise and moves from side to side, but Lionheart stands still beside me. Once we dock, we walk up the ramp, navigate through the passengers waiting to board, and make our way to the bus. Forty-five minutes later, we’re home.
We didn't learn to do all of this at once. For our first few trips, I made sure we had a sighted guide to help us on and off the ferry. I taught Lionheart where the washroom was and which stairs we needed to use. After that, Lionheart could work from my directional commands.
It takes time and, at first, a lot of repetition. We travelled the same routes again and again in our community before we were ready to travel farther away. After about three months, we started travelling into Vancouver, and that is where Lionheart shines.
One important thing I have with Lionheart is 100% trust. He has literally saved my life more than once.
One day in Sechelt, I was standing on the corner waiting to cross the street. When it was clear, I commanded Lionheart to cross. We stepped off the curb, but as we entered the next lane, a car suddenly raced in front of us. Lionheart stopped on a dime. A postal worker standing nearby witnessed what happened and came over afterward to tell me what they had seen. Yes, Lionheart got a big hug, a "good boy" pat and a treat.
That trust started developing from the moment we became a team. I was handed Lionheart’s leash on November 17, 2022. We spent two weeks together learning to work as a team. After our training was complete, we were on a plane to Vancouver. We left Toronto in a rain and lightning storm and landed in Vancouver in a snowstorm! A friend met us, and after a two-hour drive, we arrived at BC Ferries. It was Lionheart's first time on a ferry, and he started off like he had been there before.
Today, we have travelled throughout British Columbia and even ventured by train into Washington State.
Since I live alone, Lionheart is everything to me. I can travel with confidence knowing that we will get to our destination safely. He truly is my left-hand partner.
— Bill, guide dog handler
From ferries and buses to planes, trains, and cars, guide dogs help make every journey possible for their handlers. Learn more about Guide Dog Access Awareness Month and discover how you can help ensure guide dog teams are welcomed wherever they go. Visit guidedogchampions.ca.