How my blind husband got his guide dog
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- This week Matthew and Paul are talking all about guide dogs! Why did Paul decide to get a guide dog, and why did he choose Guide Dogs for the Blind? Paul describes every detail, from initial decision, to application and acceptance into the program.
On the extended video, Matthew and Paul share “secret application footage” complete with an audio commentary (and a lot of laughter). Watch the EXTENDED VIDEO here: / 9-how-my-blind-84381247
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/ @matthewandpaulofficial
Hey everyone, we want to apologize for the audio on this. Unfortunately it cannot be fixed at this point. We used a brand new mic, it was supposed to be a really good one! Yes it was turned on 😂 As you can tell it did a terrible job and we have already returned it. We are on the hunt for something better!! ❤
oh the audio sounds fine though!!
I thought it sounded fine!
@@meowmeowmmmooomooooomooo oh good - thank you!!
@@traceyallen8286 ❤❤❤
Yeah, I had to turn it way up. By the time I could hear you guys well, there was a lot of static also coming through.
We have a family member who is 88, raised Catholic, and a conservative, and she LOVES you guys 😊 She smiles her way through your videos and regularly remarks how adorable you both are. She absolutely loves Maple too. ❤
Virtues and values transcend religious beliefs. :3
I mean that’s cute and all, good for her. But if she votes to take our rights away or supports radical conservative people, it means nothing. I have nothing against you or your family member, just stating truth. ✌️
thank you! sending love!!
I've been so hoping you'd make a video about the orgins of Mr. Maple!!!! He is so HANDSOME in that portrait of him in the thumbnail! It really shows off his waddles. 😃😃😃
@@vogelvogeltje The beautiful thing is that seeing a couple like Matthew and Paul can drastically open up the hearts and minds of people. Hopefully watching and adoring this sweet couple would give her a change of heart. ❤️🥰
I always love how Paul laughs physically with his whole self. Eyes closed, tilting his body forwards or backwards, etc.
Hahaha yes he really gets into it!!
@@MatthewandPaulOfficial I also love that, and the way he exclaims..Matthew!!!! Every time you pick on him, It's super cute.
I love you calling him "MISTER Maple" it's so cute ❤😊
Hahaha yep we like the alliteration!
@@MatthewandPaulOfficial oooo thank you for letting me learn a new word,I had to Google that 💕
My husband’s dog name was Moose and I loved calling him Mister Moose 💕
@@MatthewandPaulOfficial My dogs name is Mr Chew , my bunny is Mr kitty and my cat is Mr Nuggles.
“Never pass up a chance to hold the hand of a cutie” - sage advice from Matthew! 😆 Seriously though, I just came across you all yesterday and I’ve already ordered a calendar! I love hearing your stories, witnessing the beautiful ways you two support, love and care for each other, and of course I love the way you make each other laugh. Thank you for sharing your light with the world! And thank you for educating so many of us about blindness being a spectrum, what RP is, and so many other things.
Makes so much sense to have an accessible website for a guide dog organization! Reminds me of driving by this shop that makes signs and its own sign is terrible LOL!
I think the other websites were accessible but not in the way Paul is used to. Most blind people use screen readers which is an AI reading out loud what is being pointed at. Paul still reads but needs it to be within his vision range.
@@darkessraven That makes sense!!
I love hearing these stories! As a GDB puppy raiser, we spend over a year with these dogs raising them in hopes that they can change someone's life and it's really amazing to learn about how Maple came into your lives! Another reason GDB probably wanted videos of you walking around with your cane before you got a dog is walking pace, which may not seem that significant, but even as puppies, come dogs walk really fast and other dogs walk slower. One of the dogs raised in my club (the group of raisers in my area) who graduated and is still a guide was the second dog his person worked with on campus because the first dog had a much slower walking pace. A lot goes into matching a person with their guide, which is part of the reason why GDB clients spend a few weeks on campus with their dog, to be sure that they are a good match!
Thank you guys so much for making this video! I am currently raising my first puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind and it’s so exciting to see what she could potentially do for someone someday!
Wow!! Thank you for your hard work ❤❤❤
Hi, I've been thinking of this! But I'm a bit afraid to commit... How is it going? Are you sharing your story somewhere online?
@@LadyPelikan Hi! I am not personally sharing my story anywhere online but there are a ton of puppy raisers that are! As for the fear of commitment with a dog, it actually takes a decent amount of time in a puppy club before they actually give you a dog. You join the club and it takes about 3-4 mo before you get a dog of your own, in that time you puppy sit other dogs in the club and learn all the training techniques to make sure it's the right fit for you! You can also co-raise a dog which means that you and another person in the club switch off about every 2 weeks having the dog. You also don't have to start with an 8 week old puppy. There are families that just raise "starter" puppies aka 8-17 weeks and then transfer them to another household. I got my puppy when she was about 5 months old!
training and socializing a guide dog puppy means yo should have lots of free tim in the whole day. My son wanted to get a puppy, asked the local guid dog association, they even called back, were very sweet and explained that it does not work if you go to school the or work full time. A friend of a friend did this, single, working a full time office job, and he was surprised that the puppy had so much energy... have you had dogs before?@@LadyPelikan
" Knocked a lot of little kids down". What an image!!!!😅
Matthew, dressed like the Uni bomber, following a blind man, recording a video.
Naw, not sketchy at all. 😂😂😂
I had to go in a public place one without my service dog and I never realized until then how much my happiness is boosted by seeing so many people grin at him and at me because he's so cute. All the extra positive attention I get because of him!
Morristown, New Jersey is where the seeing eye is, the first guide dogs. Even Helen Keller was involved in that institution. I grew up watching guide dogs train throughout my young life. Our family also adopted a reject that was too friendly to people to do the job and there orginal owners couldn't keep the dog. What an amazing dog. There is a statue of Frank Morris and his dog Buddy who started all this 1929 in the states.
Yeah i think they actually trademarked Seeing Eye Dog too lol
@@RandiPoitras yes, as they were the orginal guiidedog in the states. Our dog was fully trained for the job and also trained to protect which they do anymore. She was just an amazing dog. Anyone could come in, but if she felt threatened you couldn't leave. Too many stories about her.
My sister was a puppy raiser for one of these programs when she was in college. A lot of work goes into these animals. I am so happy to see the final result and how much it is helping you!
I would love to watch a whole long video about Malpe, what he loves do eat, to do, how you take care of him etc... ❤❤❤
So much I love and respect about Matthew, Paul and Mr. Maple✌🏻❤️🤗
I think Matthew and Paul each sing, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.
2 months online and you are both sky-rocketing to the top at great speeds. Content is so wholesome, your relationship is lovely and you both shine on social media. Keep it up, love watching
Hi:
I found your channel purely by accident. One of your shorts came up on my home feed and it was guide dog related. I have not watched too many of your videos yet, but I find your content very interesting. Briefly about myself: I am Also blind and have been a guide dog handler for over two decades. I have experience going to a program as well as owner training my own dog.
It is always interesting for me to hear the experiences of others because everyone is so different and has very specific needs. I am so glad that a guide dog is working out For you, and I'm also very glad that you are happy with Guide Dogs For The Blind. In the guide dog community, there can be heated debates about which schools are "the best ". But I think that "the best" really just depends on what each person is looking for and comfortable with. (For me, the biggest dealbreaker is conditional ownership or no ownership at all, which is why I will not go to most programs. For someone else, this isn't an issue at all.) Every guide dog school is independent of each other with different training methodologies, philosophies, and policies. For me, my program dogs have all come from The Seeing Eye. Both Seeing Eye and GDB our leaders of the guide dog movement in their own right. Seeing Eye is the oldest guide dog school as well as the pioneer in the service dog movement. GDB has been a pioneer in helping to bring forward training methods including clicker training. In fact, thanks to them, there are so many clicker training resources.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiences. I look forward to watching more of your content and getting to know more about you.
OMG lolol I can't... "Can I pet your cane?" Phrasing!
“We passed a police station!” 🤣 You guys always make me smile.
You should make an episode about how you met and your love story! Extremely cute. Excited to hear more of your stories.
One of their videos addresses their meeting. I do not recall the exact one but I saw it more recently.
A dog has to be such a great mobility aid. Apart from the help they provide, navigating public spaces, they also provide a talking point with strangers. My wife is wheelchair bound, and is often overlooked (also 66 so invisible for that reason too?) but with her small dog on her lap, people fall over themselves to talk to her - just out and about, and also in shops and cafes.
I remember seeing Paul meeting Mr. Maple for the first time in one of your earlier videos. I'm getting teary right now just thinking about it. I'm tickled pink every time you post, but this part of your story is something I can't wait to see expanded upon. Especially Matthew in lurker mode. I'm making popcorn for that!
Beautiful couple with very amazing and beautiful stories.
I found myself nodding my head in agreement during this video. I'm sighted but have had a physical disability my whole life. At 16 I began using a walking stick and now at 59 I am in the early stages of training an assistance dog. It's a journey that's for sure! Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Congratulations!! What is your dog’s name?
So this explains the "stalking" videos, hehe! I knew there must have been something I missed. Also, I am a seeing person, but forms are awful for someone with ADHD. They take every level of dopamine I have. Hearing about how some websites are easier to navigate, and how even Matthew finds some forms easier to fill out is very validating. Sitting here next to my retired service dog, he has truly helped me in so many ways. Love to you all and Mr. Maple
I still remember buying and reading "Follow My Leader" from the Scholastic Book Club back in public school in the 1960s. Its the story of a boy getting a guide dog.
I remember that book too! Good old Scholastic.
I had that book too!
You guys have really taught me a lot about inter-abled couples and blindness being a spectrum. Keep up with these great RUclips videos. 😊❤🌈💕
I can't wait! U guys bring so much Joy to me❤
your guys relationship is very special, most people will never find the bond you have. stay strong and prove like you do a disadvantage can be a strength❤
I just got a call the other day and GDB has a 2 yr wait right now. They stopped breading during the pandemic and also had a hard time training so they are still trying to get back to full capacity.
I love how honest you are about the cane vs guide dog. I had to wait three years for my poodle my mom and I made the same choice that after we lost our pet dog to get guide instead OCCUPAWS I was able to also fill out the form too and I just love this video
I love your relationship it's so real you could see the love for each other
I want to thank you both for your inspiration, laughter and encouragement. I always look forward to seeing your videos and shorts. You make feel good even when I have physically bad days. Thanks so much and please keep them coming!❤
Thank you so much!
That’s so interesting that among the different guide dog sites, the one Paul ended up on was the only accessible one!
We got our dog in 2021. She’s my uncle’s dog, but he moved upstate and she was 13 at the time, too old and anxious to fly over. She’s almost 16 now and she’s our forever dog.
Someone pointed out on another comment that the other guide dog sites may have worked well with screen readers, which many blind people use.
I am interested in learning more of Paul and his experience with Guide Dogs for the Blind. My mother's guide dogs were from Guide Dogs for the Blind in Europe which may differ? from Paul and his experience. Whilst Mathew filmed Paul for his assessment, my mother had stalker (joking) from the association. Like Mathew, over 2 days they observed her every life experience and reaction. Later we learned this was how they matched and paired my mother with her dog for disposition and temperament. Like Paul my mother was trained independently to bond with her dog. Two weeks into her 4 week training we were allowed to visit every second evening to meet and interact with her and her dog as a family unit. As family we were also asked to attend a couple of group training sessions which were more a "do and don't do!" when interacting with guide dogs whether in harness or off which leave me curious how Mr. Maple and Mathew interact.
This is super interesting 😊. When I was a kid in the 90's my brother had a service dog named Pal from the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) in British Columbia, Canada. He went for a couple weeks with my Mom since he was a minor and they both got training and I still remember doing and watching near daily training sessions to keep his skills sharp during the years he was part of our family. He retired to Vancouver and visited schools to educate young kids about people with disabilities and what to do if you see someone with a service animal. He was a sweetheart and we ended up getting a fully trained "dropout" from the program as a pet later and she was so beautiful and I loved her.
My neighbour has a “dropout” from PADS! An amazing dog, even if he (the dog) decided that he wanted a “regular” life lol. So lucky to get one of the ones who weren’t quite the right fit. And they can still act as ambassadors for PADS in many ways.
Beautiful - thank you for sharing the story behind your little one's arrival
My friend is raising her third puppy for GDB for the Boring campus. It’s fun to watch you talk about your experience of getting a guide dog from that program.
I agree with everyone. You both need a mic to hear clearly. I’m hard of hearing I need to hear your voices but louder. You both are such a cute couple. It’s a good educational video everything about blind person living in a sighted world.
Thank you! We addressed this in a new pinned comment. We appreciate the feedback and we are working on improving ❤
Thank you so much Paul & Mathew for sharing how you got your guide dog Mr Maples 🍁 , It was so informative ! I had no idea that you had to submit videos of Paul walking with his white cane , its so beautiful to see how you help Paul with things like form filling. Your love for one another shines through your videos together it’s heartwarming ❤❤❤
Our pleasure!
I can't wait to hear the story and both of your laugh.💜✨
So much more to tell!!
I recently started following you both. I absolutely love how much you both love each other. It shows! You both fit together very well and have such amazing personalities! I love the humorous interactions 😂 such a sweet couple! ❤❤ you both shine so bright! Love and light always! ❤️ 🫂
I'm obsessed with them, I love their dynamic so much!! Curious what's their mbti personality types, cause they complement each other so well❤
I love your videos. Thank youfor sharing your lives together and Mister Maple!
Absolutely love the details!! I know you delved into this on the podcast, but I can't wait to hear more about the January experience :( and then the return for the darling Mr. Maple.
I found your videos a few days ago. You both are so sweet together and I love the support you give each other. I see joy and laughter in your lives. I can't believe Paul rock climbed so high. I am afraid of heights.I think I'll stay firm on the ground. Love your videos!
Maple is so darn cute. Glad you got him. Thanks for making these videos. I'm recently need a power wheelchair as my legs finally gave out, I have a type of muscular dysphony called IBM. Anyway. You guys help with my journey. Always smile when watching your stories
Hey guys, advice from an old married couple, 33 years, pretty proud, keep it up. Keep it light and funny. Always end your days 2gthr, on the phone, if not in person . U 2 are a bresth of fresh air, btw, i absolutely ❤❤❤❤ pauls laugh
Oh I so love listening and watching you both yr an amazing couple .. thank you so much for sharing.
Guys I like you so much, someone who is your friend must be very lucky.
I wish you both (three, I forgott Maple), all the best. You are such a likeable couple.
When I am having a soup sandwich of a day, most of your videos, like the lion's mane on Mr. 🍁, will make me laugh & smile so I can push on! Hope you three are happy, healthy & well! Please take care. &, as always, thank you for sharing ❤
Wonderful!!❤
We need a video of Maple and Paul meeting. Sounds like the cutest moment.
This was a great story guys! I keep imagining Matthew following Paul with the camera and suddenly getting Rugby tackled to the ground with screams of "Get the cops! This guy is stalking a blind man!" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Obviously Paul would've come to his rescue - after laughing for around 20 mins first!!!! I would've paid good money to watch Matthew inconspicuously filming...! take care guys...
I can feel your love through the screen! Y’all’s videos never fail to make me smile! 😊
Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious 😎🤣 hopefully you know the meme!
Love seeing your guys make more long videos!
You guys are so sweet, I wish my partner and myself lived closer to you guys and be friends.
I love you guys. Y’all are always putting out such good vibes ❤️ we need a meet and greet somewhere lol we would all love to meet you guys and Maple
Hey, guys! So I sent my sister your Andrea Bocceli video (as her choir once performed with him) and she thinks you gents (and Mr Maple, of course) are just the cutest. So, you have a new fan.
I will listen later. Time difference.👍🌻🇨🇦🇨🇦😍
You guys are so incredibly. I love your videos so much. You guys are so funny,cute. You are so inspiring to me.
Im so excited 😊 🤗 for next week video ❤
Oh gosh. I guess I’m downloading that app. I can’t NOT watch the extended episodes now. Love you guys!!!!!
OMG, can't wait! My notifications are on! 👏
Edit: I'm so happy that Paul was able to get a guide dog with only six months' wait!!
Oh, I can't wait to see the first moment went Paul met Mr. Maple. He's such a sweet dog that it must have been instant bonding. Come to think of it, was it hard to jump into him being a working dog? I'm a dog person and I just got a border collie baby after my 13 year old border collie - adored- passed in January. I want to hug them and blow on them like a dandelion, so it would be hard for me to be all business. Thanks for a great video, Matthew and Paul.
So sad money is needed in order to see extended videos. I will continue watching what I can afford as I so enjoy you two.
Thanks so much
I love to watch you guys joke and have fun together. Mr. Maple is the star of your videos. Haha😂.
I can totally relate to pain in the elbow with a cane. I use cane due to ruptured brain aneurysm.
Both of you are a comedy special and I love your anecdotes. ❤
Love you guys so much! Love Mr. Maple!
I'm so glad that you can get your guide dog in just 5 months (normally it would take longer), and as a volunteer at Guiding Eyes of the Blind (another guide dog organization that's on the east coast mostly) raising puppies (the first 1-2 years of teaching the pups basic obedience and socialization), it is really rewarding to see those pups work with people like you!!! Since I am only involved with the puppyhood of the amazing guide dog, and usually guide dogs retire at the age of 10 ish, do you have to re-apply for a guide dog once Maple retires in the future? If so, how many months (or even years?) ahead do you need to re-apply?
Can I pet your can” had me rolling 😂
Y'all are my favorite couple 💜💜💜💜
My best mate at uni would not have a dog she said having 3 kids was enough to tidy up after finally she was persuaded and helen joined our class a beautiful black lab and my friend never looked back she was much more independant because of that i support our guide dogs for the blind in Scotland I think I am on my 10th puppy. One I retire I hope to foster retired guide dogs
I love Mr Maple. I wonder if he will get his own spin off. I’ll watch.
This is the second video I’ve seen from y’all & omg you two are adorable!! Subscribing!
Yay! Thank you!
i always love to watch you guys and listen to your stories. You two make my day.
Thank you for doing this I think I asked you for this
6:20 Something about Matthew explaining it this way (i know he's being playful) but it actually introduces great points and reminds me of other conditions people have. Matthew's inside world is probably so vastly gorgeous and might help how he expresses himself.. im not explaining this right 😅
I want to see how Paul does his art! It's so beautiful and I'm assuming it must take him forever with his pin-point vision.
We will absolutely share this in a future video!!
I've been so hoping you'd make a video about the origins of Mr. Maple!!!! He is so HANDSOME in that portrait of him in the thumbnail! It really shows off his waddles. 😃😃😃
The huge CC is so much better than the small ones, my eyes finally can rest (I am not blind but I am dealing with eye strain soooo bad honestly but any eye treatment is worse than dental work, I just am too scared of treating it at this point heeeee the only thing I can manage without panic attacks thinking about itis letting my eyes rest a lot throughout the day, so enjoying your videos on my ipad, I can let my eyes rest a bit..)
I look forward to hearing about The Maple Origin Story.
The audio on this video is very low, difficult to hear in parts even with the volume very high. Maybe look into a mic or mics that attach to you? Love your content!
I agree, it was very hard to hear. Also the captions were auto-generated and so not always accurate. Even with normal audio, the videos would be more accessible to hearing-impaired people if someone made the effort to transcribe the text for the captions.
Thank you for letting us know! We addressed this in a new pinned comment. There was a mic (turns out - a bad one!!) that we are replacing so this doesn’t happen again. So sorry!
It's actually kind of interesting hearing you say that you felt unsafe with your cane because here in Germany there are actually schools for blind and other disabled people and they actually teach them how to use a cane properly, how to orientate in public, how to get on a bus or tram etc. They would also teach you how to safely cross the street of course and also other important stuff. Here in Germany it's actually quite uncommon to have a guide dog if you're blind. Most people actually use the cane because that's what they grew up with/were taught
All time favorite 😊
Elbows are usuallyf ine for me, but my wrists... Even if I try to swtich hands... Not to mention just the mental load of having to both navigate AND actively engage in each step I take... Phew my brain is just mush after a day of using my cane, whereas with my dog I can actually function until bedtime!
7:57 sounds like the superhero blending in with civilians starter pack lol
Hi guys new Subscriber here 😊❤️ thank you for sharing your Guide Dog story..... I'm from the UK and I'm Profoundly Deaf so I have a Hearing Dog as my Assistance Dog so I'm the other way round lol I can't hear ANYTHING my Assistance Dog keeps me safe and acts as my ears xxxx
Thanks for subbing!
I’ve seen pick of the ladder it is such a good show
I have a cat who does similar to Mr Maple, i swear she has a sixth sense as to when im on the phone or a zoom call and she just has to make her presence known
Please talk about your marriage day. It would be awesome
Lovely Ones!!! Always!!! With Lovely Cute Maple!!! Always!!!
Thank you for this interesting story. I love your videos. Напишу немного на русском) спасибо вам за ваши видео, вы очень милая и хорошая пара. Недавно увидела ваш канал, и теперь с нетерпением жду выхода новых видео. Greetings from Russia🍃💚
Love this love story. Not sure what I would do without my service dog. She can tell my blood sugar and other medical issues. Molly MooMoo is the best. (P.s. I added the MooMoo part.She is beautiful)
I love that too added to her name! Just like we added the “Mister” to Maple!
@@MatthewandPaulOfficial Molly is a Pug but she is finicky when it comes to any food unlike any other pug I ever met. So Molly MooMoo fit because she is the opposite and besides I just think it is cute.
Hahaha me as a Brit when he said "only a three hour drive" 😂 Im like that's soo long!😂😭
Not in north america 🙂 6 hr drive from my hometown in canada to the main international airport in our province. And that’s only about half or less of the province’s length 😅 and it’s not one of the largest provinces either 😂
I love you guys so much best couple and you very great guide cutie dog too.
I have no excuse, but that was like a ten foot wide open door when Matthew said, "Can I pet your cane?" 🤣 I know, it's a family show. I'm so ashamed.
Many of us thought about it.. 😂 I wouldn't be worried, these 2 have a great sense of humor, I'm sure they laughed at your comment, it was funny 😂
I think there’s 16 guide dog schools in north america. Also fun facts, the Seeing Eye school actually has the trademark on the term “seeing-eye dog” and that’s why no other organization can use that name
Over the years, I've had many things done to me. My spinal cord injury is in my neck, so everything south of that is affected. On one trip to the supermarket on the bus, one of the elderly women took a brooche and started sticking it into my left leg to grab my attention. I almost grabbed her by the throat! I had a podiatrist hold a Dremel bit in one spot, something you never should be doing. I was a horse dentist, and a Dremel was my main work tool. I knew that if I held it in one spot, heat would build up and radiate into the tooth and could cause severe nerve damage that would be permanent. The podiatrist knew of my injury, so as I felt the heat building up, I knew what was coming. He killed the nail bed, and I had ten days of hell. I saw my Dr about it, and he was spitting feathers. I've never seen a Dr so angry. He wanted me to put in a claim, but I didn't.
I was late for the bus one day, so I sprinted with my two elbow crutches and built up a good amount of speed - just slightly sub-interesting and a woman in the bus shelter said, "So you can move when you want to!". I unleashed my inner bitch. Jesus, I scared myself. She was in tears, shock, and God knows what else. Another time a guy held a cigarette lighter to my firearm to test me. The police dealt with that one.
People stopped doing things to me after that. :)
Oh my God. That sounds so scary and horrifying . I'm so sorry you had these experiences, nobody should feel their security is threatened 😢
I love you two ❤
wow! 3 mois!! en France on attend en moyenne 2 ans entre la 1ere demande et l'arrivée du chien! mais c'est vrai qu'il n'y a qu'une association (reconnue) pour chiens guides , un peu plus pour les autres types de chiens d'assistance mais autant de besoins/demandes.