Marius Søvik (27) has a 20 centimeter long scar on his thigh after an accident on a walk with his guide dog Ludo. – She was inattentive to a junction box for a street light. She took good care of herself, but not of me, says Søvik. It is precisely the guide dog’s attention that you steal if you seek contact with it. Either with the eyes or if you stop to pet or cuddle it. Ludo at work for Marius Søvik. Photo: Gisle Jørgensen / news – If anyone wants to say hello to Ludo, they must contact me first. It is important that you ignore her until I possibly give the go-ahead, he says. If it is okay for others to give Ludo attention, Marius takes the harness off the guide dog. Then she realizes that she is not at work. – But if it doesn’t fit, it’s important that you respect a “no”, says the owner. Guide dog rules I work when the harness is on. Do not pet, talk or make eye contact with me. Keep your dog at a distance so we don’t meet too closely. Please make yourself known, and tell my owner that you have a dog. If I go off-leash, ask my owner if it’s okay before you let your dog near me. Don’t give me treats – only my owner can do that. If you want to draw attention to a danger, tell my owner. If I walk without a harness you can ask my owner to pet me. Source: Norwegian Association of the Blind For Marius Søvik, disturbance from other people or dogs is, in the worst case, a matter of life and death when he is out among people and in traffic. – It’s about my safety. That I should be able to travel safely in both familiar and unfamiliar environments. If a guide dog experiences too many disturbances, it can also affect the training it has received. Then it can no longer work as a guide dog. Ludo means everything Marius Søvik was diagnosed with cancer in both islands when he was four months old. This led to the right eye being removed and replaced with a prosthesis. Because of the radiation, the vision in the left eye was reduced to 30 percent, with no acuity. In 2013, the year he turned 18, he received a new diagnosis of cancer in the septum between the eye socket and the sinus. Marius Søvik had to have his right eye removed when he was four months old. in 2017 he lost the sight in his left eye. Photo: Gisle Jørgensen / news With the help of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, he was declared cancer-free the following year, but in 2017 he relapsed. After another round of treatment, the optic nerve became noticeably worse. In 14 days he went from 10 percent vision to zero in his left eye. Two years later he got Ludo. Today, on guide dog day, he pays tribute to his four-legged best friend. – Ludo has meant everything. I am so glad that I got her just before the corona came. Going through that time without her would have been difficult. Ludo means everything to Marius. Photo: Gisle Jørgensen / news Own guide dog club There are around 300 blind and partially sighted people in Norway who have guide dogs. Each year, approximately 40 new guide dogs are trained at the total of four guide dog schools in Norway. All of which are located in Eastern Norway. It is a challenge for Marius and Ludo. And most other guide dog owners who do not live in Eastern Norway. – Training is a fresh product, says the owner. He has taught Ludo new commands himself, but still needs follow-up. Marius Søvik therefore helped found the Rogaland guide dog club in March. He sits on the newly formed board. – This will be a very important meeting place for those of us who have guide dogs. We are planning a meeting in August where we will be visited by a coach, says Marius. According to union leader Terje Andre Olsen of the Norwegian Federation of the Blind, there are around ten such guide dog clubs in Norway. He would have liked to have more. Federation leader Terje Andre Olsen in the Norwegian Federation of the Blind wants more guide dog clubs around the country. Photo: Tom-Egil Jensen / Tom-Egil Jensen – It is important to maintain the skills. That both owner and dog are up to date. That’s why guide dog clubs are important, especially for those who live far from Oslo, says Olsen. Bringing a dog to work In January 2021, Marius got a work training internship with Fagne. A workplace he is still with today. Ludo is of course at work. – It’s going great. She really enjoys it. Fagne has been very good at making arrangements for us, says Søvik. Who hope that the work training will result in a permanent job. – It means so much to have a place to go to. To feel that one is contributing in a workplace is incredibly important, says the 27-year-old.
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Disturbances put both the guide dog and the blind in danger – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
