Dealing with distractions at work

We all get distracted at work. Sometimes we are to blame when we do that little bit of procrastination, but often those unwanted interruptions come at the worst times!

The frustrating moment when we’re hurtling toward a deadline and just spotted the spreadsheet error or finally found that email from accounts when a colleague pops up. “Hiya! Want a cuppa? Did you see Love Island last night? Have you heard about the chaos with corporate parking?” Whoosh! That email is lost again, you can’t find the broken formula and you’re even more behind on your to do list.

Now imagine that annoying moment of distraction could mean your life is at risk. This is the reality I face as a Guide Dog handler every day.

I’m blind and supported by the incredible Guide Dog Ava. Known online as the diva retriever Ava has been navigating me through life since October 2020. Ava trained for two years to qualify as an assistance dog, she is a recognised mobility aid under the Equality Act and basically has the dog equivalent of a PhD.

People love to admire working assistance dogs like Ava, but I wish they would read her sign. Please don’t distract me, I’m working.

Like over half of Guide Dog handlers I experience a member of the public distracting Ava at least once a day. People pet her, whistle, make kissy noises, talk to her like a baby, try to feed her and even bark in her face. It’s exhausting, intrusive and frustrating. The worst is when someone announces “I know I’m not supposed to but…” and then proceed to stroke Ava or distract her. If you know, why are you doing it? I’ve been shocked by how grown adults will seem to lose all sense when they see a working dog. I once experienced a man get down on all fours in the middle of a road to grab Ava’s face.

Even when I ask people to stop and explain that Ava is working, I’m ignored and dismissed. People put their desire to pet my disability aid above my boundaries and safety.

Ava is my eyes, these distractions cause her to lose focus and undermine her training. Yes, she’s highly trained but she’s still just a dog and loves to please people. When people try to cuddle her or talk to her it can confuse her training and make her seek out attention instead of look out for my safety. Guide Dog partnerships have broken down because dogs have been distracted so much by members of the public that they couldn't safely support their handler anymore.

Ava has stopped me falling down stairs, walking into oncoming traffic and even pulled me out of the way of a speeding van mounting the pavement. She has saved me from injury or worse multiple times. However, if someone had distracted her before these incidents, she might not have had enough focus to keep me and my baby safe.

It can be particularly awkward in a professional environment when people won’t leave my working Guide Dog alone.

I have experienced staff disrupting Ava when I’ve been trying to deliver training or in the middle of a client call. Frankly, it’s really unprofessional to burst into a meeting because you want to pet the dog. I now have to send around a memo request in advance of visiting new businesses just to explain what feels like basic etiquette around working assistance dogs.

I know it’s unusual to turn up to a workplace with a golden retriever, but there are over three and a half thousand working Guide Dog partnerships in the UK. If your staff aren’t aware of the vital role of assistance dogs then you may end up alienating customers or colleagues like me. Or worse, putting us at risk of harm because of one sneaky pet or treat.

So next time you see a working assistance dog like Guide Dog Ava, pay them the best compliment you can by ignoring them. Let them do their job, let them keep their person safe.

Don’t worry Ava gets all the cuddles she needs off duty, at the end of the working day.