Emotions at Work: Acknowledging Interspecies Emotional Labor of Guide Dog Mobility Instructors

Abstract

Emotional labor is the management of feelings to present appropriate emotion displays in work-related interactions. This paper acknowledges the emotional labor of guide dog mobility instructors in their work for and with guide dogs. It is interspersed with personal vignettes from my time as a guide dog mobility instructor. While educating canines, instructors conduct both deep and surface acting to improve their relationship with and education of the canines they live and work with. Although challenging, it has the potential to be enjoyable. During their work with visually impaired clients, instructors may place a stronger focus on acoustic versus visual emotion displays. The hope is that initiating this discussion can motivate efforts to proactively support the emotional labor of instructors and improve their relationships with their guide dog co-workers and clients as a result.