[nagdu] New member

Marion & Martin swampfox1833 at verizon.net
Fri Nov 28 01:16:59 UTC 2008


Jeffrey,
    My pup, Louiza, is a 12-year-old Collie/Shepherd cross from Southeastern 
Guide Dogs in Palmetto, florida. My wife also has a SEGDI guide dog, a 
Vizsala named Sydney. We also have a pet dog who rules the pack - a Corgi 
mix named Joy.Sydney is retired and Louiza is semi-retired. I work her at 
least once a week, using my cane most of the time. I probably won't get 
another guide dog until Louiza is gone. She is very healthy, except a bit of 
arthritis in her spine, causing a little weakness in her hind quarters. This 
makes it challenging for her to get up stairs and onto some buses.
    Do you think you might be able to make our next national Convention in 
detroit? It would be great to meet you and for you to get acquainted with 
other people you chat with on this list!

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeffrey Schwartz" <sidney.schwartz at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:25 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] New member


> Thanks Marion.  I hope that you have a great holiday.  What is your dog's
> name, and where did you get him/her?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Marion & Martin
> Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 8:05 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] New member
>
> Jeffrey,
>    Welcome to the NAGDU list. I am sure you will find a great deal of
> information and support here.
>
> Fraternally,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jeffrey Schwartz" <sidney.schwartz at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 7:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] New member
>
>
>> Hi,
>> I just joined this week and was glad to read the digest.  My name is Jeff
>> Schwartz.  I am a psychologist and have lived in New Haven by way of
>> Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Scranton.  I didn't know that I had a
>> significant
>> visual problem until I was about 20.  At that time I was already legally
>> blind due to the insidious deterioration of my visual field from 
>> Retinitis
>> Pigmentosa.  At age 61, I'm left with little more than light perception.
>> I
>> recently received my third guide dog, Faith, from Fidelco.  They are a
>> superb organization.  The founders, Charles and Roberta Kaman have been
>> raising German Shepherd dogs for about 40 years.  Originally they raised
>> them as show dogs.  The story which I heard is that they started the
>> school
>> after one of the dogs prevented their young son from running into 
>> traffic.
>> John Byfield was their first trainer.  He was my trainer for my second
>> dog,
>> Webster.  John is from the "old school".  My wife and I called him the 
>> dog
>> Nazi.  He was really tough, as were all of the early trainers.  The new
>> breed, if you'll pardon the pun, rely more on positive reinforcement.  I
>> really liked the in community orientation, as you get four hours a day of
>> the trainer's undivided attention.  I don't think that there are any bad
>> or
>> even mediocre schools.  German Shepherds are fantastic dogs.  If I were 
>> in
>> the position to select a pet, it would be a GSD.  The only problem that I
>> have encountered is that they tend to be dog aggressive.  Fidelco gets 
>> its
>> breeding stock from Germany.  They are only a generation or two away from
>> being working shepherds.  Every pure bred dog was selectively shaped to
>> perform a certain task, even lap dogs.  Centuries ago, before central
>> heating and indoor plumbing people seldom bathed.  As a consequence, they
>> had fleas.  They would sit with a dog in their lap because, given a
>> choice,
>> fleas prefer dogs.  Back to German Shepherds and dog aggression.  They
>> were
>> bred to keep the flock together and protect it from predators.  Today's
>> German Shepherds are "hard wired" to see other dogs as potential
>> predators.
>>
>>
>> Like all of you, I have had my share of blind stereotypes tossed my way.
>> When I was younger, slim and walked with a white cane, I went into a
>> Wal-Mart's and the greeter asked me if I wanted a wheelchair.  I've been
>> in
>> restaurants with my wife and had the service person ask her "and what 
>> will
>> he have"   I guess we have all heard, "you don't look blind".
>> Anyway, sorry to have gone on at such length.  I'm glad to have joined
>> this
>> group and I'm sure that I will enjoy participating.  I don't usually talk
>> so
>> much.  Just ask my spouse.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 5:42 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: New member
>>
>> Hi Mardi,
>> I liked the part about "You don't look blind...".  That one had me 
>> stumped
>> for years and years.  I didn't know what people meant by the remark.  I
>> thoought it was people denying that I was blind. Well, a sighted friend
>> finally explained the basis of the remark to me.  He said that people 
>> look
>> at a blind person and see the blindness.  People have this view that 
>> blind
>> people are people who rock, jam their fingers or fist into their eye.
>> They
>> walk with a stiff-leggeed gait and don't look at people who are talking 
>> to
>> them.  In other words, the crappy stereotypes people think of when you
>> say,
>> "blind person".
>>
>> Marti, you used to be a sighted person.  Think back on your sighted days
>> long before you ever met a blind person. What did your mind conjure up?
>> Now,
>>
>> me - I've always been visually impaired and I can't and never was able to
>> see people's faces and the expressions on them.  I had no clue about 
>> "look
>> blind" sinse I've spent a lifetime around blind people.
>>
>> My friend told me that when someone tells me that I don't "look blind" I
>> need to take it as a compliment.  The statement really says that you look
>> normal - like a SIGHTED person!  You and I do not have the so-called
>> "blind
>> mannerisms" that so many sheltered congenitally blind people display. 
>> You
>> learned how to be as a sighted child - what was socially acceptable. As a
>> child, I was taught by my parents how to be in public and that people can
>> see what I do.  So, you and I behave in a normal socially acceptable
>> manner.
>>
>> We look at people who speak to us.  We don't poke our eyes with our
>> fingers
>> or fists.  Our eyes may look pretty normal - well - mine wiggle with
>> nystagmus.  We rock only to music or while seated in a rocking chair.
>>
>> I don't remember if you are totally blind or are partially sighted. 
>> Being
>> in a wheelchair, I can see how people think your guide is a wheelchair
>> service dog.  There aren't too many of you out there. I know several
>> visually impaired wheelchair users but they see too much to use a guide
>> dog
>> and they don't have a service dog, either.
>>
>> I know it's annoying when people don't know.  People think you are either
>> fully sighted - "Oh, you must be faking it!" or you are totally blind.
>> People still don't seem to grasp the idea of all kinds of partial vision
>> in
>> between. I tell them that I have enough vision to be dangerous.  We then
>> have a laugh.
>>
>> Hope that helps!  Thank God we are normal people who can give the public 
>> a
>> good impression of who blind people are.
>>
>> Take care and Happy Holidays!
>>
>> Linda and Landon
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Mardi Hadfield" <wolfsinger.lakota at gmail.com>
>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 6:52 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] service vs therapy dogs and welcome
>>
>>
>>> Hi every one,   I have had similar experiences with Therapy dog owners.
>>> They seem to think they know it all. They seem to think,because I am in 
>>> a
>>> wheelchair that my dog is not a guide.They can't see beyond the chair. 
>>> My
>>> dog must be a  "wheelchair dog",because I use a wheelchair. I am told
>>> that
>>
>>> I
>>> don't look blind. Can some one tell me what a blind person looks like?
>>> Do
>>> they all look the same? I get so aggravated at these people, that I 
>>> don't
>>> even try to explain. I just roll away and ignore them. There are too 
>>> many
>>> other battles that are more important to take care of.           Welcome
>>> Ted.  All my guides have been Siberian Huskies except for my current
>>> trainee,Wanagi. She is a Husky/Shepherd cross, and I adopted her from 
>>> the
>>> pound. I have trained my dogs with the aid of a private trainer.  I am
>>> sure
>>> that whatever school you choose, you will get a wonderful, and faithful
>>> partner.     Have a great day, Mardi and Nala, retired, Wanagi, gdit, 
>>> and
>>> Tokala,gdit.
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40people
>> pc.com
>>>
>>
>>
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