[nagdu] What a day !!

[Mardi Hadfield]

Hi every one,  Last Tuesday was a very Stressful day for me and Shaman.  I
left the house mid morning to go and pay a bill. After crossing my street
and proceeding down the side walk, Shaman suddenly pulled to the left and
nearly pulled the handle out of my hand.I knew we were still on a side walk
and not near any driveways or curbs so I wondered what he was doing. A man
walking towards us on the sidewalk informed me that my dog had just chased a
rather large lizard. The lizard got away. The guy was laughing. Embarrassed,
I gave a leash and verbal correction and proceeded on.I thought we were
passed the lizard chasing phase, but I guess the size of this particular
lizard was just too much to resist. Shaman is still young and new at being a
guide dog and some times he does get distracted. Lizards Ha! When we got to
the very busy intersection of Grant and Oracle, we had to wait for the light
to change. When the light did change, a large trailer truck made a right
turn in front of us so we had to wait. Suddenly Shaman began dancing around
nervously and then backed up, actually he ran backwards,so I reversed my
wheelchair fast. I knew we were still on the curb,but I also knew that
Shaman does not run backwards unless there is a problem. The back wheels of
the trailer ran up over the curb where we both had been just moments before!
We could have been hurt or even killed.  Shaman might get distracted on
occasion but when it really counts, he is right on target! I spent so much
time praising and hugging him that we had to wait for the light to change
again. We finally got on our bus and went down town to the bus station to
transfer to our second bus. I guess I did not move fast enough because the
driver grabbed the harness handle and started to pull my dog back. I am so
annoyed by this. I hate it when people do this. I told the driver not to
touch my dog." The dog works for me,not any one else." " He has to follow my
instructions and can't do that when some one is pulling him in the opposite
direction." "I don't need help."  "I know what I am doing and so does the
dog!" He responded that he was only trying to help. I told him, that" if I
need help, I will ask for it."  "Please don't assume that every blind person
is not capable of doing things for themselves." I paid my bill and started
for home. When I got on the second bus, this lady with a walker refused to
move it and her feet so I could pass her. This elderly gentleman had to lift
his feet and his heavy oxygen tank so I could pass and get into the
wheelchair bay. I thanked him and settled down for the ride home. Every
thing went fine for a while.Then the lady with the heavy wheeled walker
decided to put it up on her lap for some reason. She did not want to do that
when I was trying to get on the bus.  Then she dropped the walker on Shaman.
Poor Shaman just sat there. He is such a good dog and puts up with so much.
She started petting my dog and asking him if he was ok. I told her to get
that thing off my dog and to leave him alone. I, will see if he is ok.
Luckily,the walker did not hit Shaman's head, just his body. Then this lady
proceeds to tell me that I need to brush my dog because he has mats on his
hind end. By this time I am almost ready to explode! This !@##! lady drops
her walker on my dog and then tells me I need to brush my dog because he has
mats? Why can't people mind there own business! Shaman is combed and brushed
every day because he is a long haired dog and I want him to look his best
and to prevent mats. There is not a mat on him! He enjoys being groomed and
I enjoy grooming him. I always run a slicker brush over his coat before I
put his harness on when we go out. The hair on his hips grows in a cowlick,
so the hair curls in a circle. Brushing, even wetting the hair does not
change the way it grows. There are no mats on this dog...... I told this
woman to mind her own business. When she got off the bus she ran over the
elderly gentleman's foot as he was trying to move out of her way. Her walker
got caught on is oxygen tank and pulled it down on top of his other foot.
That poor man! Her walker is a lethal weapon!  I was so glad to get home and
so was Shaman. What a day !!!    Mardi and Shaman, and Nala,retired

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http://wolfsinger-lakota.blogspot.com/