[nagdu] Washington - Guide dog killed crossing Kennewick street

Wed Apr 7 14:34:41 UTC 2010

Hmm, I wonder why this is, and if it has more to do with the tone of the
comment then the guide dog? I suspect it does. 
I admit to having Tami's reaction back when I used dogs. 
I had a similar reaction when my daughter totally melted down at a
McDonald's. Turns out she was coming down with the stomach bug from
hell, I hope not caused by their food, though we could debate that all
day. I remember she wanted something, I said no, she went into a red
zone tantrum and this guy made a nasty comment. I can't remember what it
was, but what annoyed me was that it gave no credience to anything else
other then that my daughter was admittedly misbehaving. The comment
wasn't helpful, wasn't compassionate, and added no value. I wonder if
everybody has similar reactions when someone/thing they love is
criticized in a manner that contributes absolutely nothing to the
situation at hand. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Tamara Smith-Kinney
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 4:13 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Washington - Guide dog killed crossing Kennewick
street

Michelle,

I'm glad someone else admitted to having a prolonged snit when someone
rags
on your guide dog.  I swear, I can stand around letting someone nag and
lecture and badger about what I'm doing wrong and what I need to do
better
and who I need to call to fix whatever problem they have decided I
have...
It bothers me little enough, now that I think about it, that I actually
will
do that just because I'm too lazy to walk away or I'm hard up for
entertainment.  I think they're daft and obnoxious, but nobody's
perfect.

Pass by on the street and murmur, "That dog needs to be trained," and I
will
turn around and argue.  Won't even think about it.  Won't use my
friendly,
lilty tone, but my factual nerd tone (so charming!).  She *is* trained,
and
she is a d*mned good dog and she is..."  There have been a cuople of
times
when I consciously chose to slap someone before I realized that I might
miss
and lose the effect I was after.  First time I reacted that way, I
really
shocked myself, because I'm more of a cold blood than a hothead.  But if
you
start trashing my dog, you'd better watch out!  So then I have to avoid
the
person, if it's someone in my circle or even a friend who overstepped,
because I'm still fuming and I just don't know if I can be civil.

I am really not like that, really.  Until now.  People really do change.
/smile/

Properly offered suggestions and observations are on thing, and I can
learn
from the discussion or explain why I do what I do instead of what was
suggested and get a nod of acceptance.  This is a good thing, and I love
it.
Hm...  That approach is about sharing information I can use to
strengthen
Mitzi's work and training.  So it really is entirely different.

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
Of Michelle
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 2:02 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Washington - Guide dog killed crossing Kennewick
street

I've had my friends try that excuse on me, the one where the dog needs
to be

trained more. Actually, he is as trained as possible! He rarely takes me

across the road at the wrong time, but don't ever assume that he needs 
retraining just because he stuffs up. It really cheeses me off to not 
wanting to talk to people for a day or two after they say this rubbish
to 
me.

Michelle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Washington - Guide dog killed crossing Kennewick
street

>I agree with you totally, Albert.
> I was bringing up that scenario because I wouldn't put it past some
law
> enforcement people who might not be acquainted with blind travel 
> techniques
> to say that type of thing.
> I, especially in my first months as a guide dog user, had several
crossing
> against the light incidents  after  which I was told by nasty
bystanders, 
> ,
> "your dog's badly trained, he crossed you against the light, you
should 
> get
> another one".
> This business of thinking that a guide dog reads traffic, this old
wives'
> tale has been one of the most annoying things I've dealt with as a
guide 
> dog
> user.
>
> Once I was talking to a police officer I know from the neighborhood
about
> the White Cane Law, and he asked "well, wouldn't your dog keep you
safe 
> and
> not let you cross when a car's coming".
> We all know that the answer to that one is more complicated than "yes
" or
> "no" because it's you and your well-trained dog against someone behind
of
> the wheel of a big metal machine.
> Anyway, it took me a few minutes to really explain to this very nice 
> officer
> that cars are required to give thee right of way and my dog's training
> wouldn't make me responsible if something happened
> Because my dog didn't "do his job" in quotations.
>
> Now, having said all of this, let's hope that all of us will only have
to
> discusses this hypothetically.  Take care of yourselves, two-legged
and
> four-legged friends.
>
> Dan and Carter
> -----Original M
>
>
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