[nagdu] Need Advice About Allergic Coworker

[Dan Weiner]

Hi to you, Alicia.

Well, I have some blind friends, guide dog users, who seem to have all sorts
of friends who just love having their dogs in the car and house.
I need to meet their friends--smile.
People I know have never been shy about telling me what they think of dog
hair--smile.
In some ways that's good, because it's out in the open.
Since my dogs have always been kept clean and so on, I think it's just the
luck of the draw.
Also, once people sense that you'll compromise or back down then they might
start pushing harder.
If you want to go out of your way, you could offer to put a sheet or blanket
down, or I know one person who gives out dog hair brushes or lint brushes to
their friends.
I don't do any of this stuff, actually.
I don't object if someone puts a sheet or Mexican blanket down say on their
car floor, but it's not something I initiate myself.

It used to be "No dog, no Dan", that was my motto..
Now I've softened a bit only because I'm sick of arguing.

So, I don't think you are doing anything wrong.  Don't feel guilty...you
have more courage than most and it's proved by your getting a dog, working,
improving your life, etc. you have nothing to be ashamed of.
I think the anger response is much better for your self-respect.

People do freak out and can be quite nasty or cruel about it.

I can tell you stories--smile.

But suffice it to say that if someone hasn't been around dogs they will tend
to freak at even small amounts of dog hair.

So, I'm sure that among you are people who stick to your guns and just will
not take no for an answer when it comes to being accompanied by your dogs
when you feel you want or need to be.
Tell us your secret, maybe you have strategies for dealing with people that
Alicia and I haven't tried out.

Cordially,

Dan W. and the Carter Nut

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Alysha
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 8:16 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Need Advice About Allergic Coworker

Thanks to everyone for your responses. Have any of you ever tried a dander
care product on your dog? Any thoughts on there effectiveness/safety?

I wonder how common issues like these are among guide dog users. Like Dan,
I've had problems in the past with people not wanting to drive with my dog
in the car. I groom him regularly, and he doesn't shed more than other guide
dogs I've seen, but I think any dog is going to leave at least a tiny bit of
hair in a car. The problem is that I don't have a way of judging for myself
how much that amount of hair is, so I can't decide whether to feel angry
with people for freaking out about nothing or guilty about messing up their
cars. So inevitably I end up feeling both ways, and now I'm always really
concerned about riding with other people, even if they tell me they don't
mind it. Have many of you had serious issues with other people's allergies
and/or taking your dogs in other people's cars, or am I just unlucky :)?