[nagdu] Guide dog starter age

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC Inc)]

I had the opposite problem. My family wanted me to bring my dog
*everywhere* even if it didn't make sense to do so. I remember this one
time going to a music festival, it was like 100 degrees and minimual
shade and they wanted me to bring my dog. Saying "No, I don't want to"
was beyond their comprehention. 
They also wanted me to work my dog everyday. On the surface this wasn't
so bad, though I do remember one time when I was coming down the flu and
we were delivering cookies to a bunch of neighbors and they wanted me to
come "so the dog can get some work". In fairness, I don't think any of
us had any idea how sick I was. 
One level, I'm glad they were so into me having a dog, on the other
hand, it was a bit annoying. And, they did mellow over time, to the
point where to bring or not bring my dog truly did become my choice. 
I think though if I had to call it, I'd rather have huge guide dog
advocates in practice then in theory. And, my family never complained or
had issues with any of my dogs doing dog type stuff. 
I think that's part of my concern with nonadults getting dogs, you are
trying to grow up mentally and physically and figuring out roles with
your parents and other family members. And these roles do change over
time.  It can be a lot to deal with especially when you add normal
teenage stuff in the mix. 


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of solsticesinger
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 6:35 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog starter age

I had a lot of trouble with my family not wanting me to bring my Rachel
dog 
with me when we would go places. They would make up reasons why it
wasn't a 
good idea. Luckily, even at seventeen, I was pretty assertive, so things

worked out.

Shannon and Caroline
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog starter age


Now I think about it, there was a 16-year-old in my first class at GDB,
in
1980.  She did well, but I heard that she gave the dog up after a year.
I
heard her family kept saying things like "Do we have to bring the dog
along?" and she found it hard to say "Yes we do!"
I can relate to that.  For years and years my dad would say things like
that, and I would say yes, I was bringing the dog.  But I wasn't a kid,
and I was able to stand up to the pressure.
Tracy



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