[nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

[Bryan Brown]

Hey, Mark

How old are you and where do you live?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful


> Dan W,
>
> My mom claims to be terrified of dogs, but yet we have a pet dog.  My 
> parents claim that a guide dog will smell, then I point out that if you 
> take care of it properly it won't. Then I point out people we know with 
> guide dogs that don't smell. My dad's response to this is to tell this 
> story of his friend's son's roommate's friend had a roommate with a smelly 
> guide dog. This happened so long ago, and is so far removed from the 
> situation that I can't see how it possibly has any bearing on the current 
> situation. Also that story is so convoluted that is impossible to verify. 
> And the argument goes on and on Ad nauseam. It is getting to the point 
> that I think they are just attempting to exorcize there ability to make 
> arbitrary decisions.
>
>
>
> ----- 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, February 10, 2010 1:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>
>
>> Well, first question is "Is the reason your parents don't support your 
>> idea
>> of getting a dog that they don't like dogs?"--smile.
>> Second of all, what is your parents objection, I mean presumably you're 
>> the
>> one who's blind so maybe you might know a little better than they do 
>> whether
>> a dog would enhance your lifestyle or not.
>> I'm fortunate that by the time I wanted a dog, my parents had figured out
>> I'd pretty much do what I wanted without permission, so my Dad just asked
>> one or two feeble questions and then left it alone.
>> He asked "Are you sure a dog will be worth the trouble, how do you know
>> it'll work out."
>> I explained that, never having a dog, a guide dog, that is,  I'd need to
>> find it out for myself and I really wanted to take care of the dog and 
>> was
>> ready.
>> When I got home, he admired the dog enormously. But he asked the second 
>> day
>> back home if the dog really had to go out with us to breakfast. I said it
>> did, when he seemed to balk I said "I love you Dad, and enjoy going out, 
>> but
>> this is important to me and if you don't want my guide dog than I'm 
>> afraid I
>> won't be going".
>> Dead silence ensued, and the issue never came up again.  As a matter of
>> fact, my Dad adopted my first hound after he retired and loved him.  The
>> dog, Grant, even went to my Dad's funeral's
>> The only thing I wasn't really ready for was the access issues. Being the
>> brilliant young man I was--smile--it never occurred to me that people 
>> would
>> have issues with a dog, I mean access issues to public places.
>>
>> So, tell us more what the problem is and we'll be happy to talk about it.
>> There are some folks on this list who can be very good role models and
>> mentors, I wish there had been such a list when I started out.  But, then 
>> I
>> don't think there were such things as computer lists--smile.
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Dan W. and the Carter Dog
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Mark J. Cadigan
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:17 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>
>> Hello list,
>>
>> I am new to this list, and I am thinking of getting a guide dog for when 
>> I
>> go to college. The only problem I am having is convincing my parents that 
>> a
>> guide dog is a useful mobility tool.  As you can probably guess, that is 
>> a
>> large obstacle. I am currently in high school, so I have to abide by my
>> parent's wishes, or at least for now. What I am asking for is how best to
>> explain to them, that guide dogs are useful mobility tools, that will
>> enhance my independence rather than detract from it. I have given them
>> literature, DVDs and have attempted to talk to them. Any instructional
>> materiel finds its way into the circular file, and they change the 
>> subject
>> when I talk to them. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Mark
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>
>
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