[nagdu] what do you say?

[Linda Gwizdak]

Hi Julie,
When you mentioned about people's reactions when Monty comes out from under 
a table, I thought about the many times people are surprised when Landon 
comes out when we leave a restaurant.

People always think of their untrained, spoiled dogs at home. They are 
astounded at how our dogs can actually be trained to behave well in public! 
This is why I NEVER tell an interviewer for a job that I will have a guide 
dog with me - don't tell them I'm blind either.

One time, I had a rehab person blow an interview opportunity for me because 
she took it upon herself to tell the interviewer that I woould have a dog 
with me.  I never even got to go to the interview because the person said 
forget it. I was never given the opportunity to show the interviewer that my 
dog didn't act like people's pets. I told the rehab person to NEVER DO THAT 
AGAIN!  I got another rehab person after that.  This happened shortly before 
the ADA became law - sometime in 1988.  Now, the rehab people give us the 
lead and we follow up on our own.

But I always see people being totally amazed - really amazed when a couple 
of dogs emerge from under a restaurant table! LOL  I think that if everyone 
trained their dogs and they all behaved well in public, few places would 
even ban dogs and our lives would be easier! (grin!)

This is why it is so important that we make sure our dogs are well behaved 
in public - it helps us in getting rid of discrimination in public places. 
People ALWAYS remember the ill-behaved service dogs - I've heard many 
stories of these!

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 5:35 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] what do you say?


>I haven't been asked if Monty bites, yet.  Although it kinda surprises me 
>because he is quite prone to giving the death-ray eyeballs to people.  Or 
>at least I've been told lots of times that he is giving dirty looks to so 
>and so.   IMO he can look however he wants at whomever he wants.
>
> He's a very sweet, playful, cheerful dog, but very serious about guiding. 
> It works for me because the number of people who touch him without 
> permission is greatly reduced.
>
> I tend to get comments from opposite extremes.   Either people will be 
> amazed that he didn't bark/poop/jump or they will be critical because he 
> is looking around while in a down stay or looked at them funny or let out 
> a long sigh or something similarly normal.  I guess the expectation is 
> either that he will be totally out of control or a robot.  But I suppose 
> that's how guide dogs are portrayed in the media-at one of the extremes.
>
> Julie
>
>
>
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