[nagdu] jobs and grooming

[David Baker]

 Tami, you are right that this is a tough issue.

The accommodation issues are complex.  With no offense to German Shepherds, or
to their owners, I find their odor to be disagreeable to me, even those that are
freshly washed and well groomed.  It has something to do with the natural oil in
their coats.  This is why, while I do not know enough to request a particular
breed, I will ask not to have a German Shepherd dog guide when I apply for a
dog.  This is also despite the fact that I have great respect for the
intelligence and work ethic of the breed and have known very lovely and loving
Shepherd pets that belong to others.

Dogs clearly smell like dogs and even when my lab/husky mix is ready for a bath,
I do not find her noticeable odor repulsive.  Part of this this may have
something to with having grown used to her and loving her no matter what, but my
smell response to Shepherds would make it difficult to share close space with
one.

I do hope that you who have strong bonds with your German Shepherds are not
offended by my comments.  Some people may be sensitive to Labs and other breeds,
but Tami is right it is a tricky issue.

That being said, I, too, would be suspicious that Dar's friend was not the
target of a ploy to avoid accommodation.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Tamara Smith-Kinney
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2010 3:51 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] jobs and grooming

Huh.  That's a tricky one, since "odor" can depend on sensitivities and a
person's emotional perceptions of scents, anyway.