[nagdu] But so and so lets me pet their dog!

[Linda Gwizdak]

Hi Deanna,
No, I don't think we can "cure" people of interacting with our guide dogs.

Yes, we can try to educate - start this while the people are little kids! 
Hand out those little cards from GDB.

Teach all your guide dogs to NOT respond to the drive-by petting they get. 
When the people see that the dog doesn't give them the time of day, they 
quit and walk away.  People petting our dogs is just another distraction in 
the envirnment.

Personally, I used to be all anal about petting. It used to get me all spun 
up. So, I gave that up and I feel much more calm while out and about.  I 
will let someone pet Landon if we are stopped and chatting and I don't have 
the harness handle in my hand.

Also, I do something that lots of people don't do.  I'm aroound other guide 
dog users all the time.  I will allow Landon to greet his friends and then 
it's back to work. He is fine with this and so are the other dogs.  What I 
see is that sometimes we encounter a person who NEVER allows their dog to 
greet anyone - person or dog.  The dog is usually going nuts trying to 
greet. Dogs are social animals and so are we!  An under control greet 
usually satisfies the dog and there's not alot of the out of control stuff.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Deanna Lewis" <deannakay618 at yahoo.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 12:03 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] But so and so lets me pet their dog!


> Hi,
> I know how you feel, everywhere we go people try to pet Pascal. I do have 
> some vision so I usually catch it. But, lots of times they try to sneak it 
> in, thinking "Oh she's blind she won't see me pet her dog!" And to me, it 
> seems like kids are so much more understanding that the dog can not be 
> distracted while working, adults are just hard headed and get mad when you 
> say no.
> My dog is from GDB and they actually give us little cards to pass out to 
> people saying that my dog is a working dog and he should not be pet while 
> working. It also explains how guide dogs help their handlers get around. I 
> don't usually pass them out, but maybe I should. I just think it's kind of 
> rude to shove a card at them and go on. Usually I just explain the 
> obvious, if he is distracted, he may get us both hurt. I don't know if 
> there is a cure for all of this or not, but maybe as more sighted people 
> are educated about guide dogs, it will get better. Take care.
> Deanna and Pascal
>
>
>
>
>
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