[nagdu] harness signs

Tue Mar 9 18:35:40 UTC 2010

Hi Albert,
I get both men and women approaching my dog.  Yeah, I get the, "Hi Sweetie" 
and such as well - I don't like that either!

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 7:51 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs

>I am not sure it is purely a sexist  approach in most instances. I get my
> fair share of women wanting to pet my puppy, and then when I am in 
> Manhattan
> there are a significant number of men when I travel there I can see how 
> men
> would attempt to be condescending and dominant in there approach with the
> hello little lady or sweetie which just drives me crazy as a man. where do
> they get off. Anyway, I get my fair share of people wanting to pet and
> acknowledge doxy  regardless of the offenders gender.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 10:20 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>
> No problem Janette. For me, it's more then just the distraction issue.
> Any guys want to add to the discussion?
> Janette, email me off list if you want.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Jeanette Beal
> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 10:16 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>
> Thanks for speaking up, Rebecca. I think there are more of us who feel
> this
> way than we realize. I bet there are even less gender gaps than we
> realize!
> Jeanette
>
> On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 9:58 AM, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <
> REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
>
>> Thank you janette for raising this issue. I also feel well, yucky when
>> people would pet my dog without asking. It is like what Janette said,
>> it's a violation of my space and also my time, very much like being
>> gropped by someone or during a time when you don't want that
> attention.
>> It's both a person and a timing aspect.  The time and the person both
>> have to be right and so does the situation, not unlike well, other
>> activities.
>> Thank you Janete for raising this issue, until you mentioned it, I had
>> felt I was the only one.
>> Anybody else want to weigh in?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Jeanette Beal
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 8:58 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>>
>> I'm wondering how much of the interaction between public and dog is
>> gender-based to the handler? As a woman, I know that I'm interacted
> with
>> on
>> a slightly different level than men - called 'little lady' by
>> many-a-older-guy on public transit, etc. I know there was a study done
>> recently (um, 20/20 special so not really a study) with a blind man &
> a
>> blind woman trying to buy pastries in a shop and the woman was
> actually
>> stood up for/defended more readily by an incredulous public than the
>> man. Is
>> this because women are inherently viewed as inferior and in need of
>> protection? Probably.
>> So when a female handler walks around with her dog is it  much easier
> to
>> disregard her and interact with her dog? Perhaps. I've had men spit in
>> my
>> face because I told them to leave my dog alone. Granted he spit in my
>> face
>> after he started petting my dog and I said no and he said F-off and I
>> said
>> oh really? And stepped between dog & dude and dude then pushed at me
> so
>> I
>> slapped him in the face and he spit on me and then....ran away. But
> the
>> main
>> point was I said no and he said "so?" and continued his bad behavior.
>> I have a hard time with this subject. It's so rooted in my need for
>> safety
>> in public as a woman - using public transit and getting groped by a
> dude
>> behind or next to me feels as dirty and disgusting as unauthorized
>> petting
>> of my dog by a stranger. So how do I reconcile my need for safety and
>> autonomy with the day-to-day hassles all handlers have in public?
>> I do so by not allowing people to pet my dog. By demanding that I be
>> asked
>> first. By expecting my answer to be respected - if I say no it means
> no.
>> This goes for my body as much as my dog's.  And unfortunately the
>> waiting
>> public takes away that I'm a rude, withholding human. But my safety is
>> more
>> important than public image.
>> Unfortunately we aren't in a vacuum and all blind people speak for all
>> blind
>> people in front of AB folks. So when someone lets the public pet their
>> dog
>> in harness they send a message that I will to. And when I say no and
> am
>> assumed rude I send a message that all blind people are rude.
>> It's a crappy inter-connected all-disabled-folk-are-the-same world.
>> Jeanette
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 8:12 AM, Albert J Rizzi
>> <albert at myblindspot.org>wrote:
>>
>> > now there is the honest one in the group. I must confess that I too
>> enjoy
>> > it
>> > when people take notice of my handsome lad. I do stop to let him
> take
>> in
>> > the
>> > praise at times, though I always take his harness off. Now before
> you
>> all
>> > go
>> > mad about that, it is a conscious decision I make and am willing to
>> make
>> > for
>> > my dog and all the good work he does, I feel that if time allotted
>> when I
>> > take the harness off it reinforces the work thing and out of work
>> thing for
>> > the dog. It also embarrasses  the petting offender and they always
>> insist I
>> > not go to any great lengths, which always allows for a honest and
> open
>> I
>> > really should bet t my meeting.
>> >
>> > Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> > CEO/Founder
>> > My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> > 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> > New York, New York  10004
>> > www.myblindspot.org
>> > PH: 917-553-0347
>> > Fax: 212-858-5759
>> > "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one
>> who is
>> > doing it."
>> >
>> >
>> > Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> > Of Tamara Smith-Kinney
>> > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 6:39 PM
>> > To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>> >
>> > Hmm...  Maybe someone should make a project out of finding a
> mutt-ugly
>> > scurvy cur, slappying a guide dog harness on it and heading out into
>> public
>> > to see what happens?  /grin/  I've thought of designing a special
>> poodle
>> > cut
>> > to uglify Mitzi...  I could have the groomer do her all lopsided and
>> patch
>> > and stuff, then put odd dye patches on her here and there...
>> >
>> > Whaddaya think?  Should I go for it?  /grin/
>> >
>> > Or maybe someone could invent a spray, like that stuff that is
>> supposed to
>> > keep pets away from certain areas.  In fact, isn't it called "Pet
>> Away?" or
>> > stomething?  Maybe if we sprayed are dogs with anti-human pheromones
>> we
>> > could go about our business in peace? /lol/
>> >
>> > Okay, so my dirty little secret is that I've sort of gotten to enjoy
>> the
>> > attention my poodle gets, now that we've learned to deal and move
> on.
>> > Unless she's in hussy mode, in which case, I just have to deal until
> I
>> can
>> > make a graceful exit or haul out the jaws of life to separate her
> from
>> the
>> > bestest friend ever she just made.  /smile/  I figure I can
> embarrass
>> > myself
>> > enough that I may as well let the dog find ways to embarrass me so
>> long as
>> > it makes everybody happy...  Sigh.  Maybe it has something to do
> with
>> > living
>> > in Portland?  Part of me remembers the place as the oversized
> redneck
>> town
>> > of my youth; it's fun talking to long-time resident cabbies who
>> remember it
>> > the same way.  But in the past (I will not admit how many) years,
> it's
>> > grown
>> > and changed along and now it's sort of...  Funky? Funny? Kind of
>> getting to
>> > be cosmopolitan but with a super progressive political bent and a
>> strong
>> > flavor of small-town friendliness.  It can make going out and about
> a
>> lot
>> > of
>> > fun, in a funy, weird way.
>> >
>> > So long as one remembers to take into account the growing number of
>> > homeless
>> > people with dogs of uncertain temperament downtown...  That
> population
>> has
>> > grown over the past few years, and while the scary dogs we've passed
>> have
>> > been kept under control by their ragged and dirty humans, it seems
> to
>> take
>> > a
>> > lot of effort from the human to keep the dog from going for my sweet
>> > precious.  Yikes!  Still, with the housing situation here, as in so
>> many
>> > places, it's to be expected.  Sigh.  Otherwise, though, Portland is
> a
>> > pretty
>> > cool place.
>> >
>> > You just don't stand a prayer of going more than five steps without
>> someone
>> > saying something about your dog.  /grin/
>> >
>> > Tami Smith-Kinney
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> > Of Albert J Rizzi
>> > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 2:05 PM
>> > To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>> >
>> > What if we all got the ugliest dogs imaginable? Do you think that
>> would cut
>> > down on the petting distractions?
>> >
>> > Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> > CEO/Founder
>> > My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> > 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> > New York, New York  10004
>> > www.myblindspot.org
>> > PH: 917-553-0347
>> > Fax: 212-858-5759
>> > "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one
>> who is
>> > doing it."
>> >
>> >
>> > Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> > Of Marsha Drenth
>> > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 4:39 PM
>> > To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs
>> >
>> > Now here is where I have seen a improvement. My husband purchased me
> a
>> sign
>> > for my pup for the harness for Christmas, and she has been wearing
> it
>> > since.
>> > Granted not all that long. But I have had only one person try to pet
>> my pup
>> > since. I don't think this person could read, and most likely had
> other
>> > disabilities. Before, I had so many people try to pet her. I was
>> trying and
>> > just dreaded going places because of the number of people who wanted
>> to pet
>> > her. So in my situation, the sign has definetly worked wonders!
>> >
>> > JMO
>> > Marsha
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> > Of Julie J
>> > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 3:43 PM
>> > To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] harness signs was guide dogs
>> >
>> > I don't think the signs make any difference anyway.
>> >
>> > I have a sign on Monty's harness that says "Please don't pet me I'm
>> > working".  For folks who have difficulty with words there is also a
>> picture
>> > of a hand reaching to pet a dog with a giant red slash through it.
>> You'd
>> > think people would get the hint, but they don't. I have noticed
>> absolutely
>> > no difference in the amount of petafiles since I started with the
>> sign.
>> >
>> > Just today I had some guy reach out to pet Monty just as we're
> getting
>> > ready
>> >
>> > to cross the street of all things.  He explained that he had been
>> petting
>> > the dog in training on the college campus earlier.  As if that made
> it
>> okay
>> > or something.  Torks me.  But Monty got my revenge, he backed up and
>> gave
>> > the death ray eyeball look.  LOL  Go Monty!
>> >
>> > Julie
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Meghan" <meghan at n-republic.net>
>> > To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> > <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 12:15 PM
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dogs
>> >
>> >
>> > > No, they don't give you a sign for the harness, but you get cards
>> that
>> > you
>> >
>> > > can hand out.
>> > >
>> > > They make it clear that they discourage petting, but they advise
> you
>> on
>> > > how to approach it if you are going to allow it, too.
>> > >
>> > > Hope that helps,
>> > > Meghan
>> > > ----- Original Message -----
>> > > From: "Jennifer L Finley" <jenniferfinley at embarqmail.com>
>> > > To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users"
>> > > <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> > > Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 3:28 PM
>> > > Subject: [nagdu] guide dogs
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >> Does the seeing eye have the please don't pet me signs?  Do they
>> use
>> > >> anything to let the public know to not pet the dog?
>> > >> _______________________________________________
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>> --
>> Jeanette Beal
>> MS.Ed Assistive Technology
>> Independent Consultant
>> Boston, MA 02115
>> bealjk at gmail.com
>> http://twitter.com/bealjk
>> http://bealjk.tumblr.com/
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>> "Talent is an invention like phlogiston after the fact of fire" -
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> Independent Consultant
> Boston, MA 02115
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