[nagdu] Accommodations specific to guide dog teams

Julie J julielj at windstream.net
Tue Mar 30 11:30:55 UTC 2010


Tami,

Identity crisis! LOL

The other day I had a guy say something like, "I have seen you with your 
other dog."

I answered that he hadn't seen me with that other dog in a long, long time. 
I'm not sure what he was getting at with that statement?  His tone of voice 
was vaguely accusatory, like it was wrong of me to have a different dog.  I 
haven't worked Belle in probably close to two years.  Most people can't even 
tell the difference between the two of them.  Or it could be just that I had 
a different harness on Monty?   Weird.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Accommodations specific to guide dog teams


> The thing about a smaller town or a somewhat self-contained neighborhood
> that is great as compensation for your being the only guide dog use they
> ever see is that they *do* see you all the time, so Monty's presence is
> probably not a big shocking deal except for people who want it to be.
> /smile/  For me, not only did my near central neighborhood have that sort 
> of
> community flavor, but most of the people worked in or near downtown and
> frequented the place a lot, so they saw GDB teams training on a regular
> basis.
>
> That's not so true out here, so I have heard children run scream at the
> transit center as I walk across.  I check my hair to make sure that's not
> what they're screaming about and then take 5 minutes to realize I had
> hearing the word dog in the shrieks.  /lol/  Oh, that would be Mitzi, the
> vicious killer poodle.  I haven't had an issue with who stays and who 
> goes,
> because by the doppler sffect there is no doubt that they are going very,
> very quickly.  Strange, very strange, but if it's what works for them...
>
> I still will find myself surprised by little things when I go beyond my
> usual haunts in this neighborhood, especially if we head further out of
> Portland than closer in.  I dimly remember noticing some the same stuff 
> here
> at first in "our" stores or restaurants or whatever.  I just didn't notice
> when they faded away because the black poodle in the red harness was now a
> familiar part of the environment.
>
> Just to shake things up a bit, I will go out with poodle when I do visit 
> La
> Grande and get entirely different types of reaction because the people 
> know
> me and my cane -- or at least the person I'm with -- but the dog is 
> clearly
> confusing to them because she doesn't belong but is with nonstrangers. 
> They
> don't do anything weird or obnoxious, but somehow their way of approaching
> me is different in some one than what I have become used to.
>
> Even in that very, very small town, where everybody knows everybody sort 
> of
> by decree, I will be surprised to have someone whose voice I can't quite
> place ask some polite questions about Mitzi, then say, "Well, I remember
> your cane..."  Identity crisis, anyone?  /lol/
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J
> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 5:22 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Accommodations specific to guide dog teams
>
> Jewel,
>
> Great questions!
>
> There are no busses where I live.  However, my general rule of thumb is 
> that
>
> in a public place where I have every right to be there, I will stay and 
> the
> person with the issues can figure out their own problems. I'm not sure if
> it's where I live or just dumb luck, but I have never encountered an
> incident like this.  I have never been asked to leave either.
>
> In a restroom I will use the large stall if that's appropriate.  Meaning 
> if
> there are others who need it and don't have a choice of a different stall
> then I'll use a smaller one.  Again in my tiny town there are only a 
> handful
>
> of people in wheelchairs and most are men.
>
> I have a rug under my desk at work for Monty.  I don't think that really
> counts as an accommodation, but thought I'd toss it out anyway.  I like 
> that
>
> I can take it home every now and then and wash it.  It keeps hair and 
> excess
>
> dirt from his feet from getting all over the carpet.   I have to request 
> my
> office to be vacuumed and the cleaning lady is not the most pleasant or
> cooperative person on the planet, so I opt for the rug. *smile*
>
> Oh, at a restaurant I ask for a table next to a corner or wall  if it's
> possible.  It's easier to keep the dog out of the way if there's at least
> one side that has no traffic.
>
> Some guide dog handlers choose not to use escalators.  I, personally, have
> in the past and don't have a problem with them.  Again escalators are not
> something I have in my home town, so I only teach that to my dog if I 
> think
> we will need it.  Belle could do them with no problem.  I haven't taught
> Monty at this point.
>
> In my experience  the presence of the dog is the main thing.  If people
> accept him into the building or wherever I can manage the rest of what he
> and I need.
>
> Julie
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jewel S." <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:19 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Accommodations specific to guide dog teams
>
>
>> We have talked about APPS, quiet cars, and the white cane laws. All of
>> these are important for blind people in general. I am curious now,
>> what sorts of accommodations do guide dog teams specifically feel are
>> important?
>>
>> I have seen the need for a "relief area" in airports, at hotels, and
>> the like. What other accommodations do guide dog teams use
>> specifically? Do you have any trouble walking in certain areas with
>> your guide dog? What about using the restroom (do you use the large
>> stall so your dog can come in, too?) On the bus, do you ever need to
>> ask for an accommodation because there is no under-space? If someone
>> on the bus doesn't like your dog being there, do you require the
>> accommodation of being allowed to remain on, or do you just get off if
>> they go crazy about it?
>>
>> I know this a broad topic, but I would love to see people's thoughts.
>> What would you like to see? It doesn't have to be something already in
>> place or already being fought for. What do *you* want/need?
>>
>> Hoping for a better conversation (and some education),
>> Jewel
>>
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>
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