[nagdu] Dalmatians

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Jewel,

A friend and I have discussed the advantages of using an Irish Wolfhound as
a guide dog, especially as an antidote to drunks at bus stops.  She is quite
petite, and the image of her standing at a bus stop beside a dog as tall as
she is just tickles me pink.

Then again, as much as I adore huge dogs, the problem of where to put one
once you get on the bus makes me appreciate my petite poodle.  It seems my
friend's petite GSD from TSE does quite well, there, too.  /smile/  She
doesn't seem to scare the locals, though, the way a larger GSD guide of
another rpeson I know does.  Apparently, people will dash across the street
stopping traffic when they see that dangerous, ferocious beast coming for
them!

Ah, well.  Public interactions with one's guide dog do keep one entertained
wondering what they will come up with next.  /lol/

I got an oldie but goodie with the poodle yesterday:  "Do you do the curls
yourself, or is she really that way?"  Oh, yeah.  I curl the poodle every
day, you bet.  

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jewel S.
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2010 3:30 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dalmatians

Very true. Like I mentioned, not all dalmations follow that
reputation. And I know personally that not all dobermans, pit bulls,
or rottweilers are that way, either. I personally think rottweilers
would make great service animals, if not guide dogs, but people would
freak out about them, much like they do with dobbies. Schools are
stopping using dobbies not because the dogs can't do the work
(although some can't, just like some German Shepherds and retrievers
can't, but because when people see someone coming with a dobbie, they
grab their children away in fright. Imagine, if there are people upset
about seeing a sweet labrador on the bus as a guide dog, what they
would say about a mean-looking (all be it, very likely super sweet)
doberman pinscher? Dalmatians, at least, don't have *that* reputation.
No one would shield their children from an approaching dalmation.
that's partly thanks to dalmations being the firefighter's best friend
and Disney's 101 Dalmations.

My boyfriend wants a mastiff for a guide dog, but I told him no
way...mastiffs don't have enough energy, are far too slow and lazy,
and tire too easily. Their hearts can't pump the blood through their
bodies fast enough for them to do a huge amount of work all the time.
He said he'd settle for a Great Pyrenees or a Husky, instead.

Speaking of huskies, are there any people training huskies or
malamutes for guide dogs in colder climates (such as in Canada or the
UK?

~Jewel

On 5/4/10, The Pawpower Pack <pawpower4me at gmail.com> wrote:
> Jewel,
> If you replace the word Doberman with Dalmatian in your email, many of
> those same things have been said about the breed of dog which I
> currently work.
> This is why the selection process is so important.
>
> Not every Doberman will make a guide dog.  Not every Dalmatian will be
> a guide dog.  For that matter not every lab or golden can be one
> either but because of their nature Labs and Goldens have a higher
> success rate.  However there are working Dobes out there and working
> Dals.
> Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
> "It's wildly irritating to have invented something as revolutionary as
> sarcasm, only to have it abused by amateurs." -- Christopher Moore
> pawpower4me at gmail.com
>
> Windows Live Only: Brisomania at hotmail.com
> AIM: Brissysgirl Yahoo: lillebriss
>
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