[nagdu] How do any of you deal with small children wanting totouch your guide dog

Fri Apr 8 06:06:35 UTC 2011

I silently seethe when I hear some folks say that I'm an ambassador of good 
will. This job just doesn't pay enough.

This gets back to people, strangers, asking "what's wrong with your eyes? 
How did you get blind? Oh, your glasses are so thick! I can't comfort the 
masses all of the time, especially if the conversation seems adversarial; 
and it is if some one is thoughtless enough to exclaim how thick my glasses 
are. I know they are.  My newest response tends to be, I really don't know 
you and that is personal. Some one explained it to me that how thoughtless 
would it be if I asked someone how did they  get cancer, or why are your 
breasts missing, and the like.

I went through a lot of the thoughtless remarks at a woman's retreat a few 
weeks ago. Instead of feeling spiritually enriched, I felt alienated.

Lisa and Bernie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie McGinnity" <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 7:35 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] How do any of you deal with small children wanting 
totouch your guide dog

> This issue is one I struggle with a lot.  Brie's problem is that she
> loves the attention.  If I let one kid pet her, she will get it into
> her head that every small person will love her and pet her.  I don't
> think so.
>
> A couple weeks ago I was in the mall shopping with my mom.  These 2
> toddlers and their mom came up to me.  The mom encouraged the
> little(girl I think) to ask me if she could pet my dog.  When she
> asked I told her very politely and calmly that she could not pet my
> dog because my dog has a very special job to do.  I just explained
> that my dog helps me because I can't see.  At that point, the child
> proceeded to scream as loudly as she could.  I was horrified.  I
> really didn't want to make the kid cry.  I really didn't.  Thankfully,
> the mom delt with it well.  She picked her kid up and started to take
> her away, telling her that she was not to pet the dog, and that it
> would be ok.  The mom said nothing to me.  My mom said that she didn't
> even look surprised when I told her kid that she couldn't pet my dog.
>
> Some parents really aren't all that bad.  I love it when parents tell
> their kids funny things or things that just aren't quite right about
> my dog.  I'm sure I whince outwardly.  I usually don't have time to
> correct them.
>
> Anyway, coming to the end of my long essay here.  (sorry)  This is why
> I think it's so important to educate people.  Some say that we
> shouldn't put ourselves out just to educate those people, but
> unfortunately, that's what we have to do if we and our dogs want to be
> treated with respect.  It is especially important to educate children.
> It's so refreshing to hear "Mom, that's a guide dog.  That dog is
> working.  We shouldn't bother it."  I've only heard that once, and I
> wanted to hug the kid who said it.
>
> So...  The only way to get beyond the ignorance is education,
> especially of the children.  Wow...  I think I just totally went off
> on some kind of tangent.  Sorry guys.
>
> On 4/7/11, Julie J <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
>> A long, long time ago, I was with a friend who had a guide dog.  We were 
>> on
>> a city bus and one of the other passengers asked to pet the dog.  My 
>> friend
>> told her politely that no she couldn't pet the dog.  the woman went off,
>> threatening to call the police and I don't know what all.  Some people 
>> just
>> have issues.  *smile*
>>
>> Julie
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 8:58 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] How do any of you deal with small children wanting
>> totouch your guide dog
>>
>>
>>>I would say it is the woman's problem. That is presumptuous for someone 
>>>to
>>>think that their kid or anyone else should be able to pet your dog if 
>>>they
>>>ask. That's just ridiculous, and I think you did what you felt you needed
>>>to do. Let it go. <Grin>
>>>
>>> Cindy
>>>
>>> On Apr 7, 2011, at 8:53 PM, Peggy wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's a personal choice, if you didn't want her to pet your dog, don't
>>>> feel guilty for saying no.  Oftentimes I'll let small children pet the
>>>> dog but explain why it's great that they asked.  Other people don't 
>>>> want
>>>> their dog petted at all and it really is a personal choice.  If you
>>>> explained that it was a service animal and was working and that you'd
>>>> rather him/her not be petted at this time, then you did all you could.
>>>> Some people will be irritated no matter what we do so I wouldn't worry
>>>> about it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Brittney N. Mejico
>>>> Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 8:29 PM
>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] How do any of you deal with small children wanting to
>>>> touch your guide dog
>>>>
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>> The other day this lady got mad at me for not letting her 4 year old
>>>> touch my guide dog.  I kind of felt bad afterwards, do you think It was
>>>> rong for me to tell her no?  I tried to be as polite as Possible.  Do 
>>>> any
>>>>
>>>> of you have any tips on what I should next time that happens again.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nagdu:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/pshald%40neb.rr.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nagdu:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/cindyray%40gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/kaybaycar%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> -- 
> Julie McG
> Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lirving1234%40cox.net 