[nagdu] Letting Someone Else Work Your Dog

[Lisa Irving]

Hello Marion,

Oh my goodness! I'm sooooo sorry to hear about your spill.I hope and pray 
you mend swiftly.

You're fortunate to have a wife , or partner, who knows how to work your 
dog.

I struggle with the knowledge that a school would rather remove a dog as a 
result of it being handled {worked} by some one other than the designated 
handler. And what options are given to handlers when they're "down" and 
unable to regularly work their dog.

My friend Lyn, took Bernie for dog walks when I was unable to work Bernie. 
At this stage in the game, even if GEB approved some one temporarily working 
my dog, I'm not sure I'd want some one else to work him.

Lisa and Bernie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 4:20 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Letting Someone Else Work Your Dog


> Dear All,
>    I wanted to comment on the provision that many training programs have 
> in their agreements concerning allowing someone else to work your dog. I 
> frequently compare owning a guide dog to owning a vehicle, including the 
> right to own the harness just as car owners own their keys. Similarly, if 
> someone owns a vehicle and allows another to use it, that is fully within 
> their rights, provided that person is a licensed driver and is either 
> covered by the insurance policy or is somehow otherwise insured. Here are 
> my thoughts on allowing another to work my dog.
>    When I went to convention in years past with one of my previous dogs, I 
> would allow someone who had never worked a dog "test drive" one of mine. I 
> had no fear that the training program from which I received my dog would 
> interfere with this, as I have ownership. Through this experience, I have 
> introduced many people to the joy of working a guide dog. Now, I would 
> probably not let a novice work my current guide dog, as he is a lot to 
> handle.
>    On Thursday, I fell and fractured my tibia; I am non-weight bearing for 
> the next two months. My dog was going stir crazy, so my wife took him out 
> and worked him. She will also be taking him to school with her on Monday. 
> Merry is a seasoned guide dog handler and is very competent to work Sarge. 
> In addition, Sarge needs to work. In fact, he is insisting on it! (grin) 
> Merry will be working him regularly while I recover, keeping his skills up 
> and giving him much needed exercise. I have absolutely no fear posting 
> this message to a public list because I know GDF will not interfere with 
> my choices. This is not true of other programs who seem to be looking for 
> reasons to take a dog away just to reinforce their ability to do so and 
> keep their consumers in line through fear and intimidation.
>
> fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
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