[nagdu] NFB and Dogs

[Dan Weiner]

What is your definition of an incompetent handler?
Are those of us with dogs who feel we know what we are doing now judge and
jury of those we don't approve of?
My definition of a dog guide team that's working is that the person an is
happy with the dog and that they're dong what they want to do, getting out
etc.
 

I'm just responding to your phrase about how we all don't like to see
incompetent handlers.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 12:43 PM
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
Subject: [nagdu] NFB and Dogs

The NFB's attitude toward has done a total turn about. It may well have been
more the individuals than the organization, and, of course, when the Iowa
Orientation Center was started, that was clearly a plan that would not
include dogs. If you think about how long ago that was, the use of dogs
hadn't been nearly as wide spread as it is now. We all know that we don't
like to see poorly behaved dogs and people who appear to be incompetent
handlers to us; I think that is true anywhere, especially where people know
about dogs. I think the fact that we have now this larger and more powerful
division in NFB that deals with the needs and rights of guide dogs, the fact
that there is now a relief area at the NFB National Center, the numbers who
are coming to convention with dogs speaks volumes about the attitude. That
isn't to say everyone's attitude has changed, but as we are changing what it
means to be blind we are also changing the attitude about the use of dogs.
There have been other evolving attitudes. I think that people who say that
the NFB doesn't like dogs are spouting off old news and, perhaps somewhat
inaccurate news at that. This may vary some in affiliates. When I moved back
to Iowa with my dog, a dog which I did not have when I left here, I expected
to have a problem with that. I was even told that I couldn't expect people
to "make over" my dog. Well, people in Iowa and in the NFB liked dogs as
much as the next person, I wasn't treated much differently from anyone else,
at least not because of the dog <Grin> and my dogs and I have been welcomed
at NFB functions. I think we all have to shout it from the roof tops: dogs
are welcomed in the NFB!

CL


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