[nagdu] NFB and Dogs

[Lyn Gwizdak]

To me, an "incompetent handler" is a person who has poor mobility skills 
(for whatever reason), they can be a person who spoils the dog as if it were 
just a household pet and lets the dog beg for food in a restaurant or jump 
on people.  Sometimes the problem stems from a poor match of dog to person. 
I have seen this where a small, fragile lady was given a huge bousterous Lab 
that always broke away from her when dog distracted.  this same lady now is 
matched with a far better dog for her and she is a very good handler.  She 
did try her best with the huge Lab, though.

I think the term "incompetent handler" can have negative conotations.  There 
are many reasons handlers appear this way - sometimes because of something 
not their fault and sometimes their it is because of chosen carelessness and 
refusal to work the dog as they were trained to do at the school.  And a dog 
isn't for everyone - they may find this out by getting a dog.  I've known 
people like this and they went back to a cane and they are happy doing that.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] NFB and Dogs


> 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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.n
> et
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net