[nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?

Julie McGinnity kaybaycar at gmail.com
Wed Jan 11 21:27:29 UTC 2012 

Tami, I do that same thing.  I talk to Brie constantly, but like you
say, it's more about hearing the sound of your own voice.  This is
especially true if you live alone(or nearly alone) as I do.  The funny
thing is that unless she's sound asleep, Brie listens to me like I'm
saying something important.

Now some people consider that weird to takl to your dog all the time,
but my mother does it with her cats, so I think it runs in the family.
 It might be crazy, but I think if I had a pet dog, I would do the
same thing.

Buddy, I would do exactly what you did.  It's funny that people jump
immediately to your dog can't come rather than considering other
options like using the towel to cover the floor of the car.  I just
think people sometimes don't want to deal with it.  I also think that
people have a lot of preconceived notions about dogs, so they believe
your dog will act a certain way or behave badly in a certain
situation.  I'm sure you've all heard the "It's ok if she sniffs me.
I have dogs."  This always happens when you're dog is distracted and
not supposed to be sniffing the person in question, and you never have
time for the explanation that actually, the dog is distracted right
now and shouldn't be sniffing.  This also goes for the people who
jokingly or even seriously consider feeding your dog when its working.

Just something I've thought over the years--like I'm so old!  :)

On 1/11/12, Doug Parisian <eggmann at shaw.ca> wrote:
> I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
>
> Doug: I am the Eggman!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 1:44 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?
>
>
>> Tami,
>> I always say us and we.  Like Ben's song says
>> "I used to say I and me,
>> Now it's us,
>> Now it's we."
>>
>> It's part of why it's such a great, mushy, guide dog song.
>>
>> I have to watch it and remember not to say "we" when it was only me.  Like
>> you, I don't worry about it too much.
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>>> Will and Toni,
>>>
>>> Using the dog's name in a professional signature line does seem a bit
>>> unprofessional, although there may be cases where it's not a big thing,
>>> depending... Maybe. I'm not thinking of anything right now, but norms
>>> for some professions are more relaxed than for others. Every now and
>>> then I get a wild hair and think it would be cute to put Mitzi's name in
>>> my personal signature or something. Then I remember that it would be too
>>> easy to forget to use the right signature on business or serious
>>> correspondence... So I take precautions there for my own
>>> absent-mindedness. /smile/
>>>
>>> If a guide dog user chooses to allow their dog free run of the house
>>> when company comes over, well so do a lot of dog owners. It depends on
>>> the dog, the handler and the guest, and I think Toni laid that out
>>> really well. If the dog is mugging the guests or snarfing food off the
>>> plates at the dinner table or even on the couch... Well, if I were the
>>> guest I would not be too eager to drop by again. Especially if the
>>> behavior was not handled by the handler. /lol/
>>>
>>> Mitzi has the run of the house when we have guests over, so I remind her
>>> of "company manners" when it's a formal gathering as opposed to a drop
>>> by from a really good buddy. /smile/ When it's our special friends, they
>>> have their own preferences, which she respects, so I smile happily and
>>> proudly at her and figure it's all good if everyone is happy. /lol/
>>> Poodles are funny beasts that way, not like dogs at all it can seem, but
>>> I've decided I quite like that.
>>>
>>> So she is now teaching the puppy good company manners, with support from
>>> the house humans. Way cool. Daisy had learned to be really good with
>>> company for the last couple of years of her life, but she did need
>>> watching to keep her from loving them too much once she decided they
>>> were okay. /smile/ Mitzi is a very charming hostess, with her poodle
>>> grin and little dance and tail action. So it's fun watching the puppy
>>> learn from her and develop her own way of interacting with company.
>>>
>>> Where I wonder about myself with my attachment to my guide is when I
>>> realize I talk to her all the time... Then I heard from other guide dog
>>> users that they just go around talking to their dogs without realizing
>>> it. Also, I've noticed how that affects Mitzi and her understanding of
>>> what her work is about and all. It really strengthens our bond and
>>> working unity... Also, I realized I was talking, literally, to hear the
>>> sound of my own voice. For echolocation. /lol/ So Ive been retraining
>>> myself to use the echolocation without the constant chatter. I backslide
>>> to the point where I annoy myself when lose more vision or if I'm really
>>> tired or stressed in a complicated environment. Working on it! I make a
>>> conscious effort to use the clicker, which does great. Even when I'm
>>> using the cane. /lol/ I've never really taken to the finger snap, and I
>>> also use that with Mitzi to remind her to mind her manners when she's
>>> ancy. The tongue sound escapes me, more so when I'm tired and stressed
>>> and likely to run off at the mouth over nothing, so... The clicker it is!
>>>
>>> Oh, I've also noticed that I've fallen into referring to Mitzi and me as
>>> "we" in some contexts. We walked to the store. We went to the mall... I
>>> can never decide if I've gone goofy to do that or if it's natural
>>> because we're a partnership and are doing these things together as a
>>> team. I have decided not to worry about it. /grin/
>>>
>>> Tami
>>>
>>> On 01/10/2012 04:44 PM, Toni Whaley wrote:
>>>> Bill,
>>>>
>>>> I personally think it's inappropriate to use the dog's name in a
>>>> business
>>>> letter. Regarding having the run of the house, I think that depends on
>>>> the
>>>> nature of the dog. If the dog tends to be overly friendly especially
>>>> when
>>>> food is around, I think the dog should be in a crate or on a tiedown.
>>>> Onn
>>>> the other hand, if the dog doesn't really care about company and tends
>>>> to
>>>> stay out of the way or disappears, I think it's OK. Of course, there's
>>>> the
>>>> problem that the guests themselves may be more of a problem than the
>>>> dog;
>>>> that is, getting the dog too excited. I've had dogs of both types. I've
>>>> also
>>>> tended to keep my dog out of sight on Haliween. evening, both to prevent
>>>> the
>>>> dog from getting too excited and running out the opened door and/or
>>>> scaring
>>>> some of the children.
>>>>
>>>> Toni
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of William Burley
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:10 PM
>>>> To: NAGDU
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?
>>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I hope everyone is well.  I had an interesting discussion today with a
>>>> longtime guide dog user.  She brought up the fact that some handlers
>>>> seem to
>>>> take their relationships overboard with their guide dogs.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Some examples she gave were:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> .         Including the dog's name in a professional e-mail signature
>>>>
>>>> .         Allowing the dog to have run of the house, even when guests
>>>> are
>>>> there
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> She gave some others but I am drawing a blank now.  I have not
>>>> experienced
>>>> the two examples above but could see her point.  Have you guys dealt
>>>> with
>>>> someone you thought took their relationship with their guide to an
>>>> unhealthy
>>>> level?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Will
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> William Burley
>>>>
>>>> William.burley3 at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>
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-- 
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

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