[nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?

Thu Jan 12 21:27:40 UTC 2012

bobby and Prince thoughts, yes great topic. I'm a very high profile
traveler and am high energy rough around the edges a bit, but here
goes:0)

I'm a 3 most of the time. Anyone who has a problem with my dog, I
respect and avoid (costed me part time jobs, girl friends and a few
friends). I tried the 1., cooperation thing but the cooperation thing is
a long dangerous freight train that will crush somebody like a over
cooked pea. My dog goes everywhere with me.  AND I am the team leader,
not the expert public person with the puppy in a cage massive
experience.  I despise people that try to out think me and belittle me
so that makes me pushy.  I can make the angriest person smile so that
makes me a 6.  I use 1 through 4 so I guess I go through a barrier or
around it or yes avoid it too sometimes.  Depends on a few things,
Money, not being  cornered/thought for, safety conditions, something I
call trading your rights in for the spirit of cooperation
(OverAPATHETIC) . I've seen houses I wouldn't let my dog breathe in.
If I wind up someplace and find a problem my experience takes over, I
leave ASAP and no my dog can't be tied up in somebody's garage or yard.
But thirty years of running all over this great country and making it
through Mexico and other countries dog in hand, climbing diamondhead etc
etc. I learned allot of tricks and twicks to get out of sticky
situations.  I have experienced that the level of confidence and the
strong personality and demanding that people don't try guilt trips and
patronizing "put your foot down" is necessary a lot of the time or you
wind up under that freight train, your dog master team either fails or
flips in a negative life threatening way or so many other not good
possibilities.  Civil rights, the ADA and the Rehab act are all linked
and I feel people suffered greatly for these laws, acts etc.  the reason
we have them is because people with disabilities have always had a major
up hill climb for any level of fairness including adult being treated
like an adult..  we keep hearing Dignity and respect. But a blind person
using a guide dog in my experience seems to get the guilt trip or the
trade your rights in for overapathy more then someone using an untrained
animal.

If I'm invited to a private home I make sure Prince will gbe beside me
"leash in hand" or we respectfully decline the invite.

I don't even let prince run my house because its only three months.
Kelly (my wife) after about a year is able to let Johnson run things.  I
found about a year is a good thing for all 6 of my dogs and 5 of
Kelly's. But family homes, cruise ships, other home of non dog guide
users No he is a part of me and must stay by me and run with me. There
are too many nasty things out there that cause Unscheduled emptying or
puke times so I found you really got to watch your dog closely.

Reasons I accept for leaving a dog in another room, and MRI will
demagnetize a chip (can't have that and find out when your leaving the
country), tie down or in another room with bone and bed sports events
your participating in like shooting competition, beepball  etc. Hospital
intensive care (if the nurse don't dress the dog and beg you to bring
him/her along.

Finally people are generally  good but do tend to use the 5 thousand
year old stigma/stereo types tagged on people who are totally blind
regardless of how professional we act, how careful we are how much
education we have and how much experience we have. If I hear a story
about my dog, I tell them about the time he drove a CTA bus with a big
mack in one paw, a nice cigar in the other and a cell phone stuck to the
extra catchup on his face.  Yes Sniffing is a challenge with all dogs
especially the taller ones like Prince:0) but I'd rather have my dogs
nose touch someone then a nice long cane taking out a knee:0) correcting
is good but sometimes people will crowd us and I just keep dropping the
harness and scratching princes head and what ever command I need done
again and it works.

the unscheduled stops are interesting because I've had and seen dogs
that will let you know by panting or acting crazy and I've had and seen
dogs that just stop and "empty" so I usually don't scold to much for
emptying in route but in a building is a red button for me just like
table food.

Hows that for covering about 30 different emails in one:0)

Bobby and Prince going to play in a secret hallway for a few minutes.

From:	"Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To:	"NAGDU Mailing List,	the National Association of Guide
            Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Date:	01/12/2012 01:28 PM
Subject:	Re: [nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?
Sent by:	nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org

Yes, good topic!

Here, people don't seem to go to each other's homes very often as we do
most
of our sociaizing elswhere like our blind center or in our groups and
clubs.
The friends whose homes i go to have guide dogs themselves so Landon is
no
problem there.  For family, I either go to my parent's home or my
brother's
home.

Because Landon likes to find too much trouble to get into, when in
another
home other than our own, I keep Landon either with me on his leash or
tied
up to a heavy coffee table when we eat dinner.  There is no room under
the
dining table for Landon because the events are large family gatherings
and
the dining rooms are small.  But, Landon can both see me or hear me and
he's
fine in the living room.

My parents have a cat and there are cat toys all over and Landon would
shred
those.  At my brother's home, there are chickens, a horse, two dogs, a
large
parrot, and three snakes and the rats to feed them with.  When Landon
had
freedom there, he ate horse crap, chicken crap, fuzz off of tennis balls
he
found in the yard.  He came inside and ate crap and seed hulls that got
dropped into the tray beneath the parrot's stand.  As a result, Landon
became very sick with the squirts for two weeks that resulted in a vet
visit
and medication to stop the squirts.  That was expensive trouble for
Landon
to get into.

I have never been asked to leave my dog at home by any family member or
friend.  If my dog is left behind, It is totally my decision.  Guess I'm

lucky!  If I am going to someone's home who I don't know - such as our
Democratic club's Christmas party was held at the home of a member that
I
didn't know.  We have over 300 members but only a small portion of that
membership comes to the monthly meetings.  In that case, I did ask if
there
was a problem in me having my dog with me.  I had no idea if there was
any
household member who had animal allergies, or any other reason they
would
rather not have the dog there.  Turns out there was no problem in my dog

being there.  I never went to that party because I was sick and had to
miss
it!

I do have a friend who had a family member who just didn't want the dog
at
the house.  My friend said that this family member couldn't deal with
the
blindness and the dog, period.  My friend is a good dog handler and her
dogs
are always clean and well behaved.  So my friend said to her family
member,
"If my dog isn't welcome, then I'm not welcome either."

Guess I lucked out and have dog loving friends and family!

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: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?

> Well, I can't resist. Julie, since you think a signature with a dog's
name
> is over the top, then I cordially sign this note:
>
> Dan and the Carter Nut, His royal Goofiness, President Carter,
Sergeant
> Carter, etcetera etcetera and ad infinitum--lol
>
> As far as people who break of friendships because of not being
welcomed in
> a
> car or house, I can see it both ways.
> Your dog is your main means of mobility and thee does come a point at
> which
> you need to draw the line in terms of people not letting you bring
your
> main
> means of mobility.
>
> Where that line is however is an individual choice.
>
> So, then this brings up an enjoyable and perhaps enlightening
discussion
> topic.
> What do our list friends do when your told not to bring the dog in
> someone's
> car or house...what if it's a situation for example, where you feel
you'd
> need the doggie for your mobility, awfully easy to just trust in
others
> judgment.
> Do you:
> 1. do whatever anyone tells you, sacrifice your comfort and whip out
your
> handy cane because all people should be conversant in using the very
very
> very very very long NFB style cane and you'd just hate to be an
> inconvenience to anyone whatsoever and after all it's their car and
dogs
> shed and it's so easy to understand why they wouldn't want your dog
> there?---note slight sardonic tone
> ?--smile.
> 2. Discuss patiently or argue the point.
> 3. Put your foot down.
> 4. Feel too shy to do anything about it and just go along.
> Or not want to make a scene but just don't' continue the friendship or
not
> go to the meeting.
>
> I have in my years done all of those--smile
>
> I find that I feel better about myself if I'm more assertive about
what my
> needs and comfort level is rather than just meekly doing what people
tell
> me, even if I don't get my way I at least stood up for myself and
wasn't a
> shrinking violet.
>
> Some people, in arguments about your dog and you will say things like"

> well,
> you don't really need that dog, do you, you can do just fine with out
> him."
> Or "don't worry,  I'll guide you".
> Those are usually phrases whipped out to avoid them saying "we don't
want
> your guide dog in our car or on our hallowed ground" because they're
> afraid
> of seeming petty or heartless, which, depending on the person, they
may or
> may not be.
> Or also, the guilt trip: Well, you're being pretty selfish, not
everyone
> likes dogs and it's an imposition on us to have your dog and why can't
you
> leave him." another quote I've been treated to.
>
> All I can wonder is, though, where are these blind guide dog users
getting
> their friends,  I mean, these the users who'll say "all my friends
> absolutely have no problem with my dog around"
> Are they:
> 1. luckier than I am
> 2. more assertive than I am
> 3 just eliminate people who can't see reason.4.
> Surround themselves with animal lovers?
> 5. not really be telling the whole truth.
> 6. really charming, or possibly downright pushy.
>
>
> I, as usual, have more to say, most of it quite sarcastic and a bit
funny,
> but I'll stop for now as my fingers are getting tired.
>
> Oh so here goes:
>
> Dan the man, Carter the nut For clarification, I'm Dan as we can
attest to
> by the fact that I refer to myself as "Dan the man" implying
membership in
> the human race, at least after my morning coffee
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 10:39 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] When is the Connection Too Much?
>
> I figure it's my house and if I want to let the dogs wander about
free,
> then
> that's my prerogative.  Now, in all fairness I do like to have my
friends
> back for repeat visits, so I make sure the dogs are behaving
> appropriately.
> *smile*  dinner at home is no different than dinner in a restaurant in
> regard to the dog's behavior.  They have two choices, so I guess it's
a
> tad
> different.  Anyway they can lay quietly under the table or next to my
> chair
> or they can be in a different room doing whatever it is they want to
do.
> Monty usually lays on the floor by me, while Belle prefers to enjoy
> stretching out on the couch.
>
> I do agree with the original thought that some people are over the top

> about
> their guide dogs.  The dog's name in the signature line is one that
> particularly bugs me, especially when it's not clear whose the person
and
> whose the dog.  I think it's sad that some people break off good
> friendships
> or family relationships because the friend or family member doesn't
want
> the
> dog in their home or car.  I get that not all situations are the same
and
> there are all sorts of factors that need to be considered.  I've also
> known
> of guide dog users who go to extraordinary measures to limit their
> employment to only situations that are absolutely perfect for the dog.
> Usually this means the person remains unemployed.
>
> I don't know though.  What makes perfect sense to me might be the
> perfectly
> wrong thing for the next person.  As long as it's not illegal or
blatantly
> dangerous I try to remind myself to live and let live. It's still a
work
> in
> progress. *smile*
>
> Julie
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.net

>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net

_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/harris.robert%40epamail.epa.gov