[nagdu] Mark's dogs

Sat Jan 21 20:01:00 UTC 2012

Mark,

OMG! I'm scared now! /lol/

Let's see, I'm 5 ft. 5, slender and a total Shirley Temple clone... My 
poodle is 54 lbs. of leg and big dark eyes in her black, black curls...

Nope! Not scary!

So you see why I cannot take people seriously when they get all screamy 
and squally with fear of us! /lol/

Then there was the time we were in the midst of a public poodle 
mugging... And finally, a nervous voice from well back in the crowd of 
admirers I was trying to fend off asked breathily, "Is it a *pit bull*?"

It's probably a good thing I busted up laughing too hard to talk because 
all I could think of to say was, "Yes! The long-nosed, curly coated 
kind! They're the ones that are *really* dangerous!" Probably this would 
not be the best thing to say in front of a crowd because it would give 
the wrong impression of guide dogs or something.

Fortunately, the rest of the admiring fans had picked up quite a bit of 
information and explained it all to the fearful one. Whew! I don't think 
anyone was noticing me and my struggles to get my mirth under some sort 
of control. /lol/ Is it a pit bull? Honestly!

Poodles also stare at people, but because they do not have the fearsome 
rep and because their eyes protrude a bit and are more almond shaped and 
tilted, it just makes people coo more. Only people who know poodles 
recognize Mitzi's "back off" look for what it is and back off. She has 
somehow learned to work the cute and the eye contact to keep people from 
being so intrusive. I'm not sure how, but we seem to be pretty slick at 
crowd management these days. Whew! People still stand around and ask 
questions ad infinitum and all, but they at least are not standing on 
top of us with their hands in the curls! Sheesh!

There are days when I would much prefer to look dangerous.

Funny that your dog's obedience would scare people.. But I guess you're 
right. It's the police dog reputation, along with the tall guy with a 
buzz cut... So I wonder what their guilty consciences are telling them 
to worry about. /lol/

Tami

On 01/21/2012 11:14 AM, Mark J. Cadigan wrote:
> Tami,
>
>
>
> A cute curly poodle is far less intimidating than an 80lb male shepherd.
> My dog also stares at people witch people find unnerving.
>
>
>
> Another thing, you are far less intimidating looking than me. Picture
> me, I am about 6ft tall, clean shaven with a buzzed short haircut, and
> don't often smile. Then add a dog that looks like a police dog. Several
> people have asked me if my dog was a drug dog.
>
>
>
> People also find it scary how obedient my dog is. Even when not on
> harness he walks on heal. Sometimes he will even walk at heal off leash;
> however, I don't do this often, except when visiting people in my dorm.
>
>
>
> People associate obedient dogs with law enforcement.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tami Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 1:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Mark's dogs
>
>
>> Mark,
>>
>> I always grin maniacally at them and then ignore them. /lol/ Okay, not
>> as many people are terrified of a cute, curly poodle as they are of
>> GSDs. Mostly my problem is that they are too unafraid and I have to
>> protect my dog from them. Sheesh! Wanna trade? NOT! /lol/
>>
>> When other people insist on trying to make me responsible somehow for
>> their irrational fears, I find myself wondering if I should let them
>> in on the news: There's this new kinda doctor and all, based on some
>> things that were discovered just yesterday by some German guy or
>> something... Ford? Fraud? Um.. Oh! Froyd! /lol/
>>
>> Take a pill!
>>
>> This helps me with the maniacal grin, you see, and keeps me
>> entertained while I'm grinning.
>>
>> Hard to have an intelligent dialog or even light elevator chat with
>> someone when they're screaming about your dog's attacking them while
>> failing to notice a very important detail about that... The dog, I
>> assume, was not attacking them?
>>
>> Good grief! What kind of kids do they send to that school of yours
>> anyway? Don't they have some requirement that an accepted applicant
>> for schooling have, say, a brain?
>>
>> Well, you're getting your feet wet in all the extra fun parts of being
>> a guide dog user, aren't you. People need to get over themselves, they
>> really do.
>>
>> Tami
>>
>> On 01/21/2012 09:32 AM, Mark J. Cadigan wrote:
>>> Dan,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sometimes, when people get too interested in my business or watching me,
>>> I give them the one fingered salute.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Everyone loves my dog; however, someone is apparently making noise. My
>>> response to them is likewise the one fingered salute.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I challenge anyone with a problem with me to grow a pair of balls and
>>> tell it to my face. However, this won't happen, instead, people will
>>> continue to go behind my back, and cause administrative problems for me.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Some people are so terrified of my dog; they refuse to be near me. I was
>>> asking directions from the security guard, and this girl refused to come
>>> in, just standing outside in the snow. She did not come in to I left.
>>> Lol.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> A girl was in the elevator with me, and shrieked the entire way down.
>>> Because she was afraid that the dog would attack her.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> People are so stupid.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- 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, January 21, 2012 12:13 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Mark's dogs
>>>
>>>
>>>> Honestly, the way these guys seem to be carrying on it's as if no
>>>> one had
>>>> ever had a pet dog or a guide dog before...dogs going to the
>>>> bathroom on
>>>> sidewalk, imagine that..and oh my god, a little discoloration, my God
>>>> what
>>>> is the world coming to.
>>>> You are just so inconvenient to the college population I'm so sorry
>>>> for your
>>>> college that they have to undergo the inconvenience of having you
>>>> there with
>>>> your guide dog.
>>>> That, of course, was sarcasm for those who don't know wit.--smile
>>>>
>>>> Plus the fact that you must be feeling like you're being stared at all
>>>> the
>>>> time, it doesn't help your stress level.
>>>>
>>>> Dan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of marilyn
>>>> Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 11:57 AM
>>>> To: nagdu
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Mark's dogs
>>>>
>>>> Hi Mark,
>>>> Since you are still in training with your dog what does the trainer
>>>> recommend you do since he is aware of the situation?
>>>> Since you are picking up after your dog I would carry a bottle of
>>>> water and
>>>> after the dog goes spill the water on the spot where the dog went.
>>>> Or you
>>>> can carry a baggy of baking soda and just put some down after the dog
>>>> goes.
>>>> it not only absorbs order for number one but will absorb the urine and
>>>> will
>>>> help with the marks left after you pick up the number 2. I use that
>>>> a lot
>>>> in the summer when I am out with Anna where she goes to busy.
>>>> Marilyn and Anna
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
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