[nagdu] {nagdu} guide dog in high school

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)]

        Thank you Lynn. This is very well said.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lyn Gwizdak
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 6:31 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] {nagdu} guide dog in high school

Rebecca,
Your reasons for not having a guide dog are very valid.  People are ALWAYS
asking my sister why she doesn't have a dog as they look at me with my dog.
She says that she doesn't want the responsibility.  She also has
developmental disability and can barely care for herself - never mind a dog.

I sometimes see people who do have guide dogs and they don't want to do what
it takes to do right by the dog - work and care.  A dog isn't right for
everyone, period.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  After all, you are
still caring for an animal's needs and that's not for all people - whether
we are talking about service dogs or pet dogs - a dog is a dog.  It is a
lifestyle and it is a choice.

I was 22 when I got my first guide dog.  I can see where it could be touogh
to get a guide dog while in high school. You have to deal with alot of
immature kids and sometimes the blind kid doesn't want another thing to make
him/herself stand out even more than the blindness.  Sometimes peer pressure
will make a high school guide dog handler refrain from doing what is best
for their training.  things like correcting the dog or telling folks that
they can't feed or play with the dog while it is working.  I'm glad I didn't
have a dog while in high school.

But there are also kids who do well with a dog in a high school environment
and that is good.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 7:09 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] {nagdu} guide dog in high school


> Danielle,
> Why do you want a dog when you're in high school? I'm curious and also
> nosy.
> How do you think a dog will help you?
> You may want to read the book Light A Single Candle. It's a bit out of
> date now, but the emotions surrounding bringing a dog home are very much
> on point.  It's about a high school girl that got a dog.
> I got my first dog a month after I finished high school.
>
> I am no longer using a dog, and I don't know if I will again.
>
> I was talking about this with my mom recently and when I told her I may
> never go back to a dog, she asked why. I told her that I love not needing
> to take the dog's needs into account. I don't know what that says about
> me. I like dogs.  If I could borrow one, I think I'd be fine with the
> needs.  I just have no desire to fit a guide into my life and do so ona
> 24/7 basis.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 10:02 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] {nagdu} guide dog in high school
>
> There was a 16-year-old student in my first class at GDB.  She did fine in
> class, but I heard she returned the dog in less than a year.  I heard she
> got a lot of the "Does the dog have to come?" stuff from her family, and
> the dog didn't get enough work.  I got some of that same stuff from my
> family, but I was older and would stand up to them, and also mostly not
> living at home, so it didn't really matter. I felt bad for her.
> Tracy
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files
> transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for
> the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary
> and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the
> intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the
> Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard
> copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are
> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the
> Message is strictly prohibited.
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the Message is strictly prohibited.