[nagdu] Biological Family Support for Service Animals

[Julie McGinnity]

Hi everyone.

My family was very supportive of me getting a dog.  I was in high
school and still a minor at the time, so that was an important factor
to the school and to me.  My mom and sister cooperated with all the
boundaries I set when I brought her home, and my father mostly did.
They have always understood, and now Brie is a part of the family.  I
have never heard a word against her.

Now...  My friend were a different story.  Some of them did not
understand why I would take my time I had to work on obedience with a
dog or work with her on an important skill, and I think they resented
it sometimes when I had to take time out of our conversations to
correct my dog or work with her on something.  I also used to depend
on them for some things before I got the dog, and a couple of them had
to adjust to me wanting independence by using my dog.

I'm not going to sugar coat...  Getting a dog when you're a teenager
is not easy.  It takes work, and when you're at that age, it's hard to
have people(especially your friends) disagree with a decision you
make.  I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, but it worked well for
me.  It's hard at any age when people you are close to don't like your
decision to get a dog, friends or family.  I think people who are
close to us sometimes believe that they are experts on our lives, when
really, the only experts on who we are and what we want are
ourselves(and God of course.)  :)



On 6/6/12, The Pawpower Pack <pawpower4me at gmail.com> wrote:
> Greg,
>
> Some of my family members (most particularly my mother) were very
> against my getting my first dog.  I did not ask them for advice, I
> told them after I was accepted.
> Funny thing is, they have all (including my mother) welcomed all of my
> dogs with open arms.   We are a very dog friendly family, so Laveau is
> just one of many dogs at family events.
> Also my family really appreciates the work my dogs do for me.
>
> Rox and the Kitchen Bitches:
> Bristol, Mill'E, Laveau, Baylee,!
>
> "Dance, even if you have to warn others to get out of the way first."
> http://pawpower4me.blogspot.com
>   pawpower4me at gmail.com
> AIM: brissysgirl
>
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-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, National Federation of the Blind
of Missouri recording secretary,
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