[nagdu] Third party reporting by other guide dog users

[Larry D. Keeler]

Not me!  I would only report on really big issues that I have observed.
----- 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, June 09, 2012 1:30 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Third party reporting by other guide dog users


> My question is this: Do guide dog users routinely report other guide dog 
> users to their training program and trainer for minor mishaps mentioned on 
> discussion lists. Or because the guide dog user being reported doesn't use 
> the collar the reporter believes they should use, stuff like that? And do 
> they do it in a way that makes the one they are reporting sound super 
> irresponsible and unwilling to listen to help? For that matter, would most 
> trainers take these reports seriously, over the information given by the 
> guide dog user who has been reported to them?
>
> Okay, here's my long explanation behind the questions:
>
> Since I'm an owner-trainer, the notion that another guide dog user might 
> report me to my trainer for any reason has never troubled my fluffy little 
> head before.
>
> Only I recently found out that this sort of thing actually happens! Not 
> for witnessed events of great severity as some of the "what would you do" 
> discussions of awhile ago, where there was a scenario involving one guide 
> dog attacking another and causing injury and another involving a guide dog 
> user reportedly regularly blowing a street crossing so badly as to cause 
> risk of traffic accidents in addition to putting himself and his dog in 
> danger. In those, I think a few people raised the notion of getting in 
> touch with the guide dog user's school but I don't remember that there was 
> a consensus that this would be an appropriate course of action. They were 
> "what if" questions, so no consensus was needed. /smile/
>
> Anyway, I'm pretty shocked to learn that there are guide dog users who 
> will report other guide dog users for blurbs on e-mail discussion lists. 
> Not this one, but it recently happened. And now I find out it has happened 
> before, with the same group of people doing the reporting.
>
> So, let's say that I mention in that group that Mitzi did X in random 
> chatter, thinking I was among friends. Suddenly, some people are asking me 
> questions, which I answer to clear things up... Then they start insist 
> that I said something 3 months ago that contradicts what I just said about 
> what Mitzi did yesterday, and then I get upset and rattled and try to 
> clear things up.... So then there's blood in the water.
>
> Next thing I know, I get a letter from my trainer about what I said on the 
> list and then another one which is where I find out people from this group 
> have been getting in touch with him/her repeatedly about how they're 
> helping me but I won't listen and stuff like that, because I don't do 
> exactly what they tell me to do faithfully no matter what it is.
>
> Since I know the people involved and the dog in question fairly well, I 
> wasn't surprised by the verbal attack by a certain few members of the 
> group. Sigh. Maybe they do think they're helping, but... Um... Oh, well. I 
> was just shocked to learn that one or more of them would go so far as to 
> call the trainer on another user because of a blip on a list. Sheesh! I 
> guess that this actually goes on in that group. Heavens! Oddly, the 
> "helpers" there chat a lot on that list and go to the same school and have 
> the same trainer... Which makes me wonder if they should get a great big 
> van and fill it with crates and take the whole lot of dogs back to school. 
> /lol/ I'm delving in sarcasm there, but the list of things I can recall 
> that these helpful guide dog users have reported their dogs getting up to 
> are fairly amazing. They're all relatively new dogs, young dogs, so I tend 
> to figure the handlers are getting it worked out and can figure out for 
> themselves if they need to contact the trainer. But, I guess, If I were to 
> follow their fine example... No, of course, I won't do that. That's just 
> so... Tacky! /lol/
>
> So my question is: Does this actually go on? Do guide dog users report 
> other guide dog users just to be manipulative and retaliatory or whatever? 
> Even if it's clearly stated that the guide dog user they are reporting is 
> in contact with the trainer over the matter they mention?
>
> Well, I'm suddenly feeling really smug that if any of these folks want to 
> report me to my trainer, they are welcome to! My trainer will treat their 
> reports with all the attention they deserve.
>
> Oh, they've helped me, too! By explaining sternly that I should never 
> stick sharp metal implements into my poodle's ear canals... I'm not making 
> that up. I mean, that is a true statement, I can agree to that. However... 
> Do I *look* that stupid? /lol/ I kinda figured that one out on my own 
> years ago, so I don't know that telling me to do something I know better 
> than to do is helpful. I've been helped to understand the bus routes 
> around my home. Again, apparently, I really am too stupid to work that out 
> on my own somehow... Sheesh!
>
> So I haven't fallen all over myself in gratitude or listened, really... So 
> I could be reported, I am sure! Well, and I don't have a certified guide, 
> no ID card to flash... Why would I owner-train when I could get a 
> certified guide dog? Um... For those who are relatively new enough to have 
> not read any of those discussions, there is no such thing as a certified 
> guide dog in terms of the ADA and access to places of public 
> accommodation. The guide dog training programs must be certified for the 
> consumer's protection. The trainers must also be certified to work at the 
> certified guide dog training program. The dogs are not certified. The nice 
> ID cards often have the relevant portions of the law printed on them, 
> which does make them useful. They do not grant you access to anything at 
> all, and it is illegal for anyone to ask you to show them. /smile/ It's 
> your dog's training for your disability that counts, and your dog's good 
> behavior, etc., once you walk into a place. But I have a feeling I am 
> being "taught by example" for being the other guide dog user's friend and 
> for being an owner-trainer by having things addressed to me that make a 
> point of mentioning the flashing of ID cards. /lol/ I've never even said 
> there what I *really* think of that practice! It's anyone's choice what 
> they do with the ID card from their school, so why get uptight about it? 
> /lol/
>
> Tami
>
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