[nagdu] Question about puppy raisers

[Anon. Y.mous]

Bertha, I am sure Godiva's raisers appreciate pictures of your dog more than words can express!


________________________________
 From: Bertha Avila Guerrero <guerrero.avila at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2012 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about puppy raisers
 
I am a fairly new Handler, and I speak only for myself. I am forever
grateful to my Little Ladies Puppy Raiser.
They did a great job and it shows in My Girl's work now.
I sent pictures at Christmas time via our school and I hope her raisers know
just how well she is doing and that she is happy and making a big difference
in my life.

Before you make any decisions on not continuing to be a Puppy Raiser, think
about all the good you have done for the Puppies you have raised and for the
Handlers who were blessed with these amazing dogs.

B A Guerrero and Seeing Eye Dog Godiva
guerrero.avila at sbcglobal.net 


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Anon. Y.mous
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2012 4:07 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Question about puppy raisers

Hello,

I am new here.  I am a long-time puppy raiser, my sister has RP and is a
guide dog user, and I have RP so a guide might be in my future as well. 
When I first found this list about a month ago, I poked around for threads
relating to me, and one term that I searched was "raiser."  One thing I
found really disturbed me and has been nagging at me for the past month, so
I figured I might as well throw it out to everyone before making any
decisions.

The "problem post" occurred in a Christmas poem posted several years ago. 
One of the stanzas was about puppy raisers:

"Some man comes from nowhere with the purpose to tell, that he's 'trained'
seven puppies as guide dogs, oh swell.  He badgers my handler, asking him
why some blind folks get nasty when he stops them to pry.  'Don't you people
know what we raisers give up?  We expend so much money and love raising your
pup.  We clean up their messes all day and all night.  The least you blind
people could do is to write.  I don't get a card or a letter to say that my
baby is good or he's doing okay.' ... So don't let your big ego get in the
way.  Blind handlers appreciate you just fine, okay?"
I was in tears by the end of this (and I'm a pretty stoic person!).  I know
it's supposed to be a kind of snarky poem about stereotypes of each "problem
group," but this really hurt.  It's making fun of something that you just
shouldn't make fun of, if that makes any sense.  I thought of my past
puppies and the very real and very deep love I still have for each of them
and how much I still miss them (even though I absolutely know they are not
mine!).  I am hoping that their handlers don't view me this way, kind of
minimizing the depth of the relationship I had with the dog.


Ever since I read that, all of the enthusiasm and sparks I bring to my
raising have been absent, and I've thus I'm toying with not raising again. 
You just can't raise a guide pup if your heart isn't in it.


For the record, I'm definitely not somebody who thinks raising is this
saintly selfless act -- I don't know any raisers who think that, actually. 
I get a ton out of it.  Still doesn't make turn-in any easier.


I know each school has different policies and relationships with raisers,
and each individual graduate does as well.  I know there are some raisers on
this list -- does anybody have any reaction to this?  I'm not looking for
opinions about school policies, rather thoughts of individual guide dog
users.  My sister doesn't agree with the sentiment, but I guess I'm looking
for opinions other than hers!


Thanks so much in advance.  It may seem trivial to you, but this is really
something I'm struggling with so I really appreciate any time people take to
respond. _______________________________________________
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/guerrero.avila%40sbcgloba
l.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/ay.mous%40yahoo.com