[nagdu] teaching the public

Sun Apr 7 15:09:26 UTC 2013

Cindy, I do the same as you. My feeling is, I have control only over me and my dog. I do not have control over what others choose to do or how supid they choose to act, only on how I, and my dog, handle such reactions 
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY

On Apr 7, 2013, at 7:05 AM, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am actually trying to ignore people talking to my dog. It is so annoying that they do it anyway, but mostly I don't know that it distracts him that much; if I think it is distracting him, I give him a verbal reprimand to make sure he is on task; then when we have successfully completed our task, I praise him for it.
> 
> CL
> 
> On Apr 6, 2013, at 10:31 PM, d m gina wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>> As I was getting off the buss the new driver was talking to the dog.
>> I don't know when I will see this driver again, I know he will drive the buss every third week of the month.
>> I thought then I could ask for him to let the dog concentrate getting me off the buss.
>> How do you folks handle this.
>> I don't want the dog excited while I am trying to find the first step to step down three steps to the driveway.
>> I call my dog buddy then folks won't know his name.
>> Original message:
>>> I find that the adults are the ones who need to be taught. I tell them that
>>> her harrness is like her work uniform and when she has her uniform on she's
>>> working and needs to concentrate.  It usually works.
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Eve Sanchez" <celticyaya at gmail.com>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2013 2:00 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] teaching the public
>> 
>> 
>>>> Julie, A lot of good advice for everyone. What I like and think I will
>>>> take with me today, is the 'just ask' lesson. That is a very important
>>>> lesson. When I was teaching, all of my kindergarteners knew that they
>>>> should never approach a dog they did not know without asking first.
>>>> Now-a-days I am often approached by children asking and I explain to
>>>> them why I do not allow her to be petted by others. They understand. I
>>>> also thank them for asking. The adults on the other hand just act and
>>>> never think to ask. I think, giving a lesson like this when in a mixed
>>>> group is an excellent idea as it will teach the adults without them
>>>> thinking or realizing they are being taught. Well, gotta get ready
>>>> now. Thanks again for all of your great ideas. Eve
>> 
>>>> On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 4:38 AM, Julie J. <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>> Eve,
>> 
>>>>> I just did presentations for the Boy Scouts.  They had a disabilities
>>>>> awareness day, which I think could use some improvement, but that's
>>>>> another
>>>>> post for another list.  Anyway I had only 10 minutes with each small
>>>>> group
>>>>> of boys.  I first explained that I'm blind, which means I need to use
>>>>> other
>>>>> ways of doing things instead of looking at them.  This would seem
>>>>> obvious,
>>>>> but I've learned that a lot of people don't really get "blind".  Then I
>>>>> move
>>>>> on to the two main ways blind people use to move about, cane or dog.  I
>>>>> tell
>>>>> them that both methods work just fine and that every blind person has to
>>>>> figure out which they like or works best for them.  I introduce Monty,
>>>>> who
>>>>> was laying beside me.  I explain that when he is guiding me I hold onto
>>>>> the
>>>>> handle and walk a step behind his shoulders.  I feel which way he is
>>>>> moving
>>>>> from his shoulder movement, which travels through the harness handle.
>>>>> This
>>>>> is where I get a lot of odd questions.  I've found explaining it like
>>>>> dancing gets my point across about the best.  I explain that Monty will
>>>>> stop
>>>>> if there's something he wants me to know about or if we can't go around,
>>>>> but
>>>>> that I make all the choices of which way we are going.  People think you
>>>>> tell the dog "post office" and magically the dog takes you there.
>> 
>>>>> Over the years I have simplified my list of guide dog rules down to just
>>>>> one, *ask*.  I think that one about covers it and if they can remember
>>>>> just
>>>>> one thing I hope it is that one thing.  I emphasize it a lot.  If they
>>>>> want
>>>>> to pet, ask.  If they want to give food, ask, If they want to talk to the
>>>>> dog, ask.  Otherwise they should completely ignore the dog.  I think the
>>>>> just ask approach does a lot of things extremely simply.  If the kids are
>>>>> asking, then they are learning to view the blind person as the leader of
>>>>> the
>>>>> team.  They are learning basic dog etiquette that will serve them well
>>>>> with
>>>>> any sort of service dog team, police dog or even pets.  The just ask rule
>>>>> is
>>>>> extremely universal and flexible for any situation.  It allows each
>>>>> handler
>>>>> to manage the situation as he/she sees fit.
>> 
>>>>> Sometimes I let people pet, but usually not.  Either way I *always* smile
>>>>> and tell them "thank you for asking".
>> 
>>>>> Then I take questions.  I don't do demonstrations unless I can't figure a
>>>>> way out of it gracefully.  I've only ever done one.  Monty worked it
>>>>> perfectly, but because the group didn't understand the finer points of
>>>>> how
>>>>> we work they all thought he had made several mistakes.  I tried to
>>>>> explain
>>>>> the subtleties, but there just isn't time in these sorts of
>>>>> presentations. I
>>>>> left feeling very frustrated.
>> 
>>>>> I have also done presentations at schools, visually impaired peer support
>>>>> groups, the senior center and of course it comes up from time to time
>>>>> when
>>>>> I'm doing presentations for work.  A couple of years ago I was presenting
>>>>> to
>>>>> a group of business leaders about the county programs I administer and I
>>>>> think there were just as many questions about the dog as juvenile crime.
>>>>> *smile*
>> 
>>>>> If you enjoy these presentations and are looking for places to contact to
>>>>> offer your time maybe look at church groups, Chamber of Commerce member
>>>>> events, Health Department, schools, colleges especially the special ed or
>>>>> diversity studies, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, leadership groups, 4-H,
>>>>> children's museums, etc.  Something I have noticed through my county job
>>>>> is
>>>>> that more and more anytime there is state or federal grant funding, there
>>>>> is
>>>>> usually some component of diversity or disability or something.  There
>>>>> are
>>>>> trainings held to "educate" the people applying for and manageing these
>>>>> grants about these topics.  Although I had never attended a "diversity"
>>>>> training presented by a "diverse" person...except once.  I don't know of
>>>>> any
>>>>> easy way to find these opportunities though.
>> 
>>>>> HTH I hope you have fun and that the people learn a lot!
>>>>> Julie
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Eve Sanchez
>>>>> Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 11:35 PM
>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] teaching the public
>> 
>> 
>>>>> Tomorrow there is a canine fashion show being put on as a fund raising
>>>>> event for a new K--9 for the Yavapaih County Marshalls. There are many
>>>>> silly things going on to get the community happy. There also some
>>>>> educational things going on to enlighten the community. First on the
>>>>> agenda is a presentation by yours truly on guide dogs. I did a
>>>>> presentation with my dog just last week during a dinner and know that
>>>>> there is an upcoming presentation on the schedule with a local church
>>>>> group. In other words, I am busy becoming an ambassador and educater
>>>>> about guide dogs and guide dog users. I am sure that many of you have
>>>>> done these types of things also and would love to hear about your
>>>>> experiences. It is not that I am some great speaker or anything. I
>>>>> just get asked. Also, in my community, there are a total of three
>>>>> guide dogs. WE JUST DONT HAVE THE NUMBERS
>>>>> I would really like to hear about what you all do with your dogs, not
>>>>> to compare, but to get more ideas of how we could all get involved and
>>>>> what others do that might be good ideas to borrow on. Thanks, Eve
>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> 
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>> 
>> -- 
>> --Dar
>> skype: dmgina23
>> FB: dmgina
>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>> every saint has a past
>> every sinner has a future
>> 
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> 
> 
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