[nagdu] petting and interaction.

Mon Feb 11 00:56:14 UTC 2013

thanks guys, it's nice to know that. I'm not really sure how I got that 
notion in my head but....hey, now I know!!!!
thanks again!

dan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 4:01 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] petting and interaction.

> Hi Dan,
> Petting a guide dog isn't the big problem you are imagining.  People do it 
> and we need to treat it like any other distraction your dog will encounter 
> in work and being out in public.  The schools have lectures on many topics 
> relating to your using your dog, its care, your rights, etc.
>
> You fully describe your lifestyle and type of location - city, small town, 
> work or school, leisure activities, etc.  This way the school can make the 
> best match for you.  When you are training with the dog, you learn the dog 
> and the dog learns you and this process contines for a good six months to 
> a year.
>
> As you and your dog work and play together you will learn what you can do 
> with your dog as far as its interactions with others.  Out of harness 
> behavior is different than in harness behavior.  Look at it like this: 
> the harness is the dog's work uniform.  While wearing a uniform from your 
> job or in the military, a certain code of behavior is expected - you are 
> representing that place of employment or the military.  In harness, your 
> dog is "in uniform" and representing your guide dog school, a service dog. 
> When out of harness, the dog is like a well trained and behaved pet.  It 
> can interact with your family, the people you live with, and your friends. 
> Bottom line is that the dog works well for you.  If out of harness 
> behavior interferes with in harness behavior and work, then the behavior 
> has to stop. An example:  You let your dog beg for people food and sleep 
> on your furnature at home.  These behaviors may or may not interfere with 
> the dog's public behavior.  It could also beg for food in a restaurant or 
> climb up on furnature in a hotel or at the home of a friend who doesn't 
> like dogs on the couch or beds.
>
> Personally, I do not feed my dog people food or food from the table or my 
> plate.  Therefore, Landon will lie quietly next to me or under the table 
> in a restaurant.  He will walk past other diners without bothering them or 
> trying to snatch food from a stranger's plate.  To me, a dog's place is on 
> the floor or the beds I give them - never my furnature or bed.
>
> If your dog goes apes for a friend and drags you across a street to greet 
> them means that you have to stop interaction between your dog and that 
> person for awhile until your dog understands that the act of guiding you 
> isn't playtime with friends - dog or human.  You will know your dog and 
> what freedoms it can handle and sometimes, that can be found out by trial 
> and error.
>
> When you are at the school and beyond, treat and work the dog as you are 
> taught.  The dog will try to find ouot if the rules are the same at the 
> new home as they were at the school.  They need to know that the rules are 
> constant and the dog can then relax and feel comfortable in knowing what 
> is expected of it.  When at school always, ALWAYS ask questions you have 
> or concerns you have to resolve them before going home.  The schools are 
> still always a phone call or email away if a concern comes up after you 
> get home.
>
> A guide dog lifestyle is different than a cane lifestyle in that you now 
> have the responsibility of another living being that relies on you as you 
> will come to rely on him.  You and your dog are a team and you care for 
> one another.  There will be times when you deem an activity as unsuitable 
> for having a dog with you - thus keeping up your cane skills.  I bring 
> Landon the majority of the time I go out.  But I'd rather leave him home 
> when I go to our local theatre because Landon's so big and the seating is 
> so tight.  I use my cane to get there and Landon has a nice evening to 
> snooze.  I don't bring him to bars on the rare occassions that I go.  Bars 
> tend to be very dark and very noisy with people shouting over the loud 
> music.  Landon would be stepped on because of the crowded conditions and a 
> lack of a safe spot to put him.  I can get there with my cane and fold it 
> up or if I dance.
>
> HTH and explore everything about guide dogs to make the best determination 
> for yourself and your needs.  Make sure to hang out with guide dog users 
> if they are in your area.
>
> Lyn and Landon
>
> "Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like 
> asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "daniel" <gutz2020 at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 6:17 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] petting and interaction.
>
>
>> hey guys, a recent conversation on petting brought this question to my 
>> mind.
>> As a person who is about to get a guide dog I'm worried about not being 
>> able to ever leave my dog alone. I've read posts about how you have to 
>> limit the interaction with other people for the first month or so, so the 
>> dog will get attached to you and learn to follow your commands. But what 
>> about after that? Can I ever leave him/her alone? Like for example If I'm 
>> in informal settings with my friends and I want to step out for a second 
>> to do something, do I need to worry about telling people not to pet 
>> him/her at all (even if there out of harnis)?
>> I think what I'm really really trying to say is, (and I don't know how to 
>> articulate this any more elegantly) can my guide be a real dog? like, do 
>> I have to worry about her playing with other people too much?
>> Thanks for (hopefully) clearing this up a bit!
>>
>> Dan
>>
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>
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