[nagdu] Guide Dog Use at national Convention

Thu May 23 02:56:34 UTC 2013

Hi Jimmy and all,

This is a good thing to discuss, and I'm glad you brought it up.  I
agree with Julie J about the decision to leave the dog at home.  You
have to know your dog.

I want to add something that I don't think anyone has covered.  If you
are taking your dog to convention, you have to remember that your dog
is going to react to convention.  There are canes, dogs, people who
may not know how to use their canes or dogs, long days, short nights,
lots of crowds, and not much break time.  At least, this is how I do
convention because I am so busy.  The last couple I listed are a
little less for those who take breaks or try to relax during
convention.  How I envy you!  Anyway, you need to remember that your
dog will have reactions to those things.  Like Cindy experienced, some
dogs like to engage with other dogs.  Some dogs get stressed very
easily, and some dogs act out because they don't know what to do with
all the crowds and canes.

I am not saying that you shouldn't take your dog to convention.  I
take mine with me every year.  But I would like to warn you to be
vidgilent and attentive to your dog, especially if it is your first
convention with your dog.  Also, plan.  Seriously, it sounds stupid,
but I've gotten caught up in so many meetings that go on too long.
Then what happens?  I forget to feed my dog until late--or worse, I
don't park her until she's nearly ready to burst.  That's why I would
always recommend having food and water on you.  If you are in the
middle of something, then discover that your dog needs to go out, just
go outside with your dog.  People will understand.  Learn where the
park areas are(both of them) early.  Know the roots to them.  Target
the doors leading out to them, and if at all possible, park your dog
more than you would at home.

I would also caution everyone to be mindful that dogs can be friendly
with one another in public places.  This is not good.  We are not at
convention to make scenes with  our dogs or to inconvenience others by
having our dogs in their way.  I know things happen, and sometimes we
can't predict them.  It is convention after all.  We will be seeing
people we haven't seen in a year or more.  There will be lost people,
mad dashes to the elevator, and (my favorite) candy sales.  These
things distract us for sure.  But we should always be keeping our dogs
close to us and in the back of our minds at the very least.  It's
unfortunate, but when our dogs cause a scene, it is very public.
People know about it.

Now you're probably wondering why I take my dog every year.  I love
taking my dog to convention.  She is a great convention dog.  But I
understand why some people don't want to take their dogs.  It is
responsibility.  But my dog enjoys convention.  By the second or third
day of our first convention, we were racing and jumping over canes.
Yes, I did put a stop to that little trick...  But we have a good
time.

I think this is my last piece of advice.  Make convention fun for your
dog.  Make it positive.  If you are stressed because you are lost,
stop and praise your dog.  Remember to give your dog love and
encouragement.  They thrive on that stuff.  Feed treats when your dog
does something good.  Have a party when your dog successfully ignores
another dog who sniffs her.  Find a friend who has a dog, and give the
dogs a little playtime for a few minutes after meetings.  (Not in
public of course...)  There are so many ways that your dog can enjoy
convention as much as you can.

This is only my fourth convention...  (Wow, that many.)  But we have
been successful enough that I know what works for us.  I can't meet
those of you who are coming to convention this year.

On 5/22/13, rhonda cruz <rhondaprincess at gmail.com> wrote:
>  hello i only leave my dog.
>  when i go on camping trips, and also when i go on skiing trips.
>  to give her the free days off.
>
>
>  but any other trip she goes any ware with me.
>
>
> On May 22, 2013, at 3:49 PM, Sarah wrote:
>
>> Yes, I totally agree with you.  If you have a guide dog, why leave hm/her
>> at home? My boyfriend has a guide dog and usually always leaves him at
>> home and I don't agree with this.  It's ok to leave them home once in a
>> while, but not all the time.
>>
>> Sarah and Wizard
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Howard J.  Levine" <WB2HWW at earthlink.net
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Wed, 22 May 2013 18:01:07 -0400
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Use at national Convention
>>
>> why have a guide dog if you are going to keep him home.  I take my guide
>> dog
>> every where I travel.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sheila
>> Leigland
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 5:12 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Use at national Convention
>>
>> This will be our first national convention with our dogs.  Hopefully it
>> will go well.
>> On 5/22/2013 2:54 PM, melissa R green wrote:
>> Hi james,
>> I will be bringing my guide with me to orlando.
>> This time it will be a little different because we have been a team for
>> two
>> years now.
>> I took her to convention after training.
>> I will give you the advice that I received.
>> everyone will tell you what to do, but its your decision ultimately.
>> If I had someone that would take care of her I would leave her this time.
>> But I don't.
>> So she will be at my side this convention.
>> Besides I want to see if she can find our school's table again.
>> Lol!
>>
>> Blessings,
>> Sincerely,
>> Melissa and Pj
>> Find me on:
>> Twitter melissa5674
>> facebook Melissa R Green
>> Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/melissagreen5674
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jimmy" <jimmydagerman80 at gmail.com
>> To: "National Association of Guide Dog Users Gwizdala" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 1:58 PM
>> Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dog Use at national Convention
>>
>>
>> Greetings everyone.
>> I first would like to express thoughts and pryers to all those affected
>> by
>> the recent tornados.
>> Second, Tennessee is organizing a NAGDU state chapter; so please let
>> anyone
>> that you may know who lives in the Tennessee area  to contact me, James,
>> at
>> 901-483-1515, to get them on board withour organization! Thank you
>> everyone!
>> Finally, I wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the upcoming national
>> convention in Orlando;keeping  in mind the amount of blind travelers and
>> other service dogs, will you be bringing your guide dog with you to
>> convention? What are your reasons? I have heard reasoning both ways and
>> thought I would get everyone's opinion here.  I will be at the convention
>> and
>> hope to meet you  who are attending in July.
>> Wishing the best from Tennessee,
>> James Boehm
>>
>> Sent from the Iphone of
>> James Boehm
>> Kustom Cane
>> www.kustomcane.com
>> 901-483-1515
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-- 
Julie McG
National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
"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