[nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy

Larry D. Keeler lkeeler at comcast.net
Tue Apr 29 14:35:33 UTC 2014


Have not changed my pet policy. I'll tell folks I know her name and 
sometimes I'll take her harrness off so she can interact with others. 
However, I usually ignore folks whom I don't know. I don't make up names 
often although I have been known to.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Raven Tolliver" <ravend729 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy


> Oh yes! It annoys me to no end when people ask what my dog's name is.
> I just tell them his name is K, or the most comical one I've been
> using is Celestial Seasonings. Got the idea from a woman whose
> golden's name is Lipton. So cute. But I tell people Celestial
> Seasonings, and no one is inclined to even call him. Probably 'cause
> they know I'm bs-ing them. Most of my acquaintances and classmates
> here on campus don't even know the Golden Guy's name.
>
> On 4/29/14, minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I was very strict about not letting anyone pet Viva when I first came
>> home with her, but I've relaxed my stance since then. Obviously I
>> don't let anyone touch her when we're working, but if we're just
>> sitting somewhere and someone asks to pet her, I will generally let
>> them. I do tell them that if she gets too excited, then the meet and
>> greet is over. it's also  a great way for me to teach her self-control
>> and obedience since I'll make her lay down and stay.
>>
>> Minh
>>
>> On 4/29/14, The Pawpower Pack <pawpower4me at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> With Soleil, I have used petting as a practice time for self control.
>>> She
>>> loves people, and right at first, I knew that I was going to just have 
>>> to
>>> restrict all petting, or use the petting as an exercise.  Since I'm
>>> Deafblind, people tend to just pet because they are not getting my
>>> attention
>>> with me by asking unless I'm with a hearing person.
>>> So if I have time to allow petting, I first tell her down. I tell the
>>> person
>>> wanting to pet that she can only be pet in a down and that if she gets
>>> up,
>>> they are to stop, I thank them for helping me with her training, so they
>>> feel good.  They pet her and then in mid pet I ask her to come away and
>>> touch my hand and click and treat.  She is a lab, so would rather eat
>>> than
>>> lay and get petted.  And her getting up ends the session.  If people pet
>>> without asking she will turn to me.
>>> My coworkers and friends also help in this exercise as well.
>>> Because I'm Deafblind and a lot of my friends are deafblind, and I work
>>> with
>>> deafblind children, she has to learn to be touched without coming
>>> unhinged
>>> with joy.  Deafblind people are a pretty tactile lot and if a deafblind
>>> child has never seen a guide dog, they can look at her-- with their
>>> hands--
>>> and learn.  So far, Soleil's doing really well!
>>>
>>>  Rox and the kitchen Bitches:
>>> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
>>> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Apr 29, 2014, at 6:41 AM, "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Generally I just say, "No, but thank you for asking." I smile and make
>>>> it
>>>> seem like them asking was a wonderful thing.  Then I move on.  Standing
>>>> there will encourage a discussion or debate or whatever, moving on
>>>> indicates that you don't want to discuss your no petting rule and it
>>>> also
>>>> reinforces that you need to get stuff done and don't have time for
>>>> petting.
>>>>
>>>> I do allow petting on occasion.  If I do I let the person know it's up
>>>> to
>>>> Monty if he wants to be petted.  I give Monty his release cue and let
>>>> him
>>>> approach if he wants.  Usually he will give the person a perfunctory
>>>> sniff
>>>> and he's done.  Every now and then he will back away from the person,
>>>> which is kind of embarrassing, but they get it that he doesn't want to
>>>> be
>>>> petted. He's not very into meet and greet with people though, so this
>>>> works.
>>>>
>>>> Last week I was in the grocery store and there was a Mom with about 
>>>> four
>>>> kids.  The kids wanted to pet Monty and asked their Mom.  Usually
>>>> parents
>>>> just say the dog is working and leave it alone, but this Mom went on a
>>>> complete tirade.  I thought the kids were perfectly well behaved in
>>>> asking
>>>> their Mom first if they could approach me to ask if they could pet, but
>>>> Mom really lit into them.  Then she was on to another topic and how
>>>> horrible the kids were and on and on  and on.  So about four isles 
>>>> later
>>>> I
>>>> asked one of the kids if he would like to pet the dog.  It made the 
>>>> kids
>>>> day.  I can't remember the last time I've offered petting to a kid, but
>>>> I
>>>> really felt bad for them.
>>>>
>>>> When I talk to people about guide dogs or if I'm doing a presentation 
>>>> or
>>>> something, I always stress that dogs are different and people are
>>>> different, but asking is always okay.  the answer might be no but
>>>> politely
>>>> asking and respecting the answer is good.  It's interesting that I
>>>> rarely
>>>> have issues with kids.  It's adults that have issues with self control.
>>>>
>>>> Julie
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Darla Rogers
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 1:36 AM
>>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy
>>>>
>>>> Thank you Raven and Michael; I believe, and several others have also
>>>> states
>>>> this practice, just not to allow it while we are out working.
>>>> I don't owe the general public anything; if they want to pet a dog,
>>>> the shelters are crying for volunteers to socialize their dogs; on the
>>>> other
>>>> hand, if it raises money for my school. <tongue firmly in cheek>
>>>> Very Gratefully,
>>>> Darla & Handsome Huck
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael
>>>> Hingson
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 12:40 AM
>>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I do not permit anyone to pet Africa while she is in harness.  If 
>>>> people
>>>> want to pet her and I have the time I will remove her harness and then
>>>> allow
>>>> petting.  If I do not have time I politely explain that while the
>>>> harness
>>>> is
>>>> on she is working and cannot be petted and that I do not have time to
>>>> remove
>>>> it now.  Especially when people go along with my wishes I thank them
>>>> very
>>>> much.  If people still insist on petting Africa I will get more stern.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Michael Hingson
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
>>>> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 10:22 PM
>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy
>>>>
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>               The Handsome Huck is a people magnet and peo9ple are
>>>> magnets
>>>> for him; there is some petting--last time going through a revolving
>>>> door--and I used to let him sit and be petted, but I don't believe this
>>>> is
>>>> in the best interest of our working relationship?
>>>>
>>>>               Any ideas?  Strategies?  Explanations?
>>>>
>>>> Darla & Mister Socialite
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Darla J. Rogers
>>>>
>>>> djrogers0628 at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
>> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
>> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> Raven
>
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