[nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy

Tami Jarvis tami at poodlemutt.com
Tue Apr 29 18:10:28 UTC 2014


Rox,

I decided to take the same route, training my dog to ignore commands and 
whatever else from others, with and without the use of her name. That 
way, I can just use her name normally without worrying about it. She 
will let me know if someone who calls her by name is a friend we want to 
talk to, which is also cool. She's generally reserved and good about 
ignoring all the hands and kissy sounds and other such nonsense... 
Unless she goes into floozy mode just to keep me guessing. /lol/

When people ask to pet, I always thank them for asking while I decide 
how to proceed. I *never* allow petting in restaurants, but in more 
relaxed environments, I play it by ear. I started out with a strict "no 
petting" policy, but people would insist while Mitzi tried to duck them, 
and it would stress her out. So we worked out a controlled greeting 
tactic that seems to work, since I end up between her and the would-be 
petter, or at least at an angle where I can step in if I need to. This 
also enables me to talk directly to the person and have them talking 
directly to me. This works well most of the time, although she's gotten 
mugged a time or two in places we couldn't maneuver quickly enough. It 
sucks being adorable, I guess. /smile/

Tami

On 04/29/2014 08:18 AM, The Pawpower Pack wrote:
> I have never given a false name for my dogs.  I would think they'd just hear me cueing my dog using her real name and would know it anyway.  Also, I'd probably forget and give different names to the same person. lol.
> Part of the work I do with my dogs is setting they up for this exact situation.  If someone calls Laveau's name and she does not know them well, she will ignore it.  If she knows them, she will let me know that someone we know is calling her and I can choose to have her take me to them or just go on our way.
> Soleil is learning the same skills, and my friends, coworkers and interpreters help me by setting up situations like are being described.  Since I can't hear, I can't police Soleil's interaction with the public like a hearing person.  I have to trust my dog to be able to work through distractions like that.
>
>   Rox and the kitchen Bitches:
> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Apr 29, 2014, at 9:35 AM, "Larry D. Keeler" <lkeeler at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> 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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>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> "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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