[nagdu] Changing my petting policy

Sat May 3 02:59:46 UTC 2014

Oh Nicole; I do believe our dogs have abilities beyond our understanding; if
you believe in animal psychics; I met one once, and I didn't think she
"keyed" me in any way but said my dog loved my work and missed a friend of
mine who drove a convertible.  I had to think for a minute before I realized
who she was talking about; that friend and I lost touch, and I am still a
bit sad today about that.
Darla & Happy Hardworking Huck

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole Torcolini
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 9:26 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my petting policy

Oh, yes. The dogs definitely know that this is not a game. There is actually
a theory  that some of the dogs get paired but then end up not going home
with the person because the dog realizes that it is not a game during class
and decides that it is just too much to handle.
Our dogs love their jobs, or at least mine does. If I go somewhere without
Lexia, she is unhappy. She doesn't work because she has to; she works
because she wants to. I also believe that she knows ... Well ... Something.
That I'm blind? Maybe. I don't know. But she does things, even out of
harness, that I think that she would not do for a sighted person.

Nicole and Lexia

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 11:06 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my petting policy

Aleeha, you left out the best bit of a guide dog's life--he gets to go
everywhere with his person.  He's almost never left home alone for hours, as
many pets are.
And, perhaps because our dogs have been bred to work, I think many of them
have an idea that what they do really makes a difference to their person,
and that matters to them.  I think, though I'm not sure, that sometime
during class, the dog realizes that this is not the fun game he played with
his trainer; now it really matters, and this person really needs his skills.
Tracy

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aleeha Dudley" <blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2014 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Changing my petting policy

>I live in a college town and am currently a student, so I get a lot of  
>pettin requests, and a lot of petting without request. Dallas is very  
>solicitous and I'm told he has extremely expressive eyes. I've had  
>everything from a drive-by, or walk-by, petting, where this girl  
>literally touched me dog while we were walking past each other in  
>opposite directions. I've had people make kissy noises at my dog in  
>buildings and in the street, which has almost cost me. I've had people  
>blatantly contradict me when I say my dog is working. And evidently  
>there is a rumor going around campus that I abuse my dog because I  
>correct him firmly when he's being a jerk. I had one girl say: "I feel  
>so bad for him. He never gets a break and has to work all the time."
> Really? He's got the best life a dog could ask for: exercise, food, a  
>healthy weight, and a ton of love.
> [Aleeha and the snoozing, non-working Dallas
>
> On 5/2/14, Karyn & Thane <bcpaws4me at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Like Mardi I am cursed with a dog who once he gets petted, he will 
>> seek out
>>
>> attention. He is far from the typical Border Collie that way.
>> In the past, if someone petted my dog, that meant I could get sick 
>> from whatever was on their hands transferred in the process. I will 
>> say it was

>> a
>>
>> lot easier to get people to use common decency/ sense with that 
>> aspect than
>>
>> it is to explain why they should completely ignore my dog.
>> The other day we were waiting for a bus in the sun. A bus driver on 
>> break just had to make me seem like I was not taking proper care of 
>> my dog because
>>
>> we were in the sun. She then starts talking to him! I was floored. 
>> What does
>>
>> that say if a bus driver doesn't get that talking to a dog is as bad 
>> as petting it. She even went on to say I know we can not pet SDs but 
>> talking

>> is
>>
>> OK. I set her straight on that one. I was so relieved when she 
>> finally
>> left-- good grief!
>> I have never encouraged anyone to pet my dog whether he is actively 
>> doing

>> a
>>
>> job or not or for that matter a job that others can see (MCS alerts 
>> were not
>>
>> obvious to others, but were to me).
>> I want my dogs focused on me. Met was a cross between BC and GSD and 
>> standoffish when it came to be petted by anyone but family and a 
>> couple friends I had since I got him. Thane is a people magnet. 
>> Sometimes I have thought he would have made a better therapy dog LOL 
>> Even though I no longer have MCS, I still do not say yes if someone 
>> asks to
>>
>> pet him.
>> Like Mardi, noone gets that I am blind unless I say so for the most part.

>> I
>>
>> got one of those nifty signs that says *Ignore me I am a working 
>> guide
>> dog*
>>
>> and his harness says guide dog, but in this day and age more times 
>> than not
>>
>> I feel like the public is more blind than I am LOL Every once in a 
>> while I will get a bus driver who sees his sign and gives me some 
>> insights that I need. I feel like I need a little recording device 
>> that I can push a button
>>
>> and have it speak that I am blind. Somehow people can get the deaf 
>> part pretty easily but the blind part just --- *You don't look blind* 
>> or *you dont act blind* is common until someone pets and I am guided 
>> right their way
>>
>> in the process. People dont do the fly by pets much any more with me 
>> after they see the consequences to either Thane's feet or their own 
>> with my wheels, but the petting while we are on transit or waiting 
>> for it is still pretty common since I went mask free.
>>
>> Karyn
>>
>>
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>
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