[nagdu] Perspectives on Guide Dogs

[Julie J.]

Here you go!

1. Based on your experiences, which dog breeds do you feel make the best 
guide dogs and why?
All of them...it just depends on the person, their particular place in life 
and what they want.  My semi retired guide is a lab and Boxer cross and my 
younger very green guide is a Doberman.   they are both good guides, 
interestingly they work fairly similarly, but their personalities are 
different.

2. How have the dynamics in your home been changed since you got a guide 
dog, especially your relationships with family and other pets? If so, how do 
you keep a balance between your relationships?
I have three dogs right now.  they have all been or are guides.  I've always 
had dogs, so I can't compare relationships before and after dogs.   They are 
a main source of enjoyment for everyone here.  We live in a small town with 
not a lot of things to do.  It's nice to go to the dog park with my husband 
or on a long walk with my son and the dogs.

3. Do you feel that people tend to be drawn to you because of your dog 
rather than your own qualities? If so, have you done anything to change 
that?
Random strangers, yes.  People I call friends, not so much.  I haven't done 
much to change it.  I'm not interested in developing friendships with random 
Wal-Mart shoppers, so I'm really totally fine with keeping our interactions 
to chit chat about the dog.  If it weren't idle talk about the dog, I'd have 
to talk about weather or football, so the dog is good in that respect.

4. Have any of you ever been aware of housing or job discrimination because 
of your dog? If so, please explain.
No.  I was in between dogs when I interviewed for my current job.  Monty 
started coming to work with me nearly a year later.  It has never been an 
issue.  Even today when I had a meeting with my supervisor and Jetta got up 
27 times. *sigh*

5. Where and when do you believe it is appropriate to have your dog with 
you, and where and when should one leave the dog at home? For example, is it 
appropriate to take your dog to a job interview?
I am currently looking for another job, because my current job is a three 
ring circus.  I do plan on taking my guide to interviews.  However that will 
be a new experience for me.  In the past I've been in between dogs when I 
started a new job.
I do not take my guides to friends homes who aren't dog people...usually.  I 
also do not take my dog to funerals.  Not because of the dog or any sort of 
access type of concern, but because I'm a mess and not in a good mental 
place to be working with the dog.  If I'm stressed, the dog will pick up on 
it.   I also do not take my guides to zoos.  I've not had a guide that I 
think could handle it.  Monty would have been stressed.  Jetta and Belle 
would be drooling the whole time.  There are others, but I decide on a case 
by case basis.

6. For those of you who are fond of sports such as running, hiking, and the 
like, are you able to use your dog as a mobility aid while participating in 
these activities?
Yes.  I used to run before I broke my foot.  It can be done, but you need to 
go on a smooth, level surface, with no sharp turns, no overhead obstacles 
and little in the way of other obstacles.  Here we have paved hike and bike 
trails that are perfect.  I do not suggest running in downtown Chicago. 
*smile*  I do still do some hiking and other off road walking with my 
guides.  The hardest part there is keeping oriented.  the dog does a good 
job of being careful about my footing.

7. Do you think it is appropriate for a mobility instructor the use a guide 
dog?
I don't see why not.

8. What are some of the emotional benefits that your guide dog has provided 
you?
Comedy relief.  And they are good for weight loss and learning to wake up 
early too!

9. Have you ever encountered folks who had dog allergies or fear of dogs? If 
so, how did you deal with that?
I've encountered people who have said they are allergic, but they seemed to 
be breathing fine, so I'm not sure what they were talking about.  My husband 
has all sorts of allergies.   For him it's a cumulative effect.  So if there 
is a lot of pollen and it's dry and dusty and he's been working around grain 
dust and the dogs are shedding and I forget to vacuum...then it's a problem. 
I try to vacuum a couple of times a week, dust frequently and I try to get 
him to wear a dust mask when he's working in dusty situations.  It's 
manageable.

I've encountered a few people who said they were afraid of dogs.  I didn't 
do anything.  they can move away if they feel the need to do so.

10.  What are some ways of finding a balance between treating your guide dog 
as a "soul mate" and simply using the guide dog as a mobility aid? I know 
that some of you might have extremely intimate relationships with your dogs 
and think of them on equal terms with a child or spouse. While I see nothing 
wrong with this, I personally do not want to think of my dog that way; I 
want it simply to be my partner and my companion. I do not want it to get in 
the way of my relationships with my human family. I also, however, want to 
give my dog no less attention and love than any animal deserves. What are 
some ways of developing healthy boundaries with your dog?
Ummm...I'm not sure I'm following this entirely.  My guide dogs are dogs and 
they are treated like dogs...well taken care of, maybe even pampered, but 
they are still dogs.   Rules we have about dogs and people...
people get first pick of spots on the couch.  Lots of guide dog handlers 
don't let their dogs on the furniture at all.  I do, but if I want them off, 
then they get off.
I used to let the dogs on the bed, but I don't anymore.
When we are eating, dogs can lie quietly under the table or go in the other 
room.
When I'm cooking, no dogs in the kitchen.
The dogs must listen to all family members.  I am the primary caretaker of 
the dogs, but if I'm not around then they have to listen to whomever is.
My family is good about not interfering with me working with my guide 
dog...for the most part.  Every now and then I have to remind someone about 
what is and what isn't okay.  My husband called Monty to him across a 
parking lot once.  It scared me silly because there's no way I would have 
signaled Monty to set out guiding me across a parking lot with cars coming 
and going all over the place like that.   We cross other parking lots, but 
this situation was different.  I'm not explaining well, sorry.
My parents are a different story all together.  They don't think I really 
need a dog or a cane for that matter.  They think Jetta is going to eat 
them.  They have never met Jetta, so why they have decided she's ferocious, 
I'm not really sure.   I don't see them all that often, so mostly I just put 
up with their quirks.

11. As blind people, we know that using a guide dog instead of a cane makes 
no difference in the independence of the person. The average sighted person, 
however, is not educated in our mobility aids, and many of them have their 
own preconceived ideas about why one may use a cane or a dog. Based on your 
experiences, do you believe that the overall public perception would favor a 
cane user or a dog user? For example, do you believe that you might have a 
greater chance getting a certain job if you brought your dog or your cane to 
the interview? Another example: Do you believe that a sighted person would 
be more or less inclined to want to date a blind person with a dog or 
without one?
No clue.  I think it depends on the particular person more so than their 
level of vision.  I mean there are dog people and people who are neutral and 
then there are the cat people.   If you are comfortable and adept at using 
your preferred mobility tool, then that will show and the rest is up to 
chance or providence or the divine.   I've pretty much stopped wondering 
what the world thinks of my choices.  that's a sure way to loose my mind. 
*smile*  I go and do what I want to do and find my people along the way.

HTH
Julie