[nagdu] Let me make it clear

Tue Jul 14 00:45:20 UTC 2015

Ya know, I highly doubt that puppy-raisers and donors know anything
about the ownership policies of guide dog schools.
And a lot of them know very little about blindness and working a guide
dog. They just know that they are supporting and/or enriching a dog's
life who will help someone, though they don't know much about how the
dogs will help us.

Part of my job now is overseeing volunteers who provide enrichment to
incoming puppies that are future guide dogs, and also giving puppies
to the puppy-raisers. Many of these people are surprised when they
find out I'm a guide dog handler myself, and they have so many
questions for me about how I do my job, how I get to work, how guide
dogs are trained to do different things, etc. They openly admit they
know they are helping someone and feel good about it, but they never
get to see the fruits of their labor. I think puppy-raisers who have
been doing this for a long time have some understanding, but a lot of
the first-timers and volunteers in the kennels have no clue.
I think they understand what the dogs do, but they really don't
understand how. How we communicate with them. How the dogs indicate
different things to us. How the dogs know to perform certain
behaviors. How we know the dog is doing x. How we take care of our
dogs. How it's a team effort and a partnership, not just some blindy
being led around by a well-trained all-knowing super dog. How
sometimes, they're not so super, and that working with them can be far
more complicated. How training never ends until the dog is done being
a guide.
Not that I expect volunteers to understand the intricate relationships
we have with our guide dogs. But I think there are activities the
schools should suggest or require for the puppy-raisers, donors, and
volunteers so that they understand what it is that they are
supporting.
A couple of the new hire activities at the school is watching a blind
handler work a guide dog, or walking with a guide dog under blind
fold. Obviously, I won't do any of that because that's life for me at
this point, but these opportunities should be extended to
puppy-raisers, other volunteers and donors as well. They are just as
much a part of the organization as paid employees, and should know
more about the cause they support.
Maybe some guide dog schools do this and I'm not aware of it. But I
think it would educate the sighted population on what these dogs do if
they had to walk with a dog and experience following a creature whose
line of travel they can't see.
-- 
Raven
Founder of 1AM Editing & Research
www.1am-editing.com

You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you
have or what you do.

Naturally-reared guide dogs
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs

On 7/13/15, Michael Hingson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Still the reality is that most donors as with the rest of the sighted
> population do not know much about blindness. If they really do object to
> our
> ownership of our guides, something I seriously doubt, then the schools
> should educate them and help us gain the first class inclusion and
> citizenship we seek.
>
>
> Mike H.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marianne Denning
> via nagdu
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 4:40 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Marianne Denning
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Let me make it clear
>
> I wish donors didn't have a say but they can take their money elsewhere
> just
> like we can choose another school.  Donors don't want to be associated with
> any organization they feel gives them a bad name for whatever reason.  I
> don't like it but it is a reality of the world we live in today.  Sadly, it
> only takes one bad report to wipe out years of great work. Schools, donors
> and guide dog users have different purposes at times.
>
> On 7/13/15, Michael Hingson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> As I said they should have a say in puppy raising issues such as
>> training the puppies and such. With very few exceptions they have NO
>> expertise on blindness and guide dog issues. No, puppy raisers and
>> donors are not in a position to have a stake in this issue.
>>
>> I think we need to drop this as Marion suggested. I know you called me
>> yesterday and I will call you later.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>>
>> Michael Hingson
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Howard J.
>> Levine via nagdu
>> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 3:30 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Howard J. Levine
>> Subject: [nagdu] Let me make it clear
>>
>> Puppy raiser put in lot of time and spend there own money raise these
>> dog that we have. If puppy raiser don't have feel like thay have voice
>> then they will stop giving of there time and money.
>>
>>
>>
>> ---
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>
>
> --
> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
> (513) 607-6053
>
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