[nagdu] Let me make it clear

Tue Jul 14 01:32:06 UTC 2015

Wow, your job is great! I also doubt the donors or puppy raisers know or
care if we own or "borrow" our dogs. In general, I think they love to hear
our stories and see how well we work together! At pilot, they don't
introduce the clients to the puppy raisers. I understand this has been
problematic for some. I've heard that occasionally, puppy raisers will think
the clients are not treating the dogs well and have a higher potential to
call in complaints. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
via nagdu
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2015 8:45 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Raven Tolliver
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Let me make it clear

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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