[nagdu] Why, or why not?

[Danielle Ledet]

Oh most schools do not issue out these grooming tools but will
usually, at least TSE did, have them out in the grooming area for
students to try out. They can be purchased at Petsmart and Petco
though and I know Amazon has them. Got my ZoomGroom from Petsmart and
FURminator from Amazon. Ticked off they got lost in the move though.
Sucky Sucky.

Danielle


On 6/19/15, Danielle Ledet <singingmywayin at gmail.com> wrote:
> Oh Lawd. I never had such negative feelings and reactions when I had
> my dogs. Sure I got questions but not constantly to the point of total
> hotheadedness. The negative I can think of that really bothered me is
> like Larry, people usually thought when they saw me without my dogs
> that I seriously needed help getting places I even had someone on my
> college campus think I was just walking that beautiful dog everyday
> and that I must be LOST without him. Lol. Honestly, have you tried the
> FURminator? And, the Zoom Groom? Those two tools alone made al the
> difference I had a Golden and I'm thoroughly persuaded they shed the
> most! I really could see less hair pulled out the next day. Oh and you
> DO want an undercoat rake. I wil always thank PJ for giving me one, he
> must've knew I would need it. I did have a problem with my dog
> shedding excessively to the point she was bare on one side but tht was
> due to a medical condition for which she was prescribed antibiotics
> and then, it cleared up.
>
> Danielle
>
> On 6/19/15, larry d keeler via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Well Buddy, I've sure been there! I went to the hospital without Holly
>> today. I actually left her home to sort of baby sit the puppy. My wife is
>> in
>> there for a couple of days! I walked in the hospital where I've gone for
>> many years. In fact, I joke with people and am really more than half
>> serious
>> that I'm one of the few blind folks who knows the University of Michigan
>> hospital better than most sighted folks. A woman barked at me because I
>> came
>> in with my cane. She wanted to know where I wanted to go, how long I was
>> going to be there and why I wanted to go in in the first place! She was a
>> door greeter not a doctor or anything! I told her I was ok and she kept
>> following me until I turned down a couple of hallways to loose her. When
>> I
>> walk in with holly, I don't get that, usually. I do get a lot of
>> questions
>> about Holly though. Mostly, I just keep on going and pretend like I
>> didn't
>> hear them. Sometimes if I'm having a conversation, I'll answer all of the
>> dog questions but mostly not. Also, its interesting that when you leave
>> the
>> dog home some people appear horrified! They get very concerned! About the
>> DOG!! Not so much you! If they wonder about you its how will he get
>> around
>> without the dog. I'm 52 and didn't get a dog until I was 45. My decision
>> was
>> based on moving faster in som circumstances and also, I figured that if I
>> had another dog, might as well be a working one! I mean really! The food
>> those pets eat! And they just sit on you and bug you! Well,, better be
>> careful, got one of those too! Some people just cqan't get it through
>> there
>> heads that dogs are great but not the only way to do things! And also
>> that
>> we blind folks are really supposed to be smarter than our dogs! Lastly, I
>> certainly agree with the woman who's post you forwarded. I was
>> honsurprised
>> when I got Holly and everyone came out of the woodwork to talk to me! Or
>> rather talk about Holly! Wonder if I'd met more women in college!  w
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan
>> via
>> nagdu
>> Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 4:02 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Buddy Brannan
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Why, or why not?
>>
>> For me, there is one huge overriding negative to using a guide dog. It's
>> the
>> one thing that, both times I went back, made me question whether I really
>> wanted to do this again. Obviously, since I did do it again and am in the
>> process of working on raising #4, then training #4, the positives
>> outweigh
>> for me, but it doesn't take this one aspect away.
>>
>> Cleaning up after? Don't care about that, it's just a thing. Hair? We've
>> got
>> other pets too, and if people don't like animal hair, stay the hell away
>> from my house, because there will be some. Vet expenses, food expenses,
>> inconvenient surprises? Don't care about those.
>>
>> No, the one disadvantage to working with a guide dog is other people. I
>> don't like having pleasant meals with friends interrupted by random
>> strangers who feel they must know immediately my dog's lineage, life
>> story,
>> and vital statistics. For some reason, I don't find socially fulfilling
>> hearing about the dog you had that was just like mine, only smaller,
>> black,
>> and female. No, really, I don't find that my dog is a "social icebreaker"
>> when random people feel the need to come and admire my dog while I'm
>> crossing the street or waiting for a bus or running late for something.
>> And
>> I really don't care that you think I'm a complete ass because I said
>> that,
>> no, really, you can't pet my dog right now. Funny thing, I got my dog to
>> help me get from where I am to where I'm going more efficiently. I'd
>> really
>> like to do that.
>>
>> Here's a blog post that sums this up brilliantly, from a twitter pal in
>> the
>> UK. Apparently, she's gotten some grief for this from other guide dog
>> users
>> who don't believe she is properly grateful. Count me as also not properly
>> grateful, though the issue doesn't rise quite to the level it does for
>> her
>> with me.
>>
>> From http://catchthesewords.com/i-am-not-my-dog/
>>
>> I am not my dog
>>
>> Having a dog can be a good thing. For some, it is a smoother, more
>> effective
>> way of travel. For others the cane is by far the better option. Both are
>> perfectly valid experiences, what works for one blind person doesn’t for
>> another. I have come to loathe the perception that my life must have been
>> awful before getting Isla. I think the media is partly responsible for
>> this,
>> feeding the mentality that guide dogs are always best. Cane users are
>> seen
>> as incompetent, or desperately lonely blind people who must be longing for
>> a
>> dog. That quite simply isn’t true. And just because a person might find
>> guide dog travel better for them doesn’t mean they had no life before
>> getting a dog.
>>
>> I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. I’ll be going to university
>> in
>> September and I’m concerned that people will choose to speak to me
>> because
>> I’m holding onto a very cute looking dog, not because I’m a genuinely
>> interesting person…though that’s debatable I suppose! I know some guide
>> dog
>> owners love the extra attention they receive, they feel like they are
>> connecting with more people and it gives them the opportunity to make
>> friends, however for me it’s been a miserable experience. I would rather
>> two
>> people come up to me directly in a week and ask me about the band shirt
>> I’m
>> wearing and whether I’ve seen them, than 200 who want to know my dogs
>> life
>> story. I’m not my dog and I’m desperately trying to break free of that
>> perception. I’m also not public property, I’m a real girl with feelings
>> who
>> would like to be shown the same basic respect others deserve.
>>
>> To illustrate this, I want to talk about several interactions I’ve had
>> this
>> past week.
>>
>> On Tuesday I went to the dentist, the guy is new and he was very nice to
>> me.
>> However, he didn’t ask me any questions about my life, besides the
>> obligatory medical history. Our brief conversation revolved around my
>> dog,
>> and how I must find things easier now I have her. The problem I find with
>> this isn’t that people ask, it’s how they phrase it.
>>
>> “So, your life must be so much better now you have her.”
>>
>> They aren’t actually asking me if I prefer using a dog or a cane, instead
>> they assume that it is the case. I know people don’t mean it, or probably
>> don’t even think about it. Perhaps it seems like I’m being overly
>> sensitive
>> and it’s a simple issue, however I hear this day in day out. I know that
>> it
>> is how people think, they have this idea that a dog is best for everyone.
>> Canes are seen as your training wheels, after which you progress to a
>> dog.
>> And I always want to tell people no, that isn’t true. But no matter how
>> nicely you explain it many get upset, or even offended. They have this
>> view
>> that a dog is best and telling them no goes against everything they have
>> ever seen in the media. Yes, a person may prefer guide dog travel but
>> that
>> doesn’t mean before they got a dog they sat at home and cried into their
>> pillow.
>>
>> I did however have a very nice talk with a lady who worked in a shop
>> whilst
>> I was looking for a dress to buy. She was far more interested in
>> describing
>> me the dresses and helping me look for them than asking me personal
>> questions. I shouldn’t have to find experiences like this refreshing, but
>> I
>> do.
>>
>> However for the rest of the day most questions I received from shop
>> assistants whilst I was paying involved the following:
>>
>> How old is your dog?
>> Is it a boy or a girl?
>> What’s its name?
>> How long have you had it?
>> Is it your first dog.
>>
>> I don’t mind that people ask exactly, but I always get asked this set of
>> questions. I know people don’t realise that I’ve had to answer them
>> hundreds
>> of times before. It honestly gets tiring and boring, and I wish their
>> attention could be diverted elsewhere.
>>
>> The same happened when I went to get my hair cut. People came and sat
>> next
>> to me while I was waiting, asked me their questions about Isla and that
>> was
>> it. And this is why I hate it. People don’t talk to me because they
>> actually
>> have an interest in who I am, they just want to know about my dog. I
>> would
>> rather people didn’t speak to me at all in that case. Perhaps I’m in the
>> minority, but it is something I think about a lot. I don’t want to put
>> people off approaching guide dog owners but I wish they would think about
>> why they are actually doing it first. If you think that person might need
>> help, and you go up to them to ask that’s fine, if they say yes, by all
>> means help and if they say no, please respect their decision. But if the
>> only reason you speak to a person is to quiz them about their dog and
>> then
>> effectively ignore them…what’s the point?
>>
>> I understand that for some dog owners the interactions are welcome but
>> personally I don’t enjoy it. I want to go to university and meet people
>> who
>> like the same things I do, who want to spend time with me because they
>> see
>> something that interests them. I don’t want people to spend time with me
>> because they get access to a very friendly dog. I don’t know how I can
>> ensure this, besides trying to figure out why people are actually talking
>> to
>> me. I don’t want to become popular on campus because everyone loves my
>> dog.
>> Ultimately in that situation I mean nothing, it is Isla who people are
>> interested in. It’s the reason why I’m so sure I won’t be getting another
>> dog. I travel well with a cane, yes, dog travel has its benefits but for
>> me
>> the attention I receive because of it is far more negative than any of
>> the
>> positives can add up to be. I wish I didn’t feel this way, but I know it
>> won’t change. I don’t like huge amounts of attention being placed upon
>> me,
>> and I would rather receive very small amounts and be valued as a human.
>>
>> Dog handlers are real people. Their dogs may look very friendly, but
>> please
>> remember that there is a person holding onto that harness and we all
>> deserve
>> to be valued for the people we are.
>>
>> Like this post? Share it with your friends!
>>
>>
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Jun 19, 2015, at 3:08 PM, S L Johnson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Personally I don't find any negatives about having a guide dog.  There
>>> are
>>>
>>> so many positives that nothing is too much work in order for me to have
>>> a
>>> dog.  , I always ask for a golden so I have lots of hair.  I brush her
>>> every
>>> night to keep the shedding down.  It is possible your dog had a medical
>>> issue that contributed to her excessive shedding.  Also if she were
>>> under
>>> a
>>> lot of stress that could have also caused her to shed more.  Stress for
>>> working dogs can cause all kinds of problems.   If people don't want dog
>>> hair, then maybe a dog isn't for them.  If people don't want my dog hair
>>> in
>>> their car, then I don't go anywhere with them.  My dog is more important
>>> than that inconsiderate person.  I suppose you could say high vet bills
>>> could be a negative but, even that is worth it because the dog gives you
>>> so
>>> much more independence.  It is a tough question to answer because what
>>> you
>>>
>>> see as a negative might not mean anything to someone else who will do
>>> absolutely anything to have a guide dog.  As for access issues, I don't
>>> have
>>> any problems with it and feel it is just one of the responsibilities of
>>> having a guide dog.  It is a personal decision and only you will be able
>>> to
>>> weigh the positives against the negatives n the end to make your
>>> decision.
>>>
>>> Whatever you decide, good luck.
>>>
>>> Sandra and Eva
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: daniel via nagdu
>>> Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 12:05 PM
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Cc: daniel
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Why, or why not?
>>>
>>> Hey guys, I haven't posted to the list in a while mainly because I don't
>>> have my dog anymore; she was terrified of cars and couldn't do work
>>> properly
>>> because of it. I know this is going to come off a bit negatively but I
>>> don't
>>> mean it that way: I feel as if, guide dog users we have a tendency to
>>> extol
>>> the greatness of using a guide dog, we always say how amazing it is and
>>> wonderful having one by our side is but I feel that the cons aren't ever
>>> really discussed. I retired my dog roughly a year ago and, at the time,
>>> it
>>> was pretty tramatic (I literally cried for like an hour at a time). I'm
>>> now
>>> really contemplating going back to The Seeing Eye again and am really
>>> honestly wondering what kind of cons or negative things yall have ran
>>> into
>>> while using a dog? I know there is a huuuge range of people from just
>>> starting out to have had a dog for the past 20 years so I feel like I
>>> can
>>> get some really good feedback. I know one for me was (and this may sound
>>> odd
>>> or vain) was excessive shedding. I could brush and comb Irene for 30-45
>>> minutes every evening and morning and yet, every time I got in a car
>>> there
>>> would be fur everywhere and when I vacuumed I could've probably made a
>>> pillow every time. I have literally never in my life seen a dog shed as
>>> much
>>> as that and am quite frankly not sure where all the fur came from off a
>>> 45
>>> pound dog. However, I think I could deal with it again if I were to get
>>> another guide dog; I would just have to get even better at managing. I
>>> have
>>> a few others but I'm wondering what are some for yall?
>>>
>>> Again, I really am not trying to be negative just really trying to get
>>> the
>>> whole story.again.
>>>
>>> I'm also (obviously) trying to decide if I want to go back again (that's
>>> a
>>> whole other post though, I think). I'm also not really trying to say
>>> (nor
>>> do
>>> I want yet another debate) that canes are better than dogs or vice
>>> versa.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Dan.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> P.s: This is a sort of spinoff from "would I ever give up having a dog?"
>>>
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>>
>>
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