[nagdu] Perceptions and puppies

Sun Jun 21 01:42:15 UTC 2015

I believe that it is impossible to get respect if you don't give it.
Calling cane users "pitiful" is not going to accomplish anything. You
are not going to be able to accurately portray the differences between
dogs and canes if you have a degrading attitude toward one form of
mobility. I would say the same thing to a cane user who thought that a
guide dog user is less independent because she is mindlessly following
her dog who is just pulling her along. Obviously, I believe a dog is a
better mobility aid for me or I wouldn't have one. If someone doesn't
want to use a dog, that is there choice that is not for me to judge.

I have met some not-so-great cane users who don't use their canes in
an effective manner. There are even a few who unfortunately will not
take into account the fact that their canes are colliding with living
creatures, both dogs and humans, and they need to be a little more
careful in crowds. Of course, the same goes for irresponsible guide
dog users who allow their dogs to exhibit undesirable behavior and
don't take effecgtive action to get their dogs under control.

All this is to say that I see no need to judge others for their
choices. Everyone does what works for them. We can provide people with
information and personal experience, but we can not tell them what is
best for their lifestyle.

Interacting with a brand new puppy really makes you appreciate the
work of puppy raisers. My sister just received a puppy to raise a few
days ago. She jumps, bites, doesn't know how to walk on a leash, isn't
housebroken, and is just learning how to sit. Of course Thai isn't
perfect, but the differences between their training levels is almost
comical. On the plus side, most people pay a lot more attention to the
puppy in public.

Danielle, Thai, and Bonnie (GDF puppy in training)

On 6/20/15, Buddy Brannan via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Oh...Larry, you done caught me out. Tell you what. Can I just give a shout
> out to the puppy raisers? Working with the Hildabeast has really given me an
> education, I just hope I haven't ruined her irredeemably. (I'm pretty sure I
> haven't, actually, I'm fortunate she's pretty tough and resilient.)
> Yesterday, I left Leno home and took Hilda on her first social outing. We
> had a picnic with a group from Meetup.com, on the beach. Lots of pulling on
> the leash, lots of trying to jump at people, but also lots of great people
> that were good sports and were very patient both with her and with me. A
> fine time was had by all. Hilda got to see us doing strange things, like the
> three-legged race. She got to be around food that she couldn't have. And
> goes without saying, she met lots of new people. One cool thing about this
> was that some of these folks had already met Leno, so they got to see how
> different a raw, untrained new pup was, and maybe got some appreciation for
> what goes into making a well-behaved guide.
>
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: 814-860-3194
> Mobile: 814-431-0962
> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>
>
>
>
>> On Jun 20, 2015, at 6:44 PM, larry d keeler via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> No Buddy, you just want to see what the dog sniffs out! They sure find
>> interesting things to smell!
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan
>> via
>> nagdu
>> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 3:33 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Buddy Brannan
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Perceptions
>>
>> No Dan, you're wrong. We all hate dogs. Some of us eat dogs for breakfast.
>>
>>
>> Seriously, of course there's something to this, but I don't understand
>> why
>> it has to be "this is better" and "That is worse". Sure, sometimes it
>> really
>> is "I want to get where I'm going more efficiently". Or maybe it''s "I
>> really like working with dogs". Or maybe it's "Watching their little
>> minds
>> work is fascinating." Maybe to some it really is "It just works better
>> for
>> me". None of those things make it intrensically "better" though. For
>> some,
>> "I get to my destination faster" may be a distinct disavdantage, because
>> some people like knowing about all of the things in their environment that
>> a
>> dog would consider to be obstacles. Conversely, "I know that I need to
>> cross
>> at the crosswalk, marked by this pole after the third sidewalk" may be a
>> distinct disadvantage to some who don't care about sidewalks or poles and
>> just want to go. Neither is intrensically "better".
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Jun 20, 2015, at 3:19 PM, Dan Weiner via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Well perhaps it's a generational thing...when I got a dog I wanted to be
>>> more independent and hoped that a dog would help me do this. Now with
>>> the
>>> proliferation of cane training and so on the younger new dog users say
>>> things like "Oh I can use a cane just fine and I just want to be more
>>> efficient" or "I want to be faster".  I think guys we should look at
>>> this...the dog must be doing something for you or you wouldn't have
>>> wanted
>>> to get one or keep using one.
>>>
>>> There must be something pretty damend good about a dog if despite all of
>> the
>>> negatives gleefully listed over the last day, we still have them and at
>>> least I, since I can only speak for myself, enjoy using one.
>>> Now I'm definitely over quota, keep out of trouble, guys.
>>>
>>> Dan W.
>>> dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via
>>> nagdu
>>> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 3:13 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Cc: Cindy Ray
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Perceptions
>>>
>>> I see your point, but I think the two things are different. Well, most
>>> of
>>> the time they are. Often people go into training centers and they
>>> honestly
>>> cannot do a thing. They can't read, they can't go catch a bus, they
>>> can't
>>> write, you know. So they did get their life back. I got a dog and I was
>>> independent when I was using a cane, yet people are convinced that now I
>>> have the dog I am more independent. Well, it is probably true for some
>>> but
>>> was not so for me.
>>> I may have overdone it, too. LOL.
>>> Cindy
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dan Weiner
>>> via
>>> nagdu
>>> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 2:03 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Cc: Dan Weiner
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Perceptions
>>>
>>> Well, I've heard the same thing from folks who graduate NFB training
>>> centers, I swear one man says,  "I got my life back". So what do we
>>> conclude?
>>> Perhaps of course some of it is the misconceptions about guide dogs or
>>> the
>>> self-promotion of the guide dog training centers...but maybe also
>>> anything
>>> that allows you a feeling of freedom that you can do what you want to do
>> or
>>> hope that you can might cause a similar reaction.
>>> And I think I've written more than five messages today, so sorry if I
>>> did
>> go
>>> over my quota.
>>>
>>> Dan W.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaye Kipp via
>>> nagdu
>>> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 1:48 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Cc: Kaye Kipp
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Perceptions
>>>
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Unfortunately, I've actually heard some guide dog users say,, "I have my
>>> dog; now I got my life back.  At one of my guide dog graduations, at
>>> least
>>> one person said that.  I think this perpetuates the perception that
>>> guide
>>> dogs are super heroes.  Sometimes they are; like the one who got between
>> the
>>> user and the buss, but using a guide dog is all about team work.
>>> Without
>> a
>>> good handler, it goes without saying that the guide dog doesn't work
>>> well.
>>
>>>
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