[NAGDU] Working or Nervous?

Sat May 14 16:08:21 UTC 2016

Lisie,

And now that you know, you'll have opportunities to explain that to 
total strangers in the grocery line, so practice up. Or maybe not. In 
the part of the country I beebop around in, it's kinda weird *not* to 
say wahtever pops into your head if you happen to be standing beside a 
total stranger. One merely has to stand on the curb waiting for the 
light to change to hear all sorts of amazing things about politics or 
religion or shoes or... If you happen to have a white cane, you will 
hear people's thoughts on that. Then when you get a guide dog, you hear 
about that. People have the craziest ideas about guide dogs. There's the 
guide dog myth, which is only slightly related to reality, but people 
come up with crazier things they explain as pure fact. /lol/ They will 
also give instruction in guide dog use, care and feeding, you name it! 
The "experts" who know all about it and insist I take their instruction 
to heart are absolutely infuriating. Most folks are just entertaining.

Anyway, one thing all experts know is that guide dogs don't look around. 
They keep their attention focused laser-like on their handler and ignore 
everything else. Sometimes I learn that my guide dog is going to get me 
killed looking around like that while we're standing still in the 
grocery line. They'll be going on about it even after my dog moves me 
out of the way of the shopping cart that rams into them because my dog 
was paying attention to what she should and they were not. I gave up 
being irritated (unless the expert is extra obnoxious) finally and now 
just laugh to myself and say, "It's her job to look around," when they 
take a break for air. I haven't gotten to say "It's his job" now that 
I'm training/working my young male, so maybe I'm doing something wrong. 
Just kidding.

Explaining the ins and outs of guide dog use to family is an exercise in 
futility for some reason. Some of my family members finally get it after 
all these years, but it always throws me off my stride when I notice it. 
My brother tells people I bite because I gave off explaining and went to 
behavioral modification. Now if I could get my husband to follow 
commands... Not gonna happen. /lol/

Tami

On 05/14/2016 01:22 AM, Lisie Foster via NAGDU wrote:
> Thank you to all of you for your replies to my question about dogs looking around while working.
>
> I'm glad that looking around is, in fact, well...part of my dog's job! *grins*
>
> I hope you all have a good weekend
>
> Lisie and Finn
> lisiefoster at yahoo.com
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 11, 2016, at 9:07 PM, Danielle Sykora via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> My dog will also quickly turn to briefly investigate a sudden,
>> unexpected noise. He is particularly likely to look back if he hears a
>> car, which is really good because cars can drive most of the places
>> where students walk on my college campus and we often have cars that
>> come from behind us. He will also turn to look at cars that come along
>> side us while he is relieving.
>>
>> Danielle and Thai
>>
>>> On 5/11/16, The Pawpower Pack via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>> I myself, and Deafblind. I have very good orientation and mobility skills.
>>> Along with that, very good mental mapping skills, and have no problem moving
>>> about in new or familiar environments.
>>> As for whether a deafblind person needs good skills, I cannot speak to
>>> program requirements, because I am an owner trainer. However, I would think
>>> that whether someone is deaf or hearing, that programs would require good
>>> skills before excepting someone for training.
>>> Between you and the dog is a partnership, you need to know where you are
>>> going so you can direct the dog. I Believe whether you can hear or not is
>>> irrelevant. The same skills are needed!
>>>
>>> Rox and the kitchen Bitches:
>>> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
>>> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On May 11, 2016, at 7:23 PM, Helga Schreiber <helga.schreiber26 at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi all! How are  you all? I just have a question, if a person is
>>>> deafblind, dos that person need to have a good orientation of mobility in
>>>> order to get a guide dog? I'm just wwondering since I have a firend who is
>>>> deafblind and I just wonder that question! I apologize  if this question
>>>> is off topic or not related to the post! I look forward in hearing form
>>>> you soon. Thanks and God bless! :)
>>>>
>>>> Helga Schreiber
>>>>
>>>> Member of National Federation of the Blind and Florida Association of
>>>> Blind Students.
>>>> Member of the International Networkers Team (INT).
>>>> Independent Entrepreneur of the Company 4Life Research.
>>>> Phone:  (561) 706-5950
>>>> Email: helga.schreiber26 at gmail.com
>>>> Skype: helga.schreiber26
>>>> 4Life Website: http://helgaschreiber.my4life.com/1/default.aspx
>>>> INT Website: http://int4life.com/
>>>>
>>>> "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
>>>> whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone 6S running IOS 9.3.1
>>>>
>>>>> On May 11, 2016, at 6:44 PM, The Pawpower Pack via NAGDU
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>> I am Deafblind, and my dog also does sound alert and guide work. The
>>>>> behaviour you described is very similar to how my dog works. I would say
>>>>> that the dogs are paying attention and would not say that it's
>>>>> nervousness.
>>>>>
>>>>> Rox and the kitchen Bitches:
>>>>> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
>>>>> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>>> On May 11, 2016, at 5:24 PM, Lisie Foster via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have a question; I wonder if anyone else has an opinion on this.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A few days ago, I managed to use my iPhone to record Finn and me, while
>>>>>> he was guiding.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I had no idea how it turned out, but when I replayed it, it ended up
>>>>>> being about 8 seconds long when I thought it was longer, *grins*.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But, I showed my family, and one comment someone made is still stuck in
>>>>>> my mind.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> He told me, "He looks nervous."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I know Finn; we were almost home (where his dinner waited) and in an
>>>>>> area he knows well. He most definitely wasn't nervous. He was tired,
>>>>>> though, and hungry!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, I asked why my family member thought Finn looked nervous. His reply
>>>>>> was, "Well, why is he looking backward like that? Other dogs just look
>>>>>> forward as they walk."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I looked closely at the video and realized Finn had, for just a second,
>>>>>> turned his head to look backward at the parallel traffic coming up fast
>>>>>> behind us. He watches for traffic in driveways as well as in streets; he
>>>>>> was doing his job, and very well!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Because of his dual hearing dog and guide dog training, he is very
>>>>>> sound-aware. He adores music and interesting sounds, and is very alert
>>>>>> to the locations of all cars nearby.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It was interesting, though, yet a little disconcerting to have someone
>>>>>> perceive my dog's backward glance at an approaching car as nervousness.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I mean, that is "normal"
>>>>>> isn't it, for a guide dog to look at approaching traffic...?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Have a good evening!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Lisie and Finn
>>>>>> lisiefoster at yahoo.com
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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