[NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog

Wed May 18 13:27:53 UTC 2016

Sandra brings up a good point about student questions. As much as I strive to present myself professionally, my students often have questions about my dog. Because I don’t want to turn my classes into a trip to the blindness museum, I reserve these questions for office hours. 

Julie mentioned the problem of disclosing your disability to your students. I only disclose my blindness as far as it relates to the operation of my classroom. I tell my students that my pup is off-harness in my office, so that’s a good time to come in and play or ask a few guide dog questions. 

If you choose to be open to students’ questions, I recommend that you designate an appropriate time and place. That way your lessons will not be overtaken by their curiosities about disability. The important thing is that you do your job. Any disability education that you happen to provide is secondary—and certainly not an obligation. 

Best,
Emily 
—
Emily K. Michael
emily.k.michael at gmail.com
http://areyouseeingthis.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/authoremilykmichael/

"What poetry is made of is so old, so familiar, that it’s easy to forget that it’s not just the words, but polyrhythmic sounds, speech in its first endeavors (every poem breaks a silence that had to be overcome), prismatic meanings lit by each others’ light, stained by each others’ shadows. In the wash of poetry the old, beaten, worn stones of language take on colors that disappear when you sieve them up out of the streambed and try to sort them out.”
-Adrienne Rich, “Someone is Writing a Poem” (1993)

> On May 17, 2016, at 7:02 PM, S L Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Rachel:
> 
> First let me say good luck to you and your soon to be new dog.  You will 
> learn a lot in a short time about using a guide dog.  All of us will be 
> anxious waiting to hear about your training experience and your new dog.
> 
> As for your students, I would definitely tell them as soon as possible. 
> They will probably have a lot of questions about how the dog will be able to 
> help you.  Some of them may be afraid of dogs.  You will have to explain to 
> them that your dog will be under your control at all times and will not 
> bother them while they are in your  studio for their lessons.
> 
> As for friends and/or students with allergies, you will explain that your 
> dog will always be well groomed.  I am allergic to dogs but have asthma and 
> have used a guide dog for 41 years.  I find that a good daily grooming keeps 
> my golden retrievers from aggravating my allergic symptoms too much.  There 
> are a lot of products such as food supplements, shampoos, grooming sprays 
> that help to control excessive shedding.  You will Assure them that your dog 
> will be kept under your control and will not come up close to them 
> aggravating their allergies.  For somebody who cannot be in the same room 
> with a dog at all, then you will have to decide if there is any compromise 
> such as leaving your dog in another office or reception area while that 
> student is in your studio.  This probably wouldn't work out because there 
> will already be dog hair in the room from those times when the dog is with 
> you.  That is why notifying the students before you come home with the dog 
> is so important.
> 
> As for your friends, they will understand your decision to get a guide dog. 
> They will have to understand that your dog is with you in order to be your 
> guide.  I personally would not want to leave my guide outside but, you will 
> have to evaluate each situation for yourself.  If you do decide to leave 
> your dog outside, be sure the yard is fully enclosed by a a fence that the 
> dog cannot jump over.  Be sure the yard does not have anything such as toxic 
> plants, gardening supplies and tools, fuel cans etc...  Once you have 
> determined that the yard is safe you should periodically go and check on 
> your dog to be sure everything is fine.  The only other concern leaving your 
> dog outside is weather.  You need to be sure it is not too hot or too cold 
> for the dog to be outside for an extended period of time.
> 
> Sandra Johnson and Golden Retriver Eva
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Rachel Grider via NAGDU
> Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 6:01 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org <mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Rachel Grider
> Subject: [NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog
> 
> Hello, Friends!
> 
> I don't usually post to this list because, having never used a guide dog, I 
> have nothing productive to contribute. This is shortly going to change, 
> though, as I will be going to the Seeing Eye to train with a new guide dog 
> in two weeks! I am very excited, though this decision has been a very long 
> time coming. I am still unsure about some things, but I know that I will 
> need to try it out in order to know for sure if a guide dog will be the best 
> mobility aid for me.
> 
> I have a few questions for y'all about adjusting to a new guide dog. I will 
> probably think of many more as I proceed, but here are a few with which to 
> start:
> 
> 1. I teach private voice lessons. I have already notified my students that I 
> will be away for most of June, but I have not yet told them why. I know that 
> it would probably be common courtesy to let them know that I am getting a 
> guide dog before they show up to my studio and see my dog there. I am 
> nervout about telling them because I don't know what kind of reaction I will 
> get. What have some of you done in similar situations, and how have your 
> students/clients/associates reacted?
> 
> 2. I happen to own a cat who is not only quite territorial but also 
> extremely emotionally attached to me; I mean, when I am home, this cat 
> literally follows me around and is always trying to get me to either play or 
> cuddle with her. The man who did my home interview didn't seem too concerned 
> about her adjusting to a dog, but because the emotional well-being of my cat 
> is extremely important to me, I cannot help being worried. I know this 
> sounds really stupid, but I am afraid that because my dog will go with me 
> whenever I leave my house, and then return home with me, my cat will begin 
> to associate me with the dog and instead of growing used to my dog over 
> time, she will resent me and not want to be around me as much. Am I reading 
> too much into this? Regardless, what are some ways in which you have made 
> the transition easier for your pets?
> 
> 3. I have two good friends who are allergic to dog hair. Both of them are 
> not worried about being around me with the dog, as long as I keep it 
> brushed, but I am concerned that despite their reassurances, my 
> relationships with them will suffer. One of these friends told me that 
> service dogs have been brought to her house before, and as long as the dog 
> stayed in the back yard, everything was fine. Is that appropriate to do with 
> a guide dog? How have some of you dealt with this?
> 
> That will be it for now. Any advice would be appreciated. I am counting down 
> the days until I will get to meet my new guide, but I still want to make 
> sure that all proactical considerations are made.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> Rachel
> 
> http//www.rachelgrider.com
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