[NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog

[Dan Weiner]

I agree with Emily here. Except I wouldn't even mention the thing about
allergies, if they have problems they'll bring it up believe me, people
aren't usually that nice or diplomatic.  It's your studio, Rachael, which I
assume means your home or some space you use, you can do as you like , they
are paying for lessons, you aren't paying them.

And  Emily  is right about the thing about making a precedent, if you tell
one person you 'all leave the dog, then it gets to be two and so on. Every
one has their limit with this or their boundaries and only you can decide
what you're more comfortable with in that regard.  I mean when I first got a
dog I didn't really  know how to handle things, I was a bit shier than I am
now and it was awkward for me to figure out how to assert myself if people
were pushy about things.  I remember going to one guy's apartment who
claimed, (the guy not the apartment--lol) that he had no problem with dogs
and then he told me to tie the dog at the door,  I said no, and it was
indeed awkward but I lived through it and after that every time he told me I
should come he said no dog and I just stopped going there.  I really didn't
have a very good time and I decided that had to be my limit.

The usual excuses people will give are: I'll guide you"  "you don't need the
dog here, you're just sitting"--lol  "I don't like dogs" "I'm not
comfortable"  "you didn't need it before "I'm afraid of dogs", "my wife,
husband, kid, niece, neighbor, cat, salamander etc. is afraid of or
allergic"  I once forced the issue and the lady's daughter at an apartment
screamed every time my dog moved. ", and many many others.  What your limit
is will depend on you, some people leave their dogs at the drop of a hat,
others never will leave their dogs no matter what,  and so many positions
in-between.

And remember if you ask permision, then someone might say no--smile That's
why I never ask permision if I go to a place of public accomodation, the no
answer doesn't interest me. Sorry for sounding tough, I'm actually pretty
easy to deal with but these are my honest thoughts.

My limit is that if it's a question of public accommodation then I don't
compromise it  isn't  a dog popularity contest in your taxi cab, restaurant
or anything else.  With peoples' houses or apartments I evaluate, 1. will it
cause me significant trouble to leave my dog, ie, how long am I gone and how
do I get there?  2.  Is the pleasure I get out of it more than the
inconvenience?  3. is it really a good idea or not for my dog to be with me.
Of course if they are all for you bringing your guide dog with you to the
house or apartmente then you don't even need to frame those questions, but
anyway...
, these are situations that no one, even at guide dog school prepares you
for, dealing with people in a way that is advantageous to you and your dog
but yet doesn't  damage relations with people and sometimes you'll win on
that one, sometimes you'll loose. But I think you'll mainly have pleasant
experiences with your doggie and enjoy, I hope, the graceful and enjoyable
walks with your dog whipping you around the obstacles and that your teamwork
with your dog will grow and be wonderful.



Warmest regards,
Dan and the Parker Hound
 

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Emily K. Michael
via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:18 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Emily K. Michael
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog

Good morning, Rachel!

Congratulations! This is an exciting time for you! I got my first guide two
years ago, and it has been an incredible experience! 

I will speak to your first and third question. I, too, am a singer and
teacher-though I teach college writing. 

So, regarding your students: I don't think you have any obligation to tell
them you're working with a dog. First of all, you don't need their
permission, and secondly, they shouldn't be focused on the dog during
lessons. I think people are going to be surprised, regardless of how much
you've prepped them. The only issue you might run into is allergies,
especially since voice lessons are one-on-one and usually held in small
confined spaces. So perhaps you could have something on your instructor bio
or website that says, "I work with a guide dog; if you would like to study
with me but have concerns relating to allergies, send me an email." 

You may get a few students who are seriously afraid of dogs. I say seriously
here because I think dog-fear comes in two types: the shrieking, shouting
kind and the quiet, frozen kind. I have helped a few students come to terms
with this fear, and the solution here is space and routine. If a student is
afraid of your dog, reassure them that the dog is going to hang out in a
corner of the studio and shouldn't bother them. I've never had a student
drop a class because of her fear of dogs. 

I also put a statement about service dog etiquette in my syllabus. I've
expanded the traditional ADA statement to include a clause about interfering
with working service animals. I've found this to be quite helpful. 

Regarding the backyard, I'm way too overprotective to let my guide out of my
sight that way. I don't like the idea of being separated from him even if
we're in a familiar place other than home. Even though this is a good
friend, you have to be careful what precedents you establish. If it is OK
for you to be separated from your pup in one instance, then it may become an
expectation. But if you can be sure the backyard is safe, and you can keep
an eye on your pup, it should be a feasible workaround. 

Your relationships may change. That's just the reality. Some people are
fussy about dog hair regardless of allergies (which are perfectly
legitimate). But honestly, the relationships that are worth anything won't
be seriously harmed by the presence of a dog. The thing to watch out for is
people who want you to leave the dog behind because they consider themselves
an adequate substitute. That kind of behavior strikes me as obnoxious. 

Good luck with this process! You are going to have a blast! One piece of
advice: bring lots of tissues! I did not expect the training process to be
as emotional as it was! Be prepared for lots of ups and a few downs.

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

_______________________________________________
NAGDU mailing list
NAGDU at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.net