[NAGDU] 8 Potential Hazards Experienced by Guide Dog Owners!

Danielle Ledet singingmywayin at gmail.com
Wed Jan 25 08:49:22 UTC 2017


Humorous, but oh so true.
8 Potentially Hazardous People You Meet as a Guide Dog Owner
By Holly Bonner
12/19/16
https://themighty.com/2016/12/potentially-hazardous-people-you-meet-as-a-guide-dog-owner/
When you’re working with a guide dog, you will encounter many
different kinds of people. While most of these individuals have the
purest of intentions, few of them realize how their actions can pose a
serious safety hazard for both you and your canine partner. Here are
eight potentially hazardous types of people I’ve frequently
encountered as a guide dog owner.
1. The Kissing Bandits.
You’ll never actually see these people, and not because you’re blind
or visually impaired. These sneaky characters like to lurk amidst the
shadows. The only indication of their presence comes in the form of
the annoying kissing, smooching and other face-sucking sounds they
make in a persistent effort to get your guide dog’s attention. A
“Kissing Bandit’s” misguided display of affection is dangerously
distracting for both you and your guide dog! Trust me, my dog does not
want to kiss you. I don’t want to kiss you! Neither she or I have any
idea exactly where your mouth has been. Please go home and smooch your
own pooch and let us get back to work.
2. Nostalgics.
Prepare yourself for story hour! Seeing your beautiful guide dog will
undoubtedly cause some lovers of your breed to take a stroll down
memory lane. “Nostalgics” will stop you dead in your tracks
enthusiastically wanting to share stories about their dearly departed
“Buddy” or “Lassie” or “Spot.” They will spare no small detail from
the time they first laid eyes on their canine companions to every gut
wrenching moment leading up to their passing. As someone who has owned
and lost many dogs prior to being matched with Frances, I feel for
these people, really I do. But when you’ve got a toddler crossing
their legs in desperate need of the potty, you’ll need to gently cut
these conversations off and keep it moving.
3. Ninjas.
They may not be dressed in black, but “Ninjas” definitely know to
sneak up on a blind person. You won’t “see” them coming. Chances are
you won’t even hear them coming. They will ignore any “do not pet”
markers on your guide dog. They won’t care they are in harness. These
people believe they are above asking permission when it comes to
touching your dog.  What “Ninjas” want most in the world is to lay
their hands on those furry faces or kiss you working dog’s wet nose.
The best way to combat a ninja is by giving them a dose of their own
medicine. Once bent over or on their knees talking to your dog, grab
your harness and maneuver around this perpetrator. “Sorry, my dog is
working, got to go!” Evaporate into the night and never look back.
4. The HR’s.
Do guide dogs get sick days? How about vacation time? “HR’s” (short
for Human Resources) are overly concerned with labor laws relating to
your canine’s work responsibilities. These people will inundate you
with questions, sometimes deferring right to your dog for a response.
(FYI, Frances won’t answer.) “Are you getting enough rest?” “Is
momma’s route too stressful?” “Do you need a spa day at the groomers?”
“HR’s” are relentless and won’t give up until you’ve convinced them
your guide dog is well-fed, loved and respected as your partner. When
I come in contact with an HR, I quickly whip out my cellphone. My
screen saver happens to be a picture of Frances in a tiara; proving
once and for all that my dog is absolutely treated like royalty when
she’s off duty.
5. Smartphone Zombies.
Get off your cell phones, people! While guide dogs are trained to help
the blind avoid obstacles on the street, nothing is more unpredictable
than a bobbing and weaving “Smartphone Zombie.” Zombies like to walk
face down, noses pointed towards their smart phone screens. They
rarely look up at the world around them, preferring texting and
emoijis to human contact.
One memorable smartphone zombie incident occurred on a cold, December
night as my guide dog Frances and I were en route to my local hospital
for a doctor’s appointment. As Franny lead me towards the front door
of the building, she stopped midway, indicating something was in our
path. I extended my hand to find she was alerting me to a wheelchair
that had been left outside. That’s when it hit me. Literally. A woman
walking with her cell-phone crashed right into me. The phone falling
into my coat, right down my cleavage. Yeah, how’s that for awkward.
“You didn’t see me coming?” she snarled.
“No, I didn’t see you; I’m blind.” In my head I was thinking…. Umm.
Hello? Woman with a guide dog here.
There was no “I’m sorry,” or “Are you OK?” All the young woman said
was, “Well, give me back my cell phone.” I removed my glove and fished
out her phone from inside my jacket. She grabbed it from my hand as if
nothing had happened, and went right back to texting. I looked down at
Frances and shook my head.
Despite your dog’s years of training, be prepared to walk into a
couple of these hazardous individuals during your partnership. Don’t
worry about apologizing for the mishap. Zombies will usually ignore
you and your dog entirely and continue focusing on their digital
world. Take a page from their book and blog, tweet or Facebook about
their deplorable behavior later! (How do you like me now, hospital
parking lot Smartphone Zombie lady?)
6. Interrogators.
You’re walking with your guide dog when your cell phone rings. You
remove your phone from your coat pocket and take the call. That’s when
the interrogator appears. “Excuse me, did I just see you answer your
phone?”  Yes, yes you did. “But how can you do that if you’re
‘supposed’ to be blind?” If you’re feeling patient that day, feel free
to subject yourself to a lengthy discussion with this
“Interrogator”about variations in visual acuity and accessibility
features on smart phones. Some will appreciate your candor and may
even become more educated as a result of your efforts. But prepare
yourself! Other “Interrogators” will continue to question the validity
of your disability and why you need a guide dog in the first place.
Excuse yourself from these conversations. Take the high road, stay
classy and remember there are some folks out there who choose to make
it their job to interrogate the world.
7. The Flea Circus.
When groups of small children see me working with Frances, they
usually begin to bounce up and down. Enter the “Flee Circus.” Kids
have two reactions to dogs. They either love them, anxiously trying to
pet them, or they are completely petrified, running away in sheer
terror. As a blind mom of two toddlers, I know kids can be difficult
to manage. They will absolutely test your patience with their
overabundance of tenacity and curiosity. However, it’s up to a child’s
parents to teach them proper dog etiquette, and I’m not just talking
about guide dogs.
No child should be permitted to run up and touch a dog they don’t
know. Every dog is different and not all of them can be trusted to
tolerate children. As a guide dog handler, I know my dog has been
trained to work around kids. That does not negate the fact that I
don’t want my dog touched when we are working together, especially
when I am trying to manage my own two daughters in public.
8. Puppy Play-daters.
Let me set the scene. You’re about to cross an extremely busy
intersection. You and your dog are in sync, intently focused on the
sounds and flow of traffic. All of sudden you hear yappy barking
headed in your direction. Enter the “Puppy play-dater.” “Oh, hey. Can
you see me? This is my dog Precious, she just wants to say hi to your
dog.” “Precious” has now snapped to the end of her leash, dragging her
overzealous owner behind.
“Can you please hold your dog back?”  I ask.
Badly offended, the owner continues to babble, “No, no really, she’s
just playful.”
“Puppy play-daters” fail to realize the immense importance of a guide
dog’s health and safety. The blind rely on our canine partners to get
us where we need to be on a daily basis. If Frances gets hurt, my
entire family suffers. Please control your “precious” dog and pretend
my canine partner and I aren’t even here. If we’re in the mood to
play, we’ll head to the dog park!
Being a guide dog handler is a delicate balance requiring an immense
amount of concentration by both handler and dog. Working with Frances
has made me extremely mindful of her safety and my own.While I’m
always open to educating others about Franny and my work together,
there are times when people’s interactions with us can potentially put
my family in danger. Don’t become that hazardous individual for a
guide dog team. Respect the working relationship and remember your
actions, however well-intentioned, could inadvertently cause us harm.
And please, if you’re walking, stay off the cell phones!

-- 
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will
have been all of these.
George Washington Carver
Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com




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