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

[Alana Leonhardy]

This is so accurate. Thanks for posting it to the list. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 25, 2017, at 00:49, Danielle Ledet via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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