[NAGDU] Leading Music with a Guide Dog

[Cindy Ray]

Julie, I have never conducted a group, but I can see the problem. I would
try with the friend as you did last night. I think he would get better. When
I preached, I left my dog with someone who was out in the congregation. In
this case it was because he was likely to fall on the slick wooden steps and
wasn't as young as he used to be. Otherwise, I would ask someone to keep him
for me and not bring him, which is clearly not a desirable thing to do.
Cindy Lou Ray
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2018 5:18 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
Subject: [NAGDU] Leading Music with a Guide Dog

Hi friends,

This week I'm filling in for our music director at church.  It's such a
great experience, but my dog and I need to find a way that will allow me to
conduct the choir comfortably that works for him as well.
Since I think I may want to do this as a career, I want to have a method in
place that makes me and Bill happy.

My dog doesn't react well when he can see me but not get to me.
Putting him on tie-down, for example, while I go across the room and
rehearse with a group makes him a little crazy.  It got to the point at
which I had to keep him in my professor's office while I rehearsed with my
opera class in grad school.  He used to bark and do everything and anything
so that I would return to him.  Now, he has gotten a lot better over the
years.  Last night at rehearsal, I put him under a chair right next to my
friend who held the leash for me.  He was in the first row, maybe five feet
from where I stood conducting.  He did well enough, and my friend had no
problem with him, until about half-way through the rehearsal when he got up
and decided he would come back to me.

So, you can understand why I may not feel comfortable putting him with
someone else or on tie-down.  On the other hand, I don't want to be stepping
on his leash either.  I don't feel as free to move when I am on the dog's
leash.

Have any of you ever directed choirs or other musical groups?  What did you
do with your dog?  What would you do?  Would you take the risk and leave the
dog with the friend under the chair?  I have a hands-free leash, but it's
too large for my waste.  I would have to fix it up a little to fit me, and
I'm afraid I would look ridiculous up there with a leash around my waste.
Hopefully, I can buy a hands-free leash that is as unabtrussive as possible
and fits a very small waste size.  :)

Thanks for any ideas you might have!

O, and Billy Bob appreciates this too!



--
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division, First
Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri "For we walk by
faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7

_______________________________________________
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/cindyray%40gmail.com