[NAGDU] Leading Music with a Guide Dog

Shanna Stichler slstich at gmail.com
Fri Feb 9 01:04:15 UTC 2018


My dog has been onstage lots of times. She was with me at the Kennedy 
Center, Grace Cathedral, And Carnegie Hall among others.


So my advice is to work with the choir director or whoever is 
coordinating the event to make sure thy know the will be with you.


Best,

Shanna Stichler, PHD, GDMI CDTA IACP #7565



On 2/8/2018 6:25 PM, S L Johnson via NAGDU wrote:
> Hi Julie:
>
>      I have done this before but fortunately my dogs have all stayed quietly
> under the chair where I was sitting before time to lead the music.  I have
> also had my dog in a down stay in front of my feet if I needed them to guide
> me up to the stage or platform.  This would allow Bill to be with you but
> with him in front of you or behind you movement will still be possible.  If
> you are worried about him wondering around step on his leash or make a long
> leash and keep it looped over your arm.
>      A funny story, I recently sang for my nephews wedding and during the
> rehearsal Eva decided she should sing along with me making my solos duets.
> Fortunately the next day she was perfectly behaved.  It just goes to show
> that sometimes the rehearsal with the dog gets a bit nuts but the
> performance goes off without a problem.  Good luck to you and let us know
> how it goes.
>
> Sandra and Eva
> SLJohnson25 at comcast.netHopefully Bill will get used to you being close to
> him with someone else.  The problem is that you do not have much time so
> gradual practice will not help.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Julie McGinnity via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2018 6:17 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Julie McGinnity
> 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!
>
>
>


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