[NAGDU] Emotions associated with handling was Re: School logos

Tue May 1 18:21:31 UTC 2018

Tracy, I think you put it very well.  One observation that I came to that I guess I hadn't really realized, though, as I'm in the process of retiring my boy, was just how much of a companion they actually are. I didn't realize how much I do actually talk to my dog just in those little comments here and there as well as praising and giving direction, and how much of a presence they are at times. It probably sounds stupid, but I just hadn't really noticed until I don't have him with me. But, like you state, we don't have guide dogs because we neeed a companion, they're way too valuable and have been trained for far more than that, that's for sure!

Charlene
-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Tuesday, May 1, 2018 12:51 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Emotions associated with handling was Re: School logos

Hi Miranda.
It's not people's emotions I'm calling crap.  It's the idea that a blind person needs a dog for a companion, more than other people, and using that as a selling point for donations.  I appreciate my dog's companionship, but it's not the reason I have him with me when I go out.  If it was all about companionship, I could get myself a purse dog of my own, or go to the shelter and get a fine rescue dog.  I wouldn't need weeks of training, years of training for the dog.  Dog companionship is pretty easy.  Being a guide dog, not so much.  Arguably, it's the difference between a service dog and a comfort dog.
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miranda via NAGDU
Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2018 12:58 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Miranda; Tracy Carcione
Subject: [NAGDU] Emotions associated with handling was Re: School logos

Hi Tracy and all,
While I completely agree with you that the job of a dog guide is a very serious one, and all parties involved should recognize and support this assertion, I do think we need to be careful in labeling others’ emotions as “crap”. While I am not one who has experienced loneliness and darkness as a cane traveler, I imagine there are those who may have experienced darkness, loneliness, isolation, and the like prior to receiving a guide. By labeling these emotions, we may be minimizing another’s experience.
I only say this as food for thought, and not to start any heated debates.

Best wishes, Miranda

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 29, 2018, at 11:03 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> GDB's change to a logo of someone hugging their dog was a small part 
> of my decision to switch from GDB to TSE.  OK, so it's a logo, but I 
> felt it was symbolic of some attitudes I didn't care for.  I heard at 
> the time that the GEB logo was similar.
> 
> As I recall, GDB's reason for changing their logo was that they wanted 
> to show the partnership between human and dog, but IMO there is a big 
> difference between a working partnership and a pet partnership, and 
> hugging your dog doesn't show that.
> 
> I know schools, and users, have had trouble with public perceptions 
> about corrections, and I have no problem with moves to use fewer or 
> better corrections, so long as the dog works well.  But I think it's 
> essential the schools emphasize that it's a working dog, doing as 
> serious a job as a police dog, and get away from the "companion in my lonely darkness" crap.
> 
> Could we perhaps bring it up at the convention, or something?  Or 
> brainstorm some PR we'd rather see, that emphasizes the working 
> partnership, then share it with the schools?
> 
> Tracy
> 
> 
> 
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