[NAGDU] Confusing thoughts

Tue Nov 21 01:38:39 UTC 2023

Oh Asia,

I absolutely can relate to you. I am not on a college campus but I am in a new home owner development where there are numerous dog parks, reweaving areas, and, of course dogs. I had a not very nice experience last weekend where my dog was distracted by a woman with two dogs on leash en route to the dog park that we had successfully passed. I believe, but I cannot verify, that the woman also had a child in a stroller. In any event, she did not have the dogs under good control and admitted it. My Vicky loves other dogs and thinks that they would be wonderful to play with. Most of the time I can easily defuse these issues but that day, I was acceptably able to go by the dogs. However, her distraction was sufficient that she didn't want to cross the upcoming street which we didn't normally cross. So, I tried a second street which we do regularly cross and she stopped and sat and crossed me part way across the street and I ended up pulling out my cane and putting her at heal to complete the cross. I will be going across that street again tomorrow and plan to relax and be on top of any approaching dogs and immediately saying "no dogs" with a gentle reminder tug on the leash. I have a lot of stress in my life right now and that, no doubt had a great deal to do with my effectiveness in getting the message across to my dog in that instance. For me, it is important that my dog deal well with dog distractions. Having said that, it is additionally important that those dogs around me that I interact with are properly handled and behave appropriately. It obviously has to be your decision, but, I would find a compromise by working with a colleague or a friend to accompany you in your rounds and watch the dogs so that you can watch your dog's behavior and gently and lovingly confirm their proper behavior and keep talking to them to assure him/her that they are the most wonderful and valuable guides in the world and that your needs are much more interesting than these other dogs. Obviously it depends how many dogs you have used, your temperament etc, but the two things that I would want out of this experience are: 1. You need to be able to safely and effectively navigate this situation. And 2. You need to establish an appropriate and effective relationship with the rescue groups helping them to understand that it isn't an issue of simply being a good dog or being a bad dog, but ensuring that the dogs are comfortable with the presence of other dogs. I must add, that this is all predicated by the assumption that your dog is calm around other dogs and his/her guiding is not adverse affected. Having said all that, if you found the effort more stress than it is worth for one day I would simply grab my cane and go forth. I am working to improve/minimize her dog distraction. Unlike you, I cannot control when those events will occur. So, I'm taking it easy and not pushing the situation.

Best of luck to you. If it doesn't work but you and your guide get through it pretty well, don't be too hard on either of you. It's all a process. 

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Leslie Hamric via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2023 1:47 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Leslie Hamric <lhamric930 at comcast.net>; National Association Of Blind Students Mailing List <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Confusing thoughts

This is a tough one. On the one hand you want to have your guide with you but on the other hand  you want him and you  to be safe. I would suggest either talking to disability services if you have a disability services office I campus. And next I would sit down and talk with the person in charge of the event and explain that these dogs are a safety hazard to your guide and why.  If neither of these suggestions work, then you might  consider leaving your  guide at home for this event. When I evaluate  whether it's best to take my dog or leave her at home, I ask myself the following question: how will my dog be useful to me in the current situation? It's a very personal decision. You'll figure it out and you will know what's best for you and your dog. Good luck. Hope this helps.
Hamric
Cello and Braille Music Teacher

> On Nov 20, 2023, at 3:04 PM, Asia Quinones-Evans via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I want to start off by telling everyone that I am the only service dog 
> handler on my college campus this semester. There is a new Dean in the 
> Physical Education department (HPER) that I have most of my courses in.
> When they set up events now he advocates strongly for the Animal 
> Protection League to be their. There was an event I was required to 
> attend for class in October and the dogs were their. The dogs did not 
> come close to my guide dog but he was very nervous because he could 
> not see the dogs barking and he did not want them to attack him. Yes, 
> you read that correct the dogs were barking at an event from the  APL. 
> This lasted over 45 minutes. I had to keep ahold of the leash to keep 
> him focused and calm while walking around this event. My college will 
> have another event hosted by this department towards the end of my 
> semester for the students to enjoy some relaxing time before finals. 
> There will be the APL there. I am not sure how to feel about this 
> because they are getting approval from the college but its putting my 
> safety in  jeopardy distracting my service dog. I am pretty sure if 
> there were any other service dog handlers on campus they would feel 
> the same. I was wondering if you are in college currently, have been 
> in college previously, and have had this type of a situation, how did 
> you deal with it? The event I was required to attend in October could 
> have been avoided if it was not a grade for my class. This upcoming 
> event will be in the main building that I spend most of my time in. So I can not avoid it that day. Thanks for any feedback.
> 
> I do want to state that besides now other dogs distracting and being 
> aggressive towards my guide dog I love rescue places. My first pet 
> that I had to put down in August was a rescue. He was 14 years old. I 
> will always rescue a pet no matter if I have the money to buy from a breeder.
> 
> Yours truely,
> 
> Asia Quinones-Evans
> 
> Phone: 440-670-6509
> Email: aevans.nfb at gmail.com
> 
> 
> Live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/lhamric930%40comcas
> t.net

_______________________________________________
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/joy.relton%40icloud.com