[nagdu] Lines in the sand?

[Linda Gwizdak]

Hi all,
I get irritated when guide dog users just drop their dog's leash, the dog 
wanders off, and I have to say something because the person is oblivious to 
the dog's whereabouts or what it is doing - usually snarfing stuff or trying 
to beg food from me.

This same owner allowed another person to feed her dog in harness and the 
dog developed a begging habit - which she did at restaurants. Very 
inappropriate.  I read that person the riot act and made it very clear that 
he was to stop feeding people's guide dogs or the result wouldn't be very 
pretty.  He stopped doing that and the begging guide dog retired last year.

I find that people always judge us on the actions of another person.  Like 
it or not, people seem to think we are all the same and treat us according 
to what experience they had with a previous guide dog user.

Access rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.  Our dogs will be more 
welcome when they are clean, quiet, and well behaved.  I went into a 
Muslim-owned grocery store with my dog. The owner was worried that my dog 
would come over to him and lick him (Muslims believe that dog saliva is 
unclean).  When he saw that I had my dog under my complete control and he 
wasn't going to get licked, he relaxed and helped me find what I went in the 
store for.

Joy, Julie, I've seen the same kinds of bad behaved guide dogs and uncaring 
people.  You can't tell them squat but they'll yell the loudest that their 
rights have been violated. And, yes,we can be assertive but not offensive 
with the public.  Most people are reasonable - but there's always a few...

Joy, the people who come and visit yoou and let their dogs crap in your yard 
and jump on your couch - well - are these people really friends? They 
clearly are disrespecting you as a friend.  When I visit anyone in their 
homes or wherever, I always keep Landon on leash - unless I'm invited to 
unleash him.  Landon always finds trouble so I need to keep tabs on him.

REgards,

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 07, 2009 9:29 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Lines in the sand?


> Dan makes some good points about us maybe being too judgmental. I'd 
> counter
> that with my own personal attitude that I'm not so much being openly
> judgmental as trying to set and maintain high standards, but that only
> really goes for myself and my dog.
>
> So, I'll pose this question to everyone, again appreciating the 
> intelligent
> discussion here.
>
> What behavior in a dog who is part of a working team would you deem
> unacceptable? What offenses might cause you as a business owner to ask
> someone to remove his or her dog?
>
> I think for me, it's about control. If someone is really trying to control 
> a
> dog with undesirable behaviors like barking or scavenging, I'm much more
> likely to be lenient, but if the person seems oblivious or is clearly
> ignoring the behaviors, it tends to get a bit old.
>
> One of my big buttons is dogs who are allowed to roam around places of
> business. One lady I know has a very bad habit of, once comfortable in a
> place, i.e., after walking in the door, of turning her dog loose to roam
> around while she looks at things or talks to people. When she used to 
> visit
> my office at my last job, I had to ask that the dog stay on leash with her
> as he made a beeline for my trash can. The next time I saw him, he was
> wearing a basket muzzle and again allowed to roam freely because with said
> muzzle he couldn't get into things. <sigh>
>
> The one thing I am pretty annoyed by in terms of the public's reaction to 
> us
> is the whole grooming issue. People don't generally know what a well 
> groomed
> dog is and all sorts of accusations come up about dogs not being groomed
> well, smelling, being dirty and shedding.
>
> I'll admit to being a neat freak when it comes to my dogs and a grooming
> fanatic. That doesn't mean everyone else is and it doesn't mean that every
> dog who isn't ready for the West Minster show ring is filthy and unkempt.
>
> I've seen a number of guide dogs who could use maybe a good brush or bath 
> or
> who could have some skin  issues looked into by their vet, sure, but 
> saying
> they rose to the level of denial of access is a bit much.
>
> I've also heard of one denial case that really brings the grooming point
> home. Someone years ago, before the ADA even, was told to leave a fast 
> food
> place because her dog was dirty and offensive. She'd just come in from a
> pouring rain storm. Everyone else coming in behind her was just as wet. 
> She
> fought the denial and won under state law.
>
> My point? There are some things I think we as handlers can hold each other
> to in terms of acceptable public behavior and there are some things
> perceived as unacceptable by others that we as handlers can band together 
> to
> support and explain. My retort anymore is "Would you rather have my dog or
> some of the kids I've seen in here?"
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net
>