[nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

[Dan Weiner]

Well, first question is "Is the reason your parents don't support your idea
of getting a dog that they don't like dogs?"--smile.
Second of all, what is your parents objection, I mean presumably you're the
one who's blind so maybe you might know a little better than they do whether
a dog would enhance your lifestyle or not.
I'm fortunate that by the time I wanted a dog, my parents had figured out
I'd pretty much do what I wanted without permission, so my Dad just asked
one or two feeble questions and then left it alone.
He asked "Are you sure a dog will be worth the trouble, how do you know
it'll work out."
I explained that, never having a dog, a guide dog, that is,  I'd need to
find it out for myself and I really wanted to take care of the dog and was
ready.
When I got home, he admired the dog enormously. But he asked the second day
back home if the dog really had to go out with us to breakfast. I said it
did, when he seemed to balk I said "I love you Dad, and enjoy going out, but
this is important to me and if you don't want my guide dog than I'm afraid I
won't be going".
Dead silence ensued, and the issue never came up again.  As a matter of
fact, my Dad adopted my first hound after he retired and loved him.  The
dog, Grant, even went to my Dad's funeral's
The only thing I wasn't really ready for was the access issues. Being the
brilliant young man I was--smile--it never occurred to me that people would
have issues with a dog, I mean access issues to public places.

So, tell us more what the problem is and we'll be happy to talk about it.
There are some folks on this list who can be very good role models and
mentors, I wish there had been such a list when I started out.  But, then I
don't think there were such things as computer lists--smile.

Good luck

Dan W. and the Carter Dog  

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mark J. Cadigan
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:17 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Hello list, 

I am new to this list, and I am thinking of getting a guide dog for when I
go to college. The only problem I am having is convincing my parents that a
guide dog is a useful mobility tool.  As you can probably guess, that is a
large obstacle. I am currently in high school, so I have to abide by my
parent's wishes, or at least for now. What I am asking for is how best to
explain to them, that guide dogs are useful mobility tools, that will
enhance my independence rather than detract from it. I have given them
literature, DVDs and have attempted to talk to them. Any instructional
materiel finds its way into the circular file, and they change the subject
when I talk to them. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Mark
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