[nagdu] Letting Someone Else Work Your Dog

[Brittney N. Mejico]

hi Marion ,
hope you Getter better soon


-----Original Message----- 
From: Marion Gwizdala
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 4:20 AM
To: NAGDU List
Subject: [nagdu] Letting Someone Else Work Your Dog

Dear All,
    I wanted to comment on the provision that many training programs have in 
their agreements concerning allowing someone else to work your dog. I 
frequently compare owning a guide dog to owning a vehicle, including the 
right to own the harness just as car owners own their keys. Similarly, if 
someone owns a vehicle and allows another to use it, that is fully within 
their rights, provided that person is a licensed driver and is either 
covered by the insurance policy or is somehow otherwise insured. Here are my 
thoughts on allowing another to work my dog.
    When I went to convention in years past with one of my previous dogs, I 
would allow someone who had never worked a dog "test drive" one of mine. I 
had no fear that the training program from which I received my dog would 
interfere with this, as I have ownership. Through this experience, I have 
introduced many people to the joy of working a guide dog. Now, I would 
probably not let a novice work my current guide dog, as he is a lot to 
handle.
    On Thursday, I fell and fractured my tibia; I am non-weight bearing for 
the next two months. My dog was going stir crazy, so my wife took him out 
and worked him. She will also be taking him to school with her on Monday. 
Merry is a seasoned guide dog handler and is very competent to work Sarge. 
In addition, Sarge needs to work. In fact, he is insisting on it! (grin) 
Merry will be working him regularly while I recover, keeping his skills up 
and giving him much needed exercise. I have absolutely no fear posting this 
message to a public list because I know GDF will not interfere with my 
choices. This is not true of other programs who seem to be looking for 
reasons to take a dog away just to reinforce their ability to do so and keep 
their consumers in line through fear and intimidation.

fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala


_______________________________________________
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/brittneymejico%40verizon.net