[nagdu] Lisa and All: Bill of Rights

Sun Apr 24 20:13:19 UTC 2011

Dar,

My one home interview and Juno walk gave the interviewer some surprises on
that score.  I did demonstrate what to me seemed an excessive two-handed
leash correction when she asked for that.  She was not satisfied at all!
She wanted me really put my all into it.  I was taking a death grip on
Juno's leash and digging my heels into the ground ready to swing that
stubborn, two-legged guide dog clear around and throw it if I could when
something occurred to me.

I didn't want that in a guide dog.  Why strain my muscles convincing her I
could handle that strong a dog in case that's what they matched me with when
that is not the kind of dog I wish to matched with.  So I simply dropped the
leash and briefly and casually explained my rationale, thinking this would
save time and energy for everyone...  /lol/  Apparently, this is not what
she expects from a first time guide dog applicant who is so clearly
desperate for a guide dog (I only look like an adult; I'm as gushy about
guide dogs as anyone else).  I guess I'm picky even when over a fluffy
wonderful thing I desperately want.  Also, I still think that if I don't
want a hard dog that requires two-handed leash corrections, then it's best
to just to say so outright.  They can match that dog to someone who will
appreciate it and for whom it will work well instead of trying to convince
me that's what's best for me and trying to get me to take that dog home to
use as a guide dog.  Waste of time, because I'll leave without it if it's
really going to require that much energy on my part.  And in that case, it's
also a waste of the time of the person who would be a good match with the
dog in the first place.

Anyway, she and didn't have a knock-down drag-out over in the middle of the
sidewalk, but we did demonstrate to each other that if Juno wants to be
stubborn about something, I can be stubborn, too.  /lol/  She was correct
and courteous through the rest of the Juno walk and interview, and didn't
show signs of anger, but as a pretend guide dog she was obnoxiously sniffy
all the way back, waiting for me to really put my all into yanking her out
of the bushes.  Now that I think about it, that aspect of the walk reminds
me a whole lot of a real guide dog I know and hang out with these days, at
least when she was a pup.  With pretty much the same results.  I just
refused to strain my delicate little self to yank and haul on her, choosing
instead to out-stubborn the little monster until she decided isn't wasn't
worthwhile to argue anymore and that we might as well be on our way.  Also,
I got a Halti, so I could gently tug her nose away from the object to which
she wished to glue it.  That's just what works for me.

So, I suppose if the matter comes up again in the future, when I will be
more picky stubborn and have less wish to use my frail and delicate body to
do battle with a dog over a bush, I will have to prepare in advance for a
more effective way to communicate that to the interviewer than waiting until
she/he is sniffing in the bushes pretending to be a guide dog.  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of d m gina
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 9:44 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Lisa and All: Bill of Rights

Do you have to correct hard with your dog, or does verbal correction help
him.
Only from time to time do I need to correct hard, if he is interested 
in another dog.
If he has his manners on, then I can verble correct.

Original message:
> Hello, I was told that I didn't know how to leash correct and that was 
> at the home interview after the walk. I wouldn't have known how to 
> leash correct because I had never had a dog before. How much sense does 
> that make? I found out later that an issue had to do with my weight and 
> they felt that I didn't walk enough so needed to build up my endurance. 
> I decided that I wasn't sure what reason they would come up with next 
> so decided to try somewhere else and was given a chande.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
> Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 4:27 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,        the National Association of Guide Dog 
> Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Lisa and All: Bill of Rights

> Lyn,

> Yeah.  Out here on the west coast, I find it easy to get a view of some of
> GDB's stuff because they're so local.  Especially since I live so near the
> Boring campus.  So I get all sorts of myths and legends along with real
> anecdotes and correct information from puppy raisers, consumers, and even
> occasional staff and trainers.  That's if they don't find out I'm a
dreaded
> owner-trainer before they make the mistake of talking to me.  /lol/  At
> which point they stop and walk away or tell me just what a horrible thing
it
> is that I am doing/have done and then stalk away.  Probalby to give their
> own trainees a bath in case they picked up owner-trainer cooties from
Mitzi
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-- 
--Dar
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every saint has a past
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