[nagdu] Question about puppy raisers

[NCBootman]

It is hard to comment on this poem since I assume you only gave us one 
stanza. Perhaps it is different as a whole. I do not appreciate this 
particular part of the poem. I don't think it reflects guide dog handlers at 
all. My roommate with whom I have walked sighted guide for years and years 
decided to get a veteran assistance dog. I realized that this is a good 
thing for him and that it permanently changes my place in his world. So, I 
started seriously thinking about a guide dog. I read some, and started 
learning. I was told of a puppy raiser in my area who was willing to come 
and speak to our vision impaired support group. I learned so much! I 
proceeded with much haste to begin the process of applying to a school. I 
have remained friends with this lady and know first hand how much the cards, 
letters, and phone calls mean. She brought in her picture book just like a 
proud Grandma shows off her grandchildren to our group. The amount of love 
and devotion just oozed from her and her husband.Without a doubt, it was the 
best program of the year for our group and I arrange them so only choose 
good ones. Friday, I met another puppy raiser. I was downtown with a friend 
and a lady who raises for the school I will probably attend spoke to me and 
asked me if I would mind meeting her puppy. She explained that he was 
persistently asking to be allowed to come up and meet me. That was the 
highlight of my afternoon! I have her card and will stay in touch. This is 
her 9th puppy.

The school I plan to attend has puppy raiser day where we can meet the 
raisers. They do ask us to not have contact for a period of 90 days to allow 
for bonding between handler and guide. But, that relationship can continue 
if both want for the rest of our lives!

Don't let a stanza of a poem discourage you. If you need to, take a little 
time off after this one and realize just how empty your world is (grin). We 
as handlers Need you and deeply appreciate the work you do. When the lady 
visited our group, I told her that the contribution she is making to the 
blindness community is huge. Professionals like social workers get a 
paycheck and go home at 5:00. Puppy raisers are there 24/7 with no breaks, 
no vacations, no time without that valuable puppy at their side. In fact, we 
need more puppy raisers just like you. It is ashame that when a visually 
impaired person decides to get a dog that they are then told it could be as 
much as a year before actually being paired! That needs fixing! This is not 
to mention all the puppy raisers we are gonna need for the Veteran 
Assistance dogs and other occupations for our furry friends. I see a 
desperate need not to far in the future.

Here is a hug to you and a reminder that you make a difference with every 
puppy and if I had my way, all schools would encourage contact between you 
and us unless there was some reason not to in a particular situation. Keep 
up your good work.

Greg

-----Original Message----- 
From: Anon. Y.mous
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2012 6:07 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Question about puppy raisers

Hello,

I am new here.  I am a long-time puppy raiser, my sister has RP and is a 
guide dog user, and I have RP so a guide might be in my future as well. 
When I first found this list about a month ago, I poked around for threads 
relating to me, and one term that I searched was "raiser."  One thing I 
found really disturbed me and has been nagging at me for the past month, so 
I figured I might as well throw it out to everyone before making any 
decisions.

The "problem post" occurred in a Christmas poem posted several years ago. 
One of the stanzas was about puppy raisers:

"Some man comes from nowhere with the purpose to tell, that he's 'trained' 
seven puppies as guide dogs, oh swell.  He badgers my handler, asking him 
why some blind folks get nasty when he stops them to pry.  'Don't you people 
know what we raisers give up?  We expend so much money and love raising your 
pup.  We clean up their messes all day and all night.  The least you blind 
people could do is to write.  I don't get a card or a letter to say that my 
baby is good or he's doing okay.' ... So don't let your big ego get in the 
way.  Blind handlers appreciate you just fine, okay?"
I was in tears by the end of this (and I'm a pretty stoic person!).  I know 
it's supposed to be a kind of snarky poem about stereotypes of each "problem 
group," but this really hurt.  It's making fun of something that you just 
shouldn't make fun of, if that makes any sense.  I thought of my past 
puppies and the very real and very deep love I still have for each of them 
and how much I still miss them (even though I absolutely know they are not 
mine!).  I am hoping that their handlers don't view me this way, kind of 
minimizing the depth of the relationship I had with the dog.


Ever since I read that, all of the enthusiasm and sparks I bring to my 
raising have been absent, and I've thus I'm toying with not raising again. 
You just can't raise a guide pup if your heart isn't in it.


For the record, I'm definitely not somebody who thinks raising is this 
saintly selfless act -- I don't know any raisers who think that, actually. 
I get a ton out of it.  Still doesn't make turn-in any easier.


I know each school has different policies and relationships with raisers, 
and each individual graduate does as well.  I know there are some raisers on 
this list -- does anybody have any reaction to this?  I'm not looking for 
opinions about school policies, rather thoughts of individual guide dog 
users.  My sister doesn't agree with the sentiment, but I guess I'm looking 
for opinions other than hers!


Thanks so much in advance.  It may seem trivial to you, but this is really 
something I'm struggling with so I really appreciate any time people take to 
respond.
_______________________________________________
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/ncbootman%40gmail.com