[nagdu] Dogs in the Dorms

[minh ha via nagdu]

Lizzy,

I lived in a dorm with my guide and a roommate for the past year and
it worked out great. I was in a four-person suite with two doubles and
all my roommates loved my guide. While we were in the suite, I would
let Viva walk around as she liked, but when we left the room, she was
on leash. She has excellent recall skills, but I didn't feel
comfortable with her running around because I didn't know if there
were things on the floor that she could pick up, and not everyone in
the dorm likes dogs. The laundry room in my dorm was really crowded
all the time, so I never brought Viva in there, and frankly, I don't
think I coul dhave handled a dog and carried a laundry
basket/detergent/whatever else I needed. The interaction questions
depends on you and your preference. Do ou want other people to
pet/play with your dog in the dorm? When Viva was off duty, I had no
problem with my roommates/other people playing with her. When I was
really busy and couldn't give Viva the exercise she needed for the
day, my roommates would even take her on runs with them. The only
thing you have to watch out for if you let people interact with her is
that you have to make it clear that she is not the dorm's pet. Yes, I
let people play with her and give her love, but at the end of the day,
she is ultimately a working dog and that she is my dog and anything I
say goes. Like I said, my direct roommate had no problem with Viva.
She had a dog of her own at home so she was comfortable with all the
things that goes into taking care of a dog. I would recommend you find
a roommate who is a dog lover because if someone is not comfortable
with dogs, it can create a very uncomfortable and difficult living
situation. The only thing I would add to your supply list for your dog
is get Nature's Miracle or a similar et cleaner that takes care of
odors. God forbid your dog has an accident in the dorm, but just in
case you will have it handy to clean up any messes.

Minh

On 5/16/14, lizzy via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi All,
> I will be moving into a college dorm this fall and just figured
> I'd ask for advice/tips from any of you who have had guide dogs
> while living in them.  Since I've never dealt with a situation
> like this, I'm open to any advice, warnings, tips etc.  Here are
> a few questions that I've been thinking about:
> - Do you let your dog walk around the dorm off leash with you?
> Ex: While you do some laundry your dog is sitting beside you but
> not necessarily on leash.
> - Did you allow interactions with others while in the dorms?
> - Did you have a roommate? If so, was the dog an issue at all?
> - I've already purchased a compact pet vacuum and a huge sealed
> container for her food.  Are there any other extra supplies that
> I'll need to purchase?
> - Anything else that I should know or prepare before moving in?
> I know it's a while away, and that ultimately I'll have to decide
> how to handle these situations but I like to be prepared and it
> can't hurt to ask.
> Thanks,
> Lizzy
>
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