[NAGDU] something that happened to me today

[Abby Bolling]

Hi all!
Well, I had an interesting day today! And here is the rant I put on FB 
because I've started using FB like a blog... (I really need to just get 
a blog and get it over with...)
Anyway!

**Begin FB Post**

My dog should know the command "Find the button" by now. But she doesn't!
Why?
Because people keep coming up behind me and pushing it for her when she 
is no where near it. I understand people trying to help, but the person 
who did this today, you didn't help, you actually just undid about three 
weeks of target training that we as a team were working on. Help is 
always appreciated, don't get me wrong, but ASK!!!
Think of the situation this way. You have a three-year-old child who has 
just thrown a temper tantrum in the grocery store. You get up to the 
check out and the child wants a candy bar. You tell him/her no because 
they mis-behaved. What would you do as a parent if the casheer just 
reached over and handed your child a candy bar after you told them no?
In essence, that is what this person just did to me and my dog. I want 
her to find the button, that is why I told her "Button" but in this 
person pushing the button for me when I was no where near it taught 
Cricket that it is ok to ignore the command "button" and instead that 
she can go to the "door." Which is not acceptable behavior. I have 
taught her "button" for a reason, and now I have to re-teach her 
"button." and I am a student! I don't have time to re-teach my dog 
commands because people won't let her do her job!

** end of post**

After my class, Cricket and I walked around the Student Union for about 
a half an hour finding buttons for her to target. She finally got it, 
but let's hope that the training will stick until Thursday when I can 
get back on campus. She's a smart girl, so I hope and pray that it will...
But, I still don't get humanity.

-- 
Abigail M. Bolling
Wright State University-2018: Rehabilitation Services
Phone: (513) 512-3456
Email: bolling.8 at wright.edu
Abilities United: Secretary
Ohio Association of Guide Dog Users, a chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio: Secretary
"keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart, and just let the music play." (Julie Anderson-Diamond)
"Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like no one is listening, and live like it's Heaven on earth." (William Purkey)
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.