Shiny Girl

The most frequent comment people make about my Guide dog, Opal, is: “What a beautiful/good-looking/gorgeous dog!”  It usually is followed by:  ”So shiny”,  ”glowing coat”, “like a mirror”.  Some ask if she just had a bath.  To this I emphatically reply, “NO, I groom my dog daily, but NO BATHS.”  There is no good reason to bath a dog, unless they get into something very unpleasant, like oil or poop. My sister’s border collie is off-leash sometimes and seems to zero in on the first available pile of dog poop.  Rolling around in it gives him great pleasure. My sister? Not so much. She hoses him down in summer, and hauls him over to the groomers for a bath.  Most city dogs are usually on leash at all times, so access to stinky or foul things is limited.   A dog’s coat contains oils (like your hair).  Regular grooming (MINUS THE BATHS) will ensure that the dog’s coat is maintained. Nature will take care of keeping it shiny. A good dog food will help  (stop the people food handouts!)  Daily grooming has other advantages.  It will give you a chance to know your dog’s body and if there are changes.  A little lump or scratch can be taken care of immediately, when you might not otherwise notice for a while (health check).  Also, the dog will become accustomed to being touched all over.  This is a good thing, because one day, you might need to fuss with an ear or other body part, in an attempt to insert drops or change a bandage. Finally, grooming time is very relaxing and grounding for both the animal and the groomer.  So why are people dragging their dogs off the get bathed so often?  First, the professional  grooming business is huge in North America.  They’ll have you believe that you simply MUST wash and fluff Fido, if you really care. Millions of dollars are handed over to the industry… in exchange for what?  allieving owner guilt?  a dog that develops a lacklustre coat? a dog that might go through a needless stressful time in a ’salon’ environment frenzy?  a dog that smells like…something other than a dog?   Maybe it’s because I am with my dog all the time, but I LOVE her smell. I find nothing offensive about Opal’s smell when she’s wet.  I  don’t object to her breath either. Could it be that those people with dogs as pets, instead of a working dog like mine, don’t have the opportunity (left behind when at work or shopping etc) to really get to know and appreciate their dog’s smell?Some might think that I ’spoil’ my dog with attention and care.  Yes, I do care for her.  I cary water in my backpack for her. I towel her off when she’s damp. I put boots on her if necessary, or clean the salt off her feet immediately.  I don’t work her in extreme temperatures.  I play with her every day and give her an opportunity to ‘be a dog’.  I ensure her safety and emotional comfort.  I provide routine and consistency in every aspect of her life…work, sleep, meals, rest, play, grooming,  discipline.  Dogs need and appreciate this routine and consistency. In exchange?  Opal is the gift that keeps on giving. 

Blind Etiquette 101

Sure, you’ve seen Blind people before. Maybe you’ve watched a guy walking down the road using a white cane. One day you were at the food court in the mall and you observe someone with a guide dog eating their lunch a couple of tables over. Maybe, one day,  you spotted a Blind person getting onto the elevator in the office building where you work.  Some sort of vague thoughts pass through you’re mind. Hmm, you think. I wonder how the heck he knows where he’s at.  You stare, with guilty fascination at the lady eating in the food court.  Your eyes move from her, to the dog lying quietly under the table.  You sit at your desk with your computer screen displaying the latest work project and your mind goes back to the guy getting into the elevator.  If he can’t see a monitor?… And one day, quite unexpectedly, you have your first up-close, face-to-face, gotta-interact-with-a-Blind-person situation. Oh, my gosh!!! What now? You’re clueless.  You want to help, but your mind is blank.  You’re worried about doing or saying the wrong thing.  You’re out of your comfort zone and nobody enjoys that.    In these days of excessive political correctness, and the hype about “inclusion and rights”, it can be daunting. Relax!!!  I’m here to ease your mind and to provide you with an ongoing course in ‘Blind Etiquette 101′. I’m not the Voice Of The Blind, but I can help you out. Let’s begin with some general facts, opinions and suggestions. 

•  Some people with visual impairments have no vision, however, other people who are legally Blind, have some useful residual vision (RV). I’m going to use ‘Blind’ to refer to all of the above. 
• Blind people are multi-dimmentional, with unique and varied personalities, backgrounds, knowledge, skills etc.
• It’s OK to use words like: watch, see, read etc.  when you are with a Blind person. (I ‘read’ audio books)
• Blind people do not have better hearing. We just use it more effectively.
• Sometimes, Blind people require assistance, sometimes we do not. Do not pull on a sleeve or grab at an arm.  Use your normal tone of voice to inquire if the person wants assistance.  They will tell you the best way for the situation.  If guiding, let the Blind person know about steps and curbs and if you are about to step up or down.
• If you are asked for directions or the location of an item, do not say, “over there”.  That is useless. Be as specific as possible.  Indicate the number of blocks, or estimate the distance in length (10 yards, 20 metres), or  use an imaginary clock to indicate position, from the Blind person’s perspective (“it’s at your 2 o’clock). That works for food on a plate too.
• When helping a Blind person find a seat, approach it with them and allow their knees to lightly touch.  Tell them if it is an arm chair, bench or other. Perhaps you could tap the seat area with your hand.
• Personally, when someone is passing or overtaking me on the sidewalk or hallway, I appreciate an audible indication…”passing on your left” or any sound…not essential, but pleasant. I find it a little creepy when people slink by me.
• In a crowded space, like a  meeting hall or party with a blind person?   Let them know if you are wandering off. Also remember that it is preferable to provide them with a tangible surface as a reference point, like a chair or wall. It’s more comfortable than standing in a loud,open environment.
• Honking your car horn at a Blind person is usually not at all helpful because they don’t know if you are honking for them, or another car, or indicating that they should cross the street, or indicating that they should stay put!

That’s it for today’s class in BE101. Come back for more tips this week. 

QUIET CARS = ANOTHER PROBLEM

I am an environmentally conscious person. I Recycle, Reuse and Reduce…the  three R’s rule my world.  Noise pollution? I’m right there complaining about the excess racket in our world.  Concerts and movies are not part of my scene. I want, and need to keep my hearing intact.  However, when it comes to the topic of hybrid cars (you know…the little fuel-efficient, vehicles that whisper as they run), I have a BIG PROBLEM. Actually, anyone who is blind or partially-sighted takes issue with these cars. Imagine: You are at the corner of a busy city intersection. Your goal is to cross the street safely. Maybe you use a white cane, or perhaps a guide dog is by your side. No matter. Your challenge is to know when the flow of traffic is moving in the same direction as you are.   There are the occasional audible pedestrian signal to assist you in making the decision, but there are not at every street corner. In fact, in most cities they are few and far between.   Your guide dog, if you have one, can’t decide for you.  Ideally, the dog will stop you if you make a bad choice, ie. you say “forward” when a car is coming (Intelligent Disobedience).  But they can not realistically be expected to see and hear everything at all times.  So, you do the best you can, and make a choice to navigate across the intersection.  WHOOSH!!!! A hybrid car runs you down, in all it’s environmentally appropriate, and EXTREMELY QUIET glory.  Do people who are blind or partially-sighted want to rid the world of hybrid vehicles? NO!!! We just want them to be required, by law, to emit sound at an adequate level, so that people who can’t SEE them, have a fair chance of HEARING them.  A minimum standard must be set for vehicle audible emissions for the automobile manufacturing industry.  Every Orientation and Mobility instructor from every organization in the world, that assists people who are blind or partially sighted, has become vocal in the struggle for such legislation.  I don’t think that sighted people realize this problem exists when they are in the showroom at the auto dealership, looking at the hybrid cars they are considering to buy.  If they did, they would say;  ”gee, it’s really nice, fuel-efficient, clean and environmentally-sound, but…it’s TOO QUIET, AND THAT’S NOT SAFE!”  Buying a hybrid?  Please express my concern and walk away until that little car makes a bit of noise while operating.  You might even consider writing to the Auto Industry people about it. Thanks.

Tragedy hits Wise Advice Chief

THIS JUST IN!!!!  Tragedy hits Wise Advice Chief.  Reports from Halifax indicate that a heavy object hit Wise Advice Chief, H.R.M.  on the head yesterday.  Described as a ‘freak accident’ by the self-proclaimed queen of advice-giving,  she was quick to announce that her injuries are not serious.  When asked for details, H.R.M. offered the following:  ” It happened in my living room.  I was assisting in the assembly of a newly purchased sculling-rower exercise device, when it fell on my head. The blood loss was insignificant, but the headache was a doozy!”   Messages are pouring in from around the world, as people express their concern and good wishes.  Wiseadvice press will issue updates as they become available. 

Help me!!! It’s stuck in my head!!!

Dear Wise Advice,  I need you help desperately.  I’ve had a song stuck in my head for six days.  I have not slept the past three nights.  Over, and over…I hear it.  I don’t even know the title of this tune.  You know the one. It goes…”I got rhythm, I got music…who could ask for anything more?”  My head’s going to explode soon!   I hear it in the bathtub.  I hear it when I chop vegetables in the kitchen. I find myself humming and muttering the lyrics to THAT tune all over the place.  I was on the #24 bus yesterday.  A man leaned over from his seat next to me, and, to my horror,  said, “Dearie,  I got rhythm too. Wanna go for a cup of coffee”  My boss called me into her office just before quitting time today.  She put an arm around me and gently advised me to take stress leave….or face the consequences!  What can I do? Help me please.  Lorna Muskratt Dear Ms. Muskratt,  not to worry.  Here’s the solution.  Go immediately to the corner of Barrington and Duke streets. At the newspaper vendor’s cart, you will see a small (very small) man wearing a green fedora.  Say to him: “Isn’t it a large day? Can I have the April 23rd, 1965 edition of the Chronicle Herald?”  His reply will be: “Yes, of course. We must keep up with the past.” He will hand over a manila envelope containing a compact disc.  Take this home with you. Unplug your telephone, do not answer the door, do not turn on your computer, and above all, do not eat any pasta dishes.  Pop the CD into your player.  Hit the repeat feature on it and sit down in the recliner…yes, the blue one. Just shoo the cat off it.  The healing process will begin.  I will personally telephone at 9 PM to judge your progress. (remember to plug your phone in again). Remain calm, Ms. Muskratt. Help is on the horizon. sincerely, Alfred Kwasinski (director-wise advice S.S.T.O.P.{Suck Stuck Tunes Out Pronto}Department) 

RUN, OPAL RUN!

No one has asked for advice yet today, but I’m going to provide it… to Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) City Council:  Today’s the day I submit my funding request on behalf of the Advisory Committee for Persons With Disabilities (ACPD).  Remember?  You sent a representative to one of our meetings last autumn.  That cheery soul mentioned that there was spare money in the city’s budget. When he asked if anyone on the ACPD had suggestions for using it for a ‘disabilily’-related project,  I blurted out,   “Fenced runs for Service dogs”!!!   That generated questions.  I explained that Guide dogs and other working dogs, needed a place to run…a fenced, grassy area within an existing park, where owners, or handlers of Guide and Service dogs, could let their dogs ‘blow the stink off’ (Nova Scotian expression) in a SAFE environment.  I pointed out that our dogs are too valuable to set loose, even in an off-leash park.   Most of us who have working dogs do not own property with fenced yards. We live in apartments  and ride public transit.  Even an off-duty Guide dog with excellent recall, can be tempted to wander out of range in some situations.  Personally, I will not risk losing track of my Guide dog, Opal.  She could get lost, become injured, or eat litter that would make her ill.   I mentioned that I had heard about some  large American cities having fenced dog runs. So, City Guy told me to whip up a proposal for Council.  In the weeks to follow, I spoke with Guide dog owners and handlers.  I  Googled and e-mailed a zillion people and organizations.  Local opinion was strong. People liked the idea…a lot. One guy with a guide dog suggested that ANY dog be allowed to use the proposed runs.  I drafted my initial proposal, which also included a request for signatures of support. I posted it here and there (vets’ etc.).  By November, City Guy came back to the ACPD with initial response from the legal beagles. They were concerned about liability issues and feared expensive working dogs might be torn apart in the proposed run, by an aggressive pet dog.  His city planning types recommended bells and whistles, such as, lighting, security cameras…I was asked to re-jig the proposal as a ’service dog only’ run.  Done.   Better a limited version of the run, than no version, I think. So, my advice? Approve the idea. Fund it. It will make Halifax a model for Canadian cities…and Opal will have a place to run.   See Opal run!!!!!

Guide Dogs Rule!

It’s a slow day for advice. Apparently all is well with the world.  I know it is in mine.  Why, you ask?  I have shelter, food, water, reasonable health…and a Guide dog.  Life for a person who is blind can go lots of different directions. Sometimes the challenge of vision loss can really bum a person out. My life took a huge upbeat when my Guide dog, Opal came into my life. Sure, you’ve all seen guide dogs at work, but have you ever stopped to think how incredibly awesome they truly are?  Here’s what’s going on when YOU see a guide dog team at work:  

•  the handler (blind gal holding the harness) is making the decisions.
• the Guide dog can over-rule if the decision would result in danger. This is called Intelligent Disobedience (example: Guide dog stops handler from stepping in front of a car).
• Distraction is the Guide dog’s biggest challenge. It comes in the form of scents (dogs have a nose 1000 to 10,000 times more functional than a human shnoz), other animals (usually dogs, but sometimes the run-of-the-mill cat and squirrel, noise, movement (like fountains and planes), discarded food, and other unexpected things.
• Guide dogs get mentally tired long before their bodies tire out. 45 minutes of harness work should be followed by a break.
• At home, they are very much like any dog…they need to play, sleep, eat, be groomed, and above all, they need affection.
• As a team, Guide dog and their handlers are allowed everywhere (Access Laws)
• Only a small percentage of dogs bred as Guides, actually qualify. It is the hardest ‘job’ a service dog can have.
• Quiet, are’nt they? they are trained not to bark (all heck would break loose if they worked AND barked)
• All dogs are colour blind. They don’t know what the traffic light colour scheme means. The handler listens for flow of traffic to determine when to cross. 

The kindest thing, and the RIGHT thing to do when you meet a person with a Guide dog is: 

•  Do not touch the dog when working (in harness).
• Do not call or talk to the dog. ditto whistling, waving or other silly noises. Avoid eye contact with the dog.
• Do not feed anything to the dog.
• Never give the dog a command, even when it is not working.
• Don’t call it by name (chances are, the handler has given you a fake name if you are a stranger…that’s the drill)
• If offering assistance at a noisy street crossing, speak to the handler and ASK what they prefer (example: taking your arm, following, or nothing)
• gum wads (these stick to their paw pads) and other discarded food is a Guide dog handler’s nightmare.
• teach you kids all of the above

Stay tuned for more on…well, who knows…

Mrs. Hampsterson’s plea for help

Dear Wise Advice,  my name is Eleanora Hampsterson. I live in the lovely village of Come-By-Chance, Newfoundland.  Things here were quite lovely until last week.  That’s when the lady next door, you know who I’m talking about, eh? the lovely redhaired lass with the nutty dog?  Well she comes round to the door, see. Banging and hollering like a wounded seagull.  So I says to her,  ”What’d that old, nutter of a husband do now?  Has he landed his truck in the sea again?”   She shakes her head and comences to flailing her arms, pointing to her front yard.  ”Dearie, there’s nothing there”, I tells her.  Only after I be giving her a lovely cuppa tea to calm her, does she explain her worries.  She’s right excited still, but gets out a crazy yarn…something about her dog, (it’s a lovely big beagle) not wanting to step on the grass. Have you ever heard such a thing!!!!???  So I says to Netty, (that’s the poor soul’s name)  ”Netty, your talking foolish, dear. Just give that dog a lovely bisquit and send it on it’s way.”   After seven more cups of tea, she was near to convinced that her dog might be willing to step on the grass. Good enough, I think.  Off she goes, don’t you know.  So I commences to putting on a lovely pot of fish chowder, as my dear husband, Alfred, is about to come through the door.  Alfred expects a nice meal on the table, don’t you know.  Just as I’m cutting up the cod for my chowder, a shriek, the likes you’ve never heard, startles me so bad that I drops my cod on the floor.  Miss Lucy (our lovely cat) dives after it like a starving gull and drags it off before I can nab it back!  The shrieking, which is getting louder by the second, is coming from Netty’s house. I gets my gumboots and mac on and goes over, fearing the worse.  I’m half expecting to see poor Netty half dead and all tore to bits! What do I find?  Well I never would have believed…!!!! So you see, dear, you need to be sending one of those crisis teams I been hearing about. Spare no expense; bus, lunch money, for the lot of you.  We’re desperate here in Come-By-Chance.  Be sure to dress warm, eh?  It can blow a bit on the ferry crossing.  And would you be kind enough to bring some of those lovely Peak Frean chocolate bisquits from the Mainland? Mrs. Eleanora Hampsterson 

URGENT!!! HELP ME, WISE ADVICE….

URGENT!!! Dear Wise Advice, my neighbour, Mrs. Hampsterson told me that you always come through in a crisis.  I don’t know where to turn. My life is a shambles. Recently, my dog, Big Beagle Boy, has been acting strangely.  He drools excessively at odd times and has developed an intense fear of walking on grass. To make matters worse, my friends have stopped coming over. They say they are “busy”, but I KNOW it has something to do with Big Beagle Boy. Can you help? Dismayed in Newfoundland.Dear Dismayed, Thank you for your recent service request. In order to assist you, we require the following information:1-  Does Mrs. Hampsterson live in a duplex or a detached bungalow?2- Has it snowed in Newfoundland this morning?3- How many cats reside with you? 2?more than 7? 4- Have you been playing much John Denver music lately?5- Do any of your ‘friends’ work for the Canadian Government?In the meantime, we will dispatch the Mobile Unit for Drooling Dog Investigation (MUDDI).  With their expertise, Big Beagle Boy will be coaxed onto the grass, or at least the pavement. Above all, REMAIN CALM! and have Mrs. Hampsterson make you a lovely cup of tea.Biff, Juliette, Buzz and Regina (WA intake staff)