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Thursday, June 17, 2010
Mas Problemas
So, now I'm trying to be stopped from coming to class due to a person who has allergies.... Michelle is working on the issue but in order to stop me from getting more upset I need to hear other people's access issue stories - bring em on people - get my mind of myself lol.
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18 comments:
We fought for almost two years to get our high school to allow the puppies-in-training to attend class with us and when they finally did one teacher ruined it by required "notice" to when we'd be bringing a pup which was impossible since Iverson couldn't attend and we never knew when we'd have a pup that could attend for the day. Unfortunately we couldn't just trade for that class either since we shared the class! Hopefully it works out for you!
I know this may be a stupid question but why are you so gung ho on taking him to class? You have already said that it makes learning harder for you and isnt' that the point of you paying the big bucks to go to college? Public access training doesn't actually have to take place in spaces where pet dogs are not normally allowed. I don't take puppies in training into non dog places until they are at min 10 months old and have solid obedeince skills. Prior to that we practice lots in parking lots, pet stores, feed and farm stores, the outdoor train station, walks in the city streets, etc. There is no need to take them inside places, their training isn't ready for it. I don't think I would personally want a puppy in a school at an age where they couldn't reliably hold an hour long down stay and sleep as it would too much distract from my learning and the class. If I'm going to pay money to go to school then I want to get the best education I can and that means being able to focus on the material and the instructor and not a young puppy. And when I do start to take young dogs into public buildings, I go on outings where the entire focus is on training the dog. When you are enrolled in a class, that is certainly not the case.
Hang in there Natalie. It will all work out. We had an issue at a mall once and it went so far that GDB themselves had to contact the owner of the store, in the long run he apologized and told us we were welcome back anytime. I feel that taking them to school is an important part of their training, especially since there is always the chance they will be placed with a student. It is so much easier to adjust a younger dog to new environments then it is older ones. Don't give up.
Its not really a stupid question, I am so bent on taking him to class especially this day, because I am at school for 8 hours and I can't leave him at home for that long. Also, school actually helps with his down stays quite a bit, he can stay down and content for at least an hour and I know its because I have taken him to class since I got him. I also do training with him in between classes so it works out for both of us. My Monday/Wednesday class isn't that crucial because I am not on campus that long and I can do his daily training either before of after that. I can leave him at home during if I like because its not a terribly long time like Tuesday/Thursday is.
Also, during the summer there is not many outside training opportunities for him because it is simply too hot in San Antonio.
It can be frustrating sometimes because sometimes he just simply doesn't want to settle down but the solution to that is next time, work out his energy before I get to class. I think it is helpful for him to come with me especially since I am a full time student. It helps to combine my priorities with his in order to not wear myself thin on all of the things I need to do in a single day. My very hard classes I do not take him to though - I know my limits and if it gets too hard to concentrate things will change but I have never had any major issues with my concentration because of him. Don't take this as snappy (I'm still miffed about the issue so I have no idea how my attitude is translating in this) but I knew it would be extra work especially during school when I applied to be a puppy raiser. If I couldn't handle it I would have had GDTx find another raiser for him.
Honestly, I wouldn't care if I "wasn't allowed" to take him if my class wasn't on that particular long day. Oh well, he has to stay at home and work on not having separation anxiety.. I wouldn't mine. But he is my responsibility and I won't pass him off onto Darrell and my sister every other day because someone doesn't want to follow the law.
I do plan on leaving him home some days like I have done in my past semester but I at least want the freedom to bring him whenever I please - especially because the law tells me I can.
As a college student who takes pups to class and will with my next pups, I see how it's frustrating to you. The point of puppy raising is to teach the dog to bond with and be a partner to their person, everywhere they do go. School is a huge part of a students life, if you don't take the pup, how are you preparing them for their future, possibly with another student. Thankfully, in Oregon, we have the same laws as Texas that cover service dogs in training, sometimes it just takes a bit more talking to then others. Keep up the good work and keep raising Bob to be the best potential guide dog that he can be, in part, thanks to your taking him to school from the very beginning!
did i mention...HELL YA!!! :o)
i think Karina has a valid point, many schools restrict the age at which pups can go certain places based on the skill set the pup has, texas has always worked on pushing the envelope with innovative puppy raising.
i think you will make it easier for the NEXT student who comes along with a guide in training or a working guide.
i'm a huge fan of "because i can!" especially when the professor says things like "well, if he were a "real guide" then I'd have to figure it out" REALLY?!?!?!
so fight the good fight and we all will thank you for it!
I am very fortunate...Kyle is my third dog and I have never had an access issue. In my high school there were four of us who had puppies in training and we all took them to school. We never had problems. Now I am a high school teacher, and I take him every day.
The dog allergy issue is a real concern. When I raised my first two puppies ten years ago, my Sunday school teacher was allergic, so my puppies stayed at home. Now my approach is different. If people tell me they are allergic, I keep Kyle on the other side of the room. This happened at a professional development meeting I attended a couple weeks ago, and everything went fine. Someone's allergies don't change the law, but you can sit on opposite sides of a room to be polite.
I am a grad student during the summers. My thesis chair does not like dogs at all, but she welcomes Kyle in her office and always asks about him because she understands the importance of service dogs. If I didn't need her here, I'd send her to your university to talk sense into your professors.
I think it is interesting to hear when different organizations start taking dogs in public. I took Turk and Mesa in public from day one. Now, ten years later, GDB wants us to wait until our puppies are 16 weeks to take them in public. This is actually about dogs exposure to disease more than anything. I cannot imagine waiting longer than 16 weeks to go in public. That wait is already terrible because it ties a raiser to their home for 8 weeks (since we get puppies at 8 weeks). One of 16 week pups in my club got her jacket this week, and I was on an outing with her tonight. She did great.
Kyle goes everywhere with me. Utah gives dogs in training the same access as service dogs. In fact, I live in a no pets allowed townhome. (My neighbors are jealous that I get a dog and they don't.)
If I ever leave Kyle at home, I feel guilty. He needs all the exposure he can get. If I had to wait until 10 months to introduce him to inside work, I wouldn't puppy raise. Personally, I think that is way too late if you are going to expose them to enough situations by 15 months (when our pups get recalled for formal training). To me, the greatest perk of puppy raising over having a pet is getting to have them at my side 24/7. Kyle turns boring errands into fun adventures. So what if I had to rework a flight of stairs today to help Kyle slow down. The slight disruption was worth it.
To end what has become a novel...I have taken two dogs to school as a student, and now I take one to school as the teacher. They are not disruptions to the classroom environment if the other students do what they should and ignore the puppy. I say, fight for your rights. Bob deserves it!
One last thought...if Darrell and Egypt would be comfortable with it, you could ask them to visit class with you someday soon. When your professor can't even try to kick a dog out, maybe some sense will get knocked into his thick skull.
Sorry you are having so many problems! I have never had any public access issues so I don't really have any advice!
i heart amanda!!
i think Darrell and Egypt need to audit a class ;O)
Hell yeah! Its people like you that I thank God for every day. I thank God that Leah had some exposure to class room situations, because I myself am a full time student and Leah is my eyes. I have had no access issues, but just want to say Thank you and keep it up!
I had issues convincing my principal in HS that it was ok to have the dogs in school during the day tho I was allowed to have them afterscool. I didnt push overly hard as I was a new raiser and didnt want to step on toes or whatever. I ended up being able to bring my dog to school for a day and being able to have her at graduation with me. Once in college things changed. I brought my pups from 12 weeks old on to all my classes and to those labs that were not potentially harmful to the pup. It was extremely important for me to bloster the dogs confiednce in the classroom setting. Not only is it important to the puppy and to his/her future partner to take them everywhere but it also is HUGELY important to teaching the public about what the job of a service dog is and how they are supposed to behave. It really hit home for me when my puppy was partnered with a college student. It was extremely helpful for her that he already knew how to handle the college life. It is our job as puppy raisers to help our dogs build a "check list" as young as possible so when they see the situation again they are like "o i know what that is I can handle it no problem". Building the foundation as young as possible is HUGE. Dogs have a socialization window and when they are young they absorb so much more information then when they grow up. You know your limit and you know how much your pup can handle without being overwhelmed. So keep up the good work. It is completely worth it in the end.
Thanks to both of you Amandas! lol Amanda 1 I completely agree and I told the teacher that I would sit as far away as possible from the affected person but he just wasn't having it.. The only reason I have to shoot down the whole "bring Darrell" parade is that Darrell doesn't attend school there and the professor actually has the right to kick him out - not for having a dog but for simply not being a student there lol. He could have him removed from campus if he liked... sucks don't it?
Amanda #2 - I really appreciate the thanks - I needed it today lol. I personally think that taking Bob to class with me and teaching him to settle down for whatever the amount of time is that I want him to is extremely important for him, regardless if he's going to a student or not in the future. If he's going to a a student or a person who sits behind a desk all day he is going to be at an advantage over a dog who hasn't had much practice on settling down for long periods of time.
Thanks Anonymous person - any chance you would want to reveal yourself? lol
nvm - I know who you are now :)
sorry thought I was logged in :)
Hi Natalie! If you're into the legal aspect of all this debate, check out this link:
http://doglawreporter.blogspot.com/2010/05/should-co-workers-asthma-trump.html
...I find this blog (written by an attorney) interesting, AND his dog looks like Dakota's twin, hehe! But the bottom line is, "Generally, the rulings have concluded that an individual with an annoying but not dangerous allergy must accept the presence of the dog, though the facility should attempt to find a way to keep the individuals out of each other's way." Most dog allergies do NOT reach the level of a disability. I bet that's the case in your situation. If it WERE a disability, like that person goes into respiratory shock if she's in the same room as a dog, they're supposed to find a disability-neutral way of separating you two. Like, who registered first for the class, or whatever. At least that's what this guy says...
Now I know this refers to working service dogs, not puppies, but since TX law allows puppies in training the same access as working guides (which only makes sense!!), it SHOULD be pretty clear cut. I know to them it isn't, but it SHOULD be!
Best of luck to you & hang in there...I know it's no fun but someday, someone will thank you for it big time when Mr. Bob turns out to be an awesome working guide...and when others with service dogs attend your school!!
Thanks Beth! I tried to tell the teacher that but he kept saying "but you don't need a guide dog, its different" I told him "no its not, the laws blah blah blah" but he just kept repeating himself... I offered to sit across the classroom as far away as I could but he just said "I'm not going to let another student suffer because you want to bring your dog" (or something along those lines... What upsets me is that he can just put another student's needs over mine instead of trying to compromise and find something that works for both students.
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