[acbny-l] Re: Fw: Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article
- From: "John R. Jeavons" <jeavons@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <acbny-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 23:15:37 -0400
I have not seen audible traffic signals characterized as "noise" or as a =
problem to dog guides before...they are just another feature in the =
soundscape, and a very useful one at that, at least from my perspective. =
I view them as clarifying the "din" of an intersection, not exacerbating =
it, as this article seems to suggest. This is an unfortunate and =
negative characterization. =20
I wonder if the author has written anything else on the convention or =
those APS's?
John Jeavons
-----Original Message-----
From: acbny-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:acbny-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Frank Casey
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 9:35 PM
To: acbny acbny
Subject: [acbny-l] Fw: Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article
Greetings,
Well, the ACB's 42nd annual convention, in Pittsburgh, is over, however,
here's an interesting article which most of you, especial guide dog =
users,
will find interesting.
Enjoy!,
Frank Casey
frcasey@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Specialist offers massages to canine partners of blind
>
> Pittsburgh, PA
> Wednesday, July 09, 2003
>
> By Linda Wilson Fuoco, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
>
> Room 321 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a place where a =
dog
> can be a dog.
>
> Carla Campbell, of Menlo Park, Calif., massages Baxter, a 6-year-old
yellow
> Labrador guide dog belonging to Nancy Trzcinski of North Adams, Mass.,
> yesterday
> at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. (Martha Rial, =
Post-Gazette)
>
> The canine hospitality suite is specifically for the use of the 450 =
guide
> dogs who have traveled from all over the country to guide their =
partners
> through
> the weeklong meeting of the American Council of the Blind, being held
> Downtown.
>
> Instead of the alcohol that usually is a staple of hospitality suites =
for
> human conventioneers, this room is stocked with an abundant supply of =
dog
> treats
> and toys. When working harnesses are taken off, the guide dogs can =
rest,
get
> massages or romp around and just be dogs.
>
> Some of them also jump up on people and lick their faces, though they =
have
> been trained not to do that.
>
> "Guide dogs are dogs first," said Carla Campbell, who has been licked =
and
> jumped on by dozens of canine conventioneers. "They are working dogs =
and
> they
> are very good, but they are not perfect. You have to correct them and =
you
> have to be consistent."
>
> A support group called Guide Dog Users Inc. has created the space to =
give
> dogs a break from the difficult work they have in maneuvering visually
> impaired
> humans through heavy traffic. They have to contend with motorists who =
run
> red lights and don't yield to pedestrians in cross walks. Audible =
traffic
> signals
> raise the noise level for the sensitive ears of dogs already subjected =
to
> the din of construction equipment layered atop the usual noise =
produced by
> cars,
> buses and trucks.
>
> The dogs must deal with all of that while also coping with soaring
> temperatures, high humidity and sizzling hot sidewalks.
>
> The term these conventioneers use to describe themselves and their =
canines
> is "dog guide teams." The people consider themselves partners of the =
dogs
> rather
> than owners.
>
> "The kind of work these dogs do is amazing because it's such team =
work,"
> Campbell said.
>
> The very best teams schedule time for rest and rehabilitation, which =
is
> where Campbell comes in.
>
> Her card reads, "Equine and Canine Body Worker" and notes that she has
spent
> more than 1,000 hours learning how to massage horses and dogs.
>
> Campbell, of Menlo Park, Calif., explained what she's doing while
massaging
> a golden retriever named Cori, 3 1/2.
>
> "I did 10 dogs the first day, and I'm really happy that more people =
are
> signing up," Campbell said. "I do a basic massage to relax them. =
Working
> dogs need
> more than regular pets because they pound the pavement" and are =
subject to
> physical and emotional stress.
>
> Campbell's hands rubbed Cori's ears and gradually moved onto her neck =
and
> shoulders. She squeezed and rubbed her back, hip and tail.
>
> How did Cori react? Her eyes were half-closed, her tongue lolled out =
of
her
> mouth and she moaned with pleasure. A sighted spectator told Cori's
partner,
> Deborah Ver Steeg of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. "Your dog is smiling. =
She
is
> totally blissed out."
>
> Ver Steeg beamed and told other guide dog partners that Cori is a =
honey
> blonde color and a "perfect corporate citizen" in the work place.
>
> Other dog guide team members shared stories and anecdotes about their
dogs.
>
> Cori voluntarily rolled over onto to her back to have her belly =
rubbed.
> Campbell manipulated and pulled each of her legs, paying special =
attention
> to her
> feet.
>
> "I work their wrists because pounding the pavement can take a toll."
>
> She emphasized that she is neither a veterinarian nor a chiropractor, =
but
> her sensitive fingers can find lumps, bumps and strains that could be
> harbingers
> of future problems.
>
> Mostly what she feels is tension, which in guide dogs is often =
centered
> around their shoulders.
>
> Massages are $15 for 10 to 15 minutes, but usually Campbell spends =
more
time
> "because I won't stop until all the tension is gone."
>
> A percent of proceeds goes to Guide Dog Users.
>
> As Campbell worked and talked, her own golden retriever guide dog, =
Justin,
> lay quietly at her side.
>
> "Justin is like the cobbler's child" who is the last to get new shoes,
> Campbell joked. "He gets more than his share of massages, and I use =
him
for
> demos.
>
> "I love doing this because the guide dog movement is so important to =
me,"
> Campbell said. "People tell me, 'my dog was dragging, but now she is =
sharp
> and
> focused.' "
>
> Guide Dog Users is also polling the dog guide teams about problems =
they've
> had with attacks from dogs running loose.
>
> "Attack by other dogs is a huge problem nationally,"said Ginger =
Bennet,
> chairman of the organization's task force. "Sadly about one-third of =
teams
> have
> had some problem with other dogs."
>
> Only South Carolina and Texas have good laws to protect guide dogs, =
she
> said. "Legislators want statistics before they will enact laws, and =
that's
> what
> we're trying to document here."
>
> Linda Wilson Fuoco can be contacted at
> lfuoco@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> or 412-851-1512.
>
>
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