[acbny-l] Re: Fw: Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article
- From: "Moore, Don" <Don.Moore@xxxxxxx>
- To: "'acbny-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <acbny-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 07:08:02 -0400
I wondered where that one came from myself. Sounds more like a
Federationist add on. But then the Federation most often calls guide dog
teams "dog guide teams anyway. Maybe that's some reporter's attempt at
"objectivity"? I've had my own bad experiences with news "reporters anyway
so I can understand that the reporter probably had an agenda to push.
-----Original Message-----
From: John R. Jeavons [mailto:jeavons@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 11:16 PM
To: acbny-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [acbny-l] Re: Fw: Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article
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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