Reasons and rationalizations

Greetings. One of the many problems for guide dog owners is that of the public, coworkers, family, friends, or even relatives, or total strangers (which pretty much includes everyone), either wanting to pet your dog or out right petting without permission. Ideally, they would ask permission first and accept whatever answer they get, whether it's yes or no. However, as we all know, not everyone asks. I don't even know the number of times people pet my yellow Lab, my first guide, before I caught on to what was happening. In the three months or so that I've had Gucci, it hasn't happened as much, but I'm not sure if that's because people are afraid of the German Shepherd, or because they know not to pet the guide when they're working. Probably a little of both. Anyway, here's a great take on the petting the dog problem that many people face. After reading it, I can think of numerous times when I was using the yellow Lab when a person likely had these thoughts. Interesting how all of these phrases end in much the same way, with "... the cute doggie." Enjoy.

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Rationalizations & Reasons Why Folks Don't Ask Permission to Pet Your
Guide:

1. Since the person can't see it stands to reason they can't hear
either...
so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
2. She's blind, she has no idea I'm here, if I speak it would scare her to
death... so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
3. Blindness might be contagious... so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
4. Blind people don't understand the language... so I'll just pet the cute
doggie.
5. Hey, I'm just stupid... so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
6. Look how that mean blind person is ignoring that dog, poor thing
desperately needs some love... so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
7. I love dogs therefore I don't have to ask permission... so I'll just
pet
the cute doggie.
8. Heck, he's blind how will he know if I pet his dog... so I'll just pet
the cute doggie.
9. If the blind person catches me petting their dog I'll just mumble some
excuse... so I'll just pet the cute doggie.
10. Ask permissions? Why? I certainly don't need any one's permission to
pet the cute doggie.