[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Wed Jan 20 17:23:36 UTC 2010

Well- I don't weigh in often and this is also my opinion, AND, I am sighted
so I don't have a dog, but my understanding is that the guide dog user and
guide dog have to constantly learn from each other, the learning and
teaching of the dog doesn't stop when the dog graduates from school, and if
it does stop then over time the guide dog becomes less and less helpful.  (I
do know this need for reinforced training from being a veterinarian for the
last quarter century).  So when one takes that into account, the guide dog
user must be mature enough and able enough to continue to train their guide
dog.  I think this is one of the age concerns.. but would invite a guide dog
user to this conversation.

Sandy Merchant Taboada

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Carol Castellano
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:54 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Well, I'll chime in with a different view.  My experience observing 
young guide dog users leads me to believe that even at 16 or 17, it 
is the RARE young person who has the required all-around ability to 
use a guide dog.  I have no statistics for this; my opinion is based 
only on observations...over the past 20 years or so.

Another concern I would have for allowing a 12-year-old to use a dog 
is that in order to be a good traveler with a dog, the blind person 
needs to be a good traveler in general.  A person would need a lot of 
experience in all aspects of travel in order to be successful with a 
dog.  For example, much information needs to be kept in mind when 
traveling without the direct contact with landmarks, etc., that cane 
travel provides.  How many 12-year-olds have such experience?  Have 
they traveled much independently at that point?

Last but not least, many people out there--some parents 
included--believe that a guide dog would protect their child and take 
him/her places safely.  They see dog use as a panacea for what they 
perceive as the travel difficulties and safety issues facing their 
blind child.  This is no basis for getting a guide dog!

So, all in all, my feeling would be against this idea.

Carol

Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc

At 10:09 AM 1/20/2010, you wrote:
>Here here!  Wy set the bar low when in fact a child of 12 years or 13 years
>has the capacity and maturity to handle the responsibility? Isn't it our
>responsibility  to give all children those tools they need based upon their
>individual abilities to achieve all things possible in their lives. I do
not
>see the reason for nor the reluctance  to allow any teenager an opportunity
>to exercise their choice for mobility and that it include a guide dog.
>
>Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>CEO/Founder
>My Blind Spot, Inc.
>90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>New York, New York  10004
>www.myblindspot.org
>PH: 917-553-0347
>Fax: 212-858-5759
>"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
>doing it."
>
>
>Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Doreen Frappier
>Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:40 AM
>To: (for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>
>I am not opposed to having responsible 12 year olds own and care for a
guide
>dog.  I believe that children mature at different rates. For example, 4-H
>children own and care for animals (on their own) at very young ages.  They
>are responsible for feeding and caring for that animal. One of my children,
>(sighted) is 13, and has been the sole trainer of a dog since she was 9
>years old.  She has won many awards and competitions with her dog,
including
>adult dog shows. She is responsible for feeding and caring for that dog.
>When the dog gets her check ups at the vet, she comes to the vets office.
>It's true, a young person can not take care of the expenses of a guide dog,
>but I am all for training teaching blind children to be independent as
early
>as possible. I think each situation is different.  I am not aware of
>everything that goes into caring for and owning a guide dog, but I think
>some children are capable and should not be excluded because of
>  age.
>
>Doreen
>
>--- On Wed, 1/20/10, Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>
>From: Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
>Subject: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 7:22 AM
>
>I just wanted to get some feedback on this from some parents of blind
>children and teens.  I, personally, was absolutely apalled to hear that a
>local guide dog school, not mentioning names *coughs* Freedom guide Dogs
>*Coughs* has preposed a program to place guide dogs with twelve year olds.
>All of the other schools in the US accept teens no younger than sixteen or
>eighteen years of age, depending on the school, but twelve?  I am happy to
>note that at present, no O and M instructors, parents or twelve year olds
>have contacted the school to enquire about this program, but I am dreading
>the day.  This makes a mockery of those exceptional blind teens who are, at
>sixteen or seventeen, responsible enough, committed enough and have
>demanding enough schedules to properly care for, utalize and actually need
a
>guide dog.  At what age would you consider supporting your teen in
>researching guide dog schools?  At what age would you support them actually
>  submitting applications?  How old would you want your teen to be before
>actually being placed with a guide dog?  Do you think that you would have
>the blunt honesty to deny your support of your child getting a dog guide,
if
>they were not emotionally, mentally, etc capable of utalizing a guide dog,
>at that time in their life?  Do you think that you could restrain yourself
>from taking care of the dog, interacting with the dog, or doing things that
>would undermine the ownership of the dog by your blind teen, acknowledging
>their sole ownership and responsibility for the dog, even if you, as their
>mother or father still have all other rule-making power in the house-hold?
>Finally, would you ever, honestly let your twelve year old apply for a
guide
>dog?  I just felt this should be brought to the list's attention.  Just me
>personally, I would not encourage my blind teen to start researching guide
>dog schools until age fourteen or fifteen, and I would not
>  allow them to apply to schools until they were at least fifteen, and that
>is assuming that they are emotionally ready to deal with the demands of a
>guide dog, such as handeling an emergency vet situation, mentally able to
>care for the dog, such as, researching and selecting safe toys, effective
>medications and appropriate foods, mature enough to deal with the social
>implications, such as access issues, and that they actually had a need, not
>just a want for a guide dog, due to a challenging travel area or complex
and
>demanding schedule of activities and classes.  Please share your thoughts.
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