[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Wed Jan 20 22:26:20 UTC 2010


Because there's far more to owning and using a guide dog than most people 
would expect and most teens just can't handle the responsibilities. 
Twelve-year-olds don't get drivers' licenses'; they shouldn't have guide 
dogs, either.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 7:09 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?


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."


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-----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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