[blparent] A quick guide dog question

[Joy Wolf]

Hi Sharon:

Guide Dog Foundation teaches a very specific technique to the students for
leash guiding.  The dogs are taught from the time they come in for formal
training, so it's nothing new to them.  I would guess that training leash
guiding on your own may be possible, but I certainly would not want to
attempt it, lol.  It's something that, if not done properly, could probably
be, well, not the safest thing, so I just wouldn't do it myself.  My current
guide is from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and so was not trained in this
technique.  Let me know if you have other questions.  Have a good weekend
everyone.

Joy and family 

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of sharon howerton
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 2:53 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] A quick guide dog question

Joy, did your school teach you that leash technique or is it something you 
developed on your own?
Sharon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joy Wolf" <joy at kevinlwolf.net>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] A quick guide dog question


> Sigh, finally a moment to sit down and answer your leash guiding question,
> lol.  I will say that this too could be a very individual thing.  Let me
> give a couple examples of when it has been very convenient and even safer
> having my dog willing and able to leash guide.  Once at my mother-in-law's
> home, we were out in the back yard, just hanging out enjoying the weather.
> I like to let my guide just hang out with us, so I did not have her in
> harness.  She was on leash since the yard is not fenced, and was just 
> lying
> beside me.  My mother-in-law went inside for something, and my son picked
> that very moment to take a nasty fall! Now, usually he gets up and runs to
> me, and since he didn't you can imagine my complete panic.  I stood up, 
> told
> Delia forward and find Jaden, and we were there in a second.  Fortunately,
> it was not as serious as I had feared, but what if it was? My 
> mother-in-law
> has an absolutely huge back yard.  I wasn't going to call my kids back to 
> me
> every tim e she stepped in the house, after all I could hear them.  But
> navigating her yard would have been slower if I couldn't just pick up and
> go.  Another example is chasing my kids at our local park, one of the few
> places that is easy to get to, not on any busy roads, and has equipment I
> feel isn't too dangerous for my daughter who has a bone condition.  So 
> maybe
> it's just me, but if I've already got the leash in my hand, which I 
> should,
> and the kids are running and I want to be right there with them, it's just

> a
> bit of a time saver rather than stopping each time to grab the harness
> handle or keeping it in my hand, which gets uncomfortable for me due to an
> old injury.  I would say the most surprising situation where I used leash
> guiding as it relates to my kids was a trip to the city.  Absolutely
> nerveracking without any problems, as I had to try and hold onto and keep
> track of two kids while we visited the children's museum.  I was coming 
> back
> to the train station with two kids on my right and the dog on my left when
> the harness strap broke.  Just broke! I was absolutely horrified! What was

> I
> going to do now and how to get my kids home safely? The answer was leash
> guiding.  I had Delia take me all the way back to the train station that
> way, and we made it in 1 piece, lol.  I guess I personally just like to 
> have
> that option for those times when life's unexpected challenges come up.  I
> really loved my experience at GDB where I got my current guide, but can
> honestly say I will be a bit torn as to what to do when Galette retires,
> which I hope won't be for many years.  Let me know if I answered your
> question or totally missed, lol.  Have a great weekend.
>
> Joy and family
>
>
>
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