[Home-on-the-range] free eye exams for service dogs

[Cindy Ray]

Let me be clear about the dog situation here. That woman had been through the training already. She wanted to come in again. I'm not sure why she wanted to because she lived in Des Moines. She was told she could bring the dog there for her additional computer training. I don't believe she was actually taking any mobility training, but someone talked her into being a test case. Everyone involved with the program here, including the Iowa Council of the Blind, was supportive on that one. When the national people came into the state to try to get things changed, John Taylor told them to leave Iowa alone, that they knew what they were doing.

I really believe people should have good mobility skills before they get a dog and then make an informed decision. One might feel more comfortable with a dog for sure--Karen Keninger does--but she is able to get about with a cane if her dog is not well. I think that people should be expected to participate in the entire program. If you go to college, you are expected to take the core courses. At the rehab center, mobility is one of those core courses. Of course, sometimes at college you can pass out of them, but the difference there is that people should be proficient in the use of a cane.

I believe The Seeing Eye more actively refuses people until they are proficient with the cane. I don't know about the other schools, but I do know TSE is better at this than they once were.

Lst night I was thinking of this structured discovery when I was walking around the block. We have weird streets and I had not taken that route before. I was taking my little dog for a walk so wasn't using my guide. I truly had to reason out what I was doing. Of course dementia could be setting in to have to reason that out, but I did reason it out and solve the problem.


Oh, yes, with regard to people believing the dogs know where they are going, I know that the public believes the dogs are amazing and know exactly what to do. I think sometimes, even with blind people who know better, that comes up and we have to check ourselves and call ourselves on that. I know I've lost patience with a dog because it didn't do what I expected it should only to realize that I was asking something of it that should not be expected of it. 

Cindy