[nabs-l] dog v. cane

[Joe Orozco]

Jorge,

It's pretty easy to come up with advantages to having a guide dog.  I agree
with Nicole on the ease of travel and general companionship, but for the
sake of a balanced perspective, I'll give you some negatives based on my
experience:

First, it's important to remember that the dog is a living creature.  More
to the point, they're a trained living creature, and as such, they require a
certain feeding and relieving routine.  The dog will not implode if you
don't stick to a regular schedule, but sometimes you have to forego
flexibility to keep them on a consistent pattern.  Most days this should be
fine.  Yet if you find yourself traveling and in the midst of a cluttered
agenda, this can become something of a nuisance.  It's a matter of figuring
out an acceptable place to relieve the dog, finding the proper place to
dispose of the waste and being able to find similar locations as you move
about your day.  And, no matter where you are, you should get ready to get
up fairly early every day to make sure the mess stays outside and not in.

Second, there are logistics to consider.  My German shepherd is large.  He
significantly reduces the number of people who can travel with me in a taxi.
Leg room can be a nightmare on airplanes.  Granted, this is owed to my being
a tall guy, but bus travel and other forms of transportation might see a
difference depending on the animal.  You need to pack more in your luggage
for their food, food bowls, grooming equipment and medicine, as needed.
I've never liked the view some handlers take of seeing their guide dogs as
their children, but to a certain extent, it's true that they require some
consideration about their needs as they travel with you.  Throw in a couple
toys into that there list of supplies in your luggage.

Additionally, when traveling with a dog, be prepared to wear dog hair.  You
might get lucky if you get a poodle, but otherwise, I don't care how well
you brush them, shedding is part of the deal.  Most people will of course
understand it's part of the natural course of things, but this is one reason
I've not taken my dog on job interviews.  It's a minor point, but I feel
presentation is a huge part of leaving a good first impression, because
appearance is seen differently on blind people.

Fourth, the social interaction can be pleasant sometimes.  At other times,
however, it can get tiresome.  Thankfully, because Gator is large, he gives
off the impression he is ferocious.  People would never know he's a
marshmallow, but in some cases the over attention can become irritating if
I'm rushing to get somewhere.  At other times, you figure out the only
reason people are talking to you is because of the dog, and really, who
wants to play third fiddle after the everyday sighted person and the guide
dog?

Next, there's the matter of expenses.  Most schools, I believe, offer some
form of financial assistance to their students, but one should not get a dog
if one is not prepared for or capable of maintaining it.  Dogs get sick,
sometimes seriously sick, and aside from the bills that can quickly become
astronomical, they might be out of commission for a while, leaving the
handlers in the position of needing to use a cane to temporarily move about.

Finally, be prepared to advocate for yourself.  There are far too many
public establishments that did not get the memo that service animals are
allowed in public establishments.  This does not mean every restaurant, shop
or transportation service representative will be a pinhead, but pinheads
there are a plenty, and I classify this as a disadvantage because your
activities would never be interrupted while using long white and Faithful.
Dealing with the public is not always a bad experience, but you should be
prepared for the occasional confrontation.

Now, you'd think from this list of disadvantages that I would generally
discourage people from getting a dog.  Actually, you might be correct.  Only
the people who can see the negatives to getting a dog and feel confident
about still continuing with the process should get a dog.  I've been
criticized in times past for not taking my dog everywhere I go.  I, for
example, did not see it fit to take my dog to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
concert last week.  I will more than likely not take him to the pub when I
meet some colleagues for networking this week, but I have taken him white
water rafting.  Crazy?  Not at all.  Gator and I have an understanding.
And, it should go without say that there are exceptions to the things I've
listed and the other things I could list.  Teams develop their own routines
and understandings, but there is a fundamental core from which we all have
to build no matter what dog you get or what school you get him from.

The point is, there is no question of the chicken or the egg.  If you don't
have a good command of the cane, you have no business with a dog.  They have
bad days.  They get sick, and sometimes, unfortunately, they die.  A person
should view their dog as a travel enhancer rather than a traveling crutch.
It will keep you from unfairly seeing the dog as having the answers to all
obstacles.  When the team works well together, it's a dream team, and
there's no stopping it, but there's a lot of preparation that goes into
that.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

Best,

Joe

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing