[nabs-l] dog v. cane

[darrel kirby]

Hello All:

I infrequently throw in my two cents, but I think most all blind persons
have an opinion on whether to use a dog or a cane. This most likely explains
why some blind people choose to use a dog and others use a cane. As stupid
as that just might sound, we are forced to have an opinion on the matter. I
warn everyone that it is important to avoid dichotic thinking, i.e. a dog is
ultimately better than the cane or vice versa. Like most things in life, I
am sure there are advantages to both. I prefer not to use the "versus" lingo
when I think of dogs and canes, as it perpetuates the belief that there will
be a winner in the debate. It is a personal preference.  There are five main
reasons that I, Darrel Kirby, choose to stick with my stick and not switch
over to rover:

1. My cane needs no care, i.e. it does not poop, eat, get sick, and rarely
requires a bath. Therefore, when I travel, the speed at which I travel is
quite quick. I grab the cane; walk out the door, and go. No potty breaks,
searching for poop, or stopping to let the curious citizen google over my
dog. 

2. The training of a dog is expensive. Although it might be convenient to
say, "Well, I'm not paying for it." The fact is that tens of thousands of
dollars go into training a dog. In a world where seventy some percent of
blind persons are unemployed, I can think of better places to place the
money. Please remember that this is just my opinion.

3. I think that I would need a cane to travel along with me and my dog, if I
ever had a dog guide. I love my cane because it is an extension of my
fingers/hands and an extension of my eyes. I am able to tap a garbage can or
a chair or a person or a million other things to find what I am looking for.
I red in an earlier posting that people using dogs felt that they "moved
more smoothly." Personally, I want to hit things with my cane. That is how I
know that those things are there.

4. I work at an office for nine hours per day, five days per week. I am not
comfortable having a dog sit below my desk for that amount of time. I
recognize that this is my own perspective. I grew up on a farm with dogs
that ran around and played all day long. It would be a personal challenge to
ask a dog to sit by my side for that amount of time.  

5. I do not feel that a dog guide fits with my personal philosophy of
blindness. I preface this with the fact that I have friends who use dog
guides and I do not condemn anyone for using a dog guide, but the
fundamental concept of my personal philosophy of blindness is that eye sight
is not necessary to navigate this world. If I were to use a dog, I would be
using the eye-sight of a dog. With all the misconceptions of blindness that
already exist; I do not want to convey to the public that eye sight, even if
from a dog, is necessary to travel independently.

I thank you all for reading along this far. These are the five reasons I
would not get a dog. I do not expect the reasons to be adopted by other
blind people. I do not feel that these five reasons are absolute truths.
These reasons are based on my opinion and are subject to change. If any of
these reasons strike a cord with dog users on the post, I ask everyone to
respect my opinion. I will do my best to respect yours.

Respectfully yours,

Darrel Kirby