[nabs-l] Guide Dog or Cane? Which do u recommend and why?

justin williams justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Fri Nov 1 02:07:51 UTC 2013


I really like the finding the proper room or door to a convenient store with
no muss no fuss.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Littlefield,
Tyler
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 10:03 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Guide Dog or Cane? Which do u recommend and why?

They are only more superior in one way obviously, and that's due to the
money factor you just point out, which really isn't an issue. My guide does
an amazing job of getting me from place to place and all I have to do is
give him lots of attention and buy him food and the occasional bath (the
bath because I don't want to do it myself). I don't really think that's to
much to ask.

Here's my two cents on it.

First, having a dog is fairly useful socially, but there are drawbacks. 
Mainly that you have to be willing to say no if someone wants to pet your
dog sometimes. Second, I've had people talk to me and just ask about O'Mally
without bothering to even get my name--there was actually a shirt someone
had once that said "I'm with the dog." I heard about it in draining and
never really got it, but I'd love to find that shirt now, as it's really
true. Your guide will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention--some of it
wanted, some of it unwanted. There are a few issues to be aware of, however.

First, there are taxis that will just zoom right past you or won't come if
they know you have a dog. Obviously this isn't right and people can scream
about it (and there are measures being taken to prevent the issue), but it
is still an issue.
Second, there are people who will not like your dog's fur all over their car
if the dog sheds to much. You need to work out something with your roommate
if you live on campus and all that as well. It's not a huge drawback, just
something to keep in mind.
3) There are obviously a lot of responsibilities that come with having a
dog. whether or not you think you can handle them is totally up to you.

I honestly believe all of these are factors worth considering. For me, the
companionship and awesome work of O'Mally far outweighs the cost of food and
thus the cane is obviously not superior. I think one of the most amazing
bonuses to traveling with a guide is that you are able to navigate around
obsticals without even knowing they're there. I heard this over and over
before I got O'Mally, but I never really thought about it to much. Thise
irritating poles and chairs on sidewalks and moving people are much easier
to navigate--there's honestly nothing better than walking through a mall and
your guide zooming you inbetween all sorts of people and stuff you would
have usually gotten hung up on with a cane. You are able to train your guide
to find stuff as well, which is incredibly nice--no more walking down a wall
trailing for that random class in the middle of the hall with no landmarks
near by in a huge group of people all socializing right in the middle of the
hall.

Hope this helps!
On 10/31/2013 9:07 PM, Joshua Lester wrote:
> I agree!
> I'd say that canes are more superior, because they're less expensive!
> Blessings, Joshua
> ________________________________________
> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Kirt 
> [kirt.crazydude at gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 8:03 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Guide Dog or Cane? Which do u recommend and why?
>
> Haley, I am the cane user and, while I have not ever experienced a guy
dog, i'm pretty convinced that I'll stick with my cane for the rest of my
life unless something drastic happens to change my mind. It just works very
well for me. And, you know that saying about if it ain't broke then why fix
it? That being said, I don't think either method of travel is inherently
better than the other, it's entirely a matter of personal preference and
style. That being said, I would strongly suggest that you have good travel
skills and are competent with the cane before you even consider getting a
dog. Again, canes x are not superior to dogs in and of themselves. but the
majority of people I know get dogs do it because their travel skills are not
up to par and, like it or not, I dog probably won't fix that problem. I
would strongly encourage you to get quality training with the structured
discovery travel method and then decide what works best for you at that
point. If that happens to be a dog instead of a cane for the majority of
your travel, more power to you. Just make sure you are a competent traveler
before you make that decision.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Oct 31, 2013, at 6:05 PM, haley sumner <haleysumner at sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hello fellow Nabsters,
>> I am in the process of deciding whether or not to get a guide dog in
about a year and a half, right before I go to college, and am still unsure
whether i should go through with this or just stick with the cane. What do
you all recommend? Which do you feel is better travel-wise, social-wise,
etc. I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences and preferences.
>> Thanks,
>> Haley Sumner
>>
>>
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--
Take care,
Ty
http://tds-solutions.net
He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that
dares not reason is a slave.



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