[nabs-l] 5 Reasons Why Guide Dogs Are a Terrible Idea!

Sat Mar 21 23:46:34 UTC 2015

Hi all,

I think that guide dogs is one of the topics about which we are most
divided.  I may even call the divisions we have over the topic
dramatic.  I say this because most people do not evaluate it
realistically and objectively.

Before I begin, yes, I am a guide dog user.  I have been so for almost
7 years, and I have changed so much as a person over the last 7 years
that I would have an embossor running for hours to fill the pages I
could write.

In those past 7 years, one of the most significant things I have done
is become involved in the blindness community, particularly in the
National Federation of the Blind.  I have met all kinds of travelers
and experienced mostly strongly negative or strongly positive views of
guide dogs.

One of the problems we are dealing with is that having a dog is an
emotional experience.  The bond handlers develop with their dogs has
been called magical, mysterious, and miraculous.  All this really
means is that the blind guide dog user and the dog form a bond that is
closer than pet and human in a lot of ways.  I believe that this
emotionalism colors most discussions concerning the benefits of
traveling with a dog.

The guide dog handler goes on and on about how Fluffy saved their
life, finds their classrooms, and takes care of them.  The cane user
roles their eyes and later gossips about those crazy dog users who
aren't independent and expect their dog to travel for them.  Ok, this
is an extreme...  But this is the sort of talk that goes on in these
circles.

I am the first to tell you that I love my dog very much.  I love my
first dog too.  But I am also happy to tell you that I learned a lot
when I used my cane as my only mobility tool all last semester when I
was between dogs.  There were obvious advantages.  My reasons for
getting a dog have changed and now seem pretty complex.  I know I can
travel without one and am happy to do so in a variety of situations
now.  But I like working with a dog, building a partnership, and have
always been a dog person.  This decision is personal; I believe that
each of our decisions is personal.

I am happy to discuss with people their decision to use a cane or a
dog, but honestly, I am tired of the cane dog debate.  (And yes, I
realize that we all are and that this thread did not turn into that.)

Your decision to get a dog is less important to me than the public
perceptions we are fighting.  It is clear that my colleagues view me
differently when I use the cane rather than the dog.  It is also
concerning that people are pressured into using a certain mobility
tool when the decision is, as we already discussed, personal.  I am
sad that independence is often linked to one tool, be it dog, cane,
Braille, or assistive technology.

On 3/19/15, Sophie Trist via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I am a senior in high school, planning to attend LCB next year. I
> am also hearing impaired and thus have to wear a hearing aid.
> During my O&M lessons at school, I've discovered that though I
> can hear perfectly well when a car is coming, my hearing aid
> makes it difficult to localize that sound. I haven't made a final
> decision as to whether I will get a dog--that will wait until
> after my LCB training--but I believe that because of my hearing
> problem, it would make me safer.
>      That's my personal story. I don't really see why this blog
> is "offensive" or "garbage" as previous posts have stated. The
> subject line is definitely an attention getter, especially for
> someone like me who just skims through their Inbox. Everyone is
> entitled to their own opinion, even if others don't share it. The
> five reasons, far from being childish, are valid. When making a
> decision, it's important to know all of the factors beforehand so
> that you can make a logical and fully informed decision. With
> regard to the letting the dog out and cleaning up after it part,
> that applies to any kind of dog. I personally have two dogs at my
> house right now, and we have to do those things, sometimes
> getting up at 4:00 in the morning when they start crying to go
> out. This is just my opinion. Have a good Friday!
>
> Yours,
> Sophie
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Matthew Dierckens via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>,National Association of
> Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 2015 21:50:07 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] 5 Reasons Why Guide Dogs Are a Terrible
> Idea!
>
> I would have to agree with Aleeha and Min here.
> As a soon to be handler, I found this post rather offensive and
> someone disturbing. Now, I understand that a dog may not be ideal
> for everyone, but there are better ways of letting people know
> that having a guide dog isn't always going to be cake and roses.
> If I were to read this, say, 6 years ago when I was first
> becoming interested in getting a dog, I would definitely be put
> off by reading this and would be second guessing my decision.
> There is a large difference between writing an opinion piece, and
> just plain garbage.
> Just my two cense worth.
>
> God bless. :)
> Matthew Dierckens
> Certified Assistive Technology Specialist
> Macintosh, Windows and IOS  Trainer
> Personal Email: matt.dierckens at me.com
>
>  On Mar 19, 2015, at 21:29, Darian Smith via nabs-l
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>  Hi all,
>  Thanks  Joe for sharing this.
>
>  If   your aim in the subject line is to get one's attention
> than I'sure you've done it.
>  Knowing what I know, seeing what I've seen and understanding
> what I do, It seems like a very important thing to think about,
> the considerations   surrounding  getting a dog  guide.
>   There are many reasons why people might decide that a dog might
> be the best mobility tool for them (Yes, the dog  is an animal,
> but consider that when they are in   harness they are as much a
> travel tool as a cane would be.
>  A cane requires far less   moving parts in it's usage   than a
> dog might,  and yet the dog  requires that you interact with your
> physical environment  much less than a cane might.
>  I  personally know of folks who love dogs, but would not    go
> to train for a guide   because of the responsibilities that come
> with the puppy.  I also know of folks who have gotten a dog guide
> though otherwise they wouldn't have a dog in their lives.
>   I think  that though  I  may oversimplify the topic,  there
>       ). are many reasons why a blind person may have either a
> cane or dog in their lives, though I personally believe that a
> solid  foundation in the former can be absolutely key in
> maximizing the ability to work the latter, there's nothing
> wrong with deciding to get a dog.
>  What I think Joe points out are valid reasons  why if you
> don't really think it through then getting a dog guide could be
> a bad idea.  it's not a  dig  and I doubt it  destroys  the
> image  of guide dogs, their owners and the schools they come
> from.
>  This, however is just my humble opinion on the matter.
>   Best,
>  Darian
>
>
>
>  On Mar 19, 2015, at 5:26 PM, Joe via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
>  If you're blind, you obviously read Braille. Your hearing must
> naturally be
>  superior to your sighted peers, and of course you have a guide
> dog! Right?
>
>  Well, that last may not be as pervasive as the first and second.
> Someone
>  recently told me the number of guide dog users has actually
> declined in my
>  millennial generation. I have no evidence proving this one way
> or the other,
>  but for the general public, to see a blind person with a guide
> dog feels as
>  natural as butter and toast.
>
>  Thing is, I'm not so sure guide dogs are right for everyone. Or,
> maybe I'm
>  just projecting my own uncertainties onto the rest of the
> community?
>
>  Last November I took the first step in the application process
> to return for
>  a second Seeing Eye dog. It's been more than three years since I
> lost Gator,
>  and even though I've gotten around just fine with a white cane,
> I am
>  approaching what feels like the final years with sight, however
> minimal that
>  sight might be. I admit it's unnerving if I sit still long
> enough to
>  contemplate total blindness. NFB philosophy be damned, and the
> thought of an
>  extra set of eyes to help me navigate the world does bring a
> measure of
>  comfort. But, is it enough to go get another dog?
>
>  In no particular order, here are reasons why a guide dog would
> be a terrible
>  idea:
>
>  Read more:
>
>
> http://serotalk.com/2015/03/18/5-reasons-why-guide-dogs-are-a-ter
> rible-idea/
>
>  --
>  Musings of a Work in Progress:
>  www.JoeOrozco.com/
>
>  Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Julie McGinnity
National Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President, National Federation
of the Blind of Missouri recording secretary,
graduate Guiding Eyes for the Blind 2008, 2014
"For we walk by faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7