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

Sun Mar 22 21:26:37 UTC 2015

And to think, I am planning on getting a guide dog and this magically
pops up. Lol Oh, well, I'll jump off those five bridges when I get to
them.

On 3/21/15, Julie McGinnity via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 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
>
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