[nagdu] guide dog responsibilities

[Margo and Arrow]

Another great use for a cane is orienting oneself at times when it's hard to 
explain, so to speak, to the dog what you want to do.  the easiest way to 
get to a certain store in Austin, texas, was to turn right at the fifth pole 
so I used my cane to find the poles and count them to pattern my second dog, 
Wayne, to turn right at the fifth pole.

I used my cane last summer at the convention in Detroit because there were a 
couple of spots in the hotel and one in the mall part or whatever it was 
called that I didn't understand and needed a bit of understanding the cane 
would provide in those cases.

as a side note, I keep up my cane skills even thought I travel with a dog 
guide.  dog guides get sick, you can't always travel with your dog guide to 
places, etc.

Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:52 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities


> Here here wayne. I agree with you totally. I carry a small collapsable
> cane and use it in the office when my dog is resting. Easier for me that
> way.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Wayne Merritt
> Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 5:09 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities
>
> Carbon fiber holds together pretty well. They can and do break, but
> I've gotten mine stuck between people's legs or when put in just the
> right angle, between doors or door jams, and it didn't break. Then
> again, after a certain amount of time, they have snapped like twigs
> when they did get between people's legs. I suppose it was the cane's
> time, grin. When canes were my main mode of transit, I kept several of
> them, including one in my backpack, for just this purpose, if the one
> that I was using at the time happened to break. I still have several
> of them, some at hoem and one at work, and still keep one in my pack
> at all times in case I ever find myself without a dog or for other
> emergencies. The telescoping canes get so small and are so light that
> there's almost no excuse for carrying one with you, even if you don't
> use it very often, just for those times when you find yourself stuck
> or wanting to check something out with your cane verses by shuffling
> and really looking blind, grin.
>
> Wayne
>
> On 12/1/09, Julie J <julielj at windstream.net> wrote:
>> Albert,
>>
>> Just for future reference if you find that you need or want to use a cane
>> again, fiberglass is some awesome stuff.    Carbon fiber is good too, but
> a
>> bit more delicate.  If you are especially hard on canes and don't mind 
>> the
>> weight you can get solid fiberglass canes.  Rainshine makes them.  I'm
>> pretty sure they are still available.  I have no clue what you'd have to
> do
>> to break one, but if you were in that sort of situation I think a broken
>> cane would be the least of your worries. *smile*
>>
>> HTH
>> Julie
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: <bts0181 at aol.co>; <info at myblindspot.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:54 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities
>>
>>
>>> Oh my goodness. Share if I must.  It was only my 3rd month walking with 
>>> a
>>> cane and only my third month being blind. It was April of 06 and I was 
>>> to
>>> be
>>> training down to Philly for the holiday.  Well I needed a few things so
>>> off
>>> I went to cvs,  as I was walking I could hear these two women talking 
>>> and
>>> getting ever closer.  I knew we were on a trajectory for disaster. I
>>> tapped
>>> my cane but no luck.  One of them stepped right onto my cane and snapped
>>> it
>>> in half.  I cannot tell you the level of panic that set in immediately. 
>>> I
>>> started to sweat and if memory serves I even had what I would have to 
>>> say
>>> was my first panic attack. I was only around the corner from my 
>>> apartment
>>> on
>>> first avenue and 13th street in Manhattan.  Ok, so the cane is broken,
> the
>>> gal who actually stepped on the cane was very apologetic. and sincerely
>>> concerned.  She wanted to take me to a pharmacy to get a new cane, to 
>>> wit
>>> I
>>> replied you cannot buy these at a drug store.  Well then maybe we can 
>>> buy
>>> some duct  tape and fix it. No, I said that will not work either, just 
>>> go
>>> about your day I will be fine. Oh I feel terrible she said, please let 
>>> me
>>> see you home, and it was right then and there that I lost it. I said 
>>> what
>>> makes you think I could trust you enough to see me home when you could
> not
>>> see me in the first place!?  Well her friend, a little hopped up Latina,
>>> started in with the f u's and you should not even be on the street with
>>> that
>>> thing if you do not know who is coming at you. I responded you need to
>>> shut
>>> your mouth, if you had not been flapping your gums, your nice friend
> here,
>>> who is appropriately  remorseful, might have seen me before she stepped
> on
>>> my cane. Then the woman bumped up against me in a threatening manner, I
>>> pushed her off me and she let me know she had a knife and was going to
> cut
>>> me.  I responded with, bring it on bitch, this cane also doubles as a 
>>> set
>>> of
>>> num chucks. She then started screaming for the police claiming I
> assaulted
>>> her. To wit I responded, oh I have not even begun to beat you down 
>>> honey.
>>> What this ignorant woman did not know was that I had been living in the
>>> area
>>> for 13 years and knew all the business owners on that street. One by one
>>> the
>>> store owners came out and asked if I needed help or if there was 
>>> anything
>>> they could do. I told them no, I was just getting some trash of the
>>> street.
>>> The woman became alarmed by the support for myself which appearred to
> come
>>> from nowhere. She walked away with her nice friend screaming one
> expletive
>>> after another telling me to watch my back.  I got assistance from Joel,
>>> who
>>> ran one of the stores on that block, I insisted he just get me to the
>>> corner
>>> as I could trail the walls to my stoop. I than ran into another neighbor
>>> tony, who I meet that day for the first time formally. He took me to my
>>> step
>>> and told me how the entire block had been praying for me and that if I
>>> needed anything I could just yell for him out my window. Very new york 
>>> of
>>> him. I went home and proceeded to cry uncontrollably fearful of the fact
>>> that once my partner found out what had happened he would prohibit  my
>>> independent  travel for fear of my well being and that I would have to
>>> cancel my trip to Philly.  Well my counselor get me a new cane lickity
>>> split. And I moved on.  I forgave that woman because I new she acted out
>>> of
>>> fear and ignorance. She did not want to responsibility for her actions
>>> because it is easier to blame others than do something like take
>>> responsibility. So there you have it.  One month later a similar thing
>>> happened while I was being asses for my mobility skills with my
>>> instructor.
>>> I was on my way home to my apartment and had to get on the subway on the
>>> west side to get down town to the east side.  As is as about to make my
>>> way
>>> down the stairs a man stepped on my cane and bent it a bit. He was very
>>> sorry and I told him not to worry and to have a nice day. I continued on
>>> as
>>> I felt I needed to show my instructor that I had what it took to deal
> with
>>> the unforeseen. No sooner had I put the cane down another gentleman
>>> stepped
>>> on the cane again and this time bent it so badly that I did not think I
>>> could continue, but continue I did.  As I started my way down the
> twisting
>>> stairs to the long under ground walk I had to navigate until I was able
> to
>>> enter the train platform, I heard this woman yelling at me go right go
>>> right.  I told her give me a minute, she yelled again go right. Just as 
>>> I
>>> was about to let loose on her with a few choice words, I heard my
> mobility
>>> instructor laughing. Now I try to find humor in all things can and will
>>> ease
>>> the nerves. remember I was hard pressed to seem the humor in anything. 
>>> So
>>> I
>>> yelled whatever you are laughing had better be good. Oh and it was.  I
> did
>>> not know it but the woman who was telling me to go right go right had
> been
>>> talking to her guide dog who had become distracted by my apparent
>>> distress.
>>> It was then and there and only one week later that I was accepted into a
>>> program at the gdf on long island, I have never missed the cane and do
> not
>>> see it ever being my preferred mode of transportation or mobility. If 
>>> you
>>> can believe it or not, I am not bitter, but again galvanized in my
> mission
>>> to open the eyes of all people to empathize and understand who we are 
>>> and
>>> the whys of what we need to assimilate and be looked at as integral
>>> components in all things great and small.
>>>
>>>
>>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>>> CEO/Founder
>>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>>> New York, New York  10004
>>> www.myblindspot.org
>>> PH: 917-553-0347
>>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who
> is
>>> doing it."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf
>>> Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (IS)
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:55 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities
>>>
>>> Albert,
>>> You must share, you and a woman nearly got into a fight over a broken
>>> cane?
>>> Please share!
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Albert J Rizzi
>>> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 9:56 AM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities
>>>
>>> Hello Chris,
>>>
>>> Welcome.  I would like to commend you on investigating your options for
>>> mobility. First and foremost we all must be fully aware of our options
>>> in
>>> all things and how those options impact our life.
>>>
>>> I am a recent entrant into the blind community and moved quickly from
>>> the
>>> cane to the guide.  I was surprised to find how many blind people feel
>>> negatively about guide dogs and the perception that there is a level of
>>> responsibility which comes with having a guide dog that all to often
>>> precludes one from even investigating  the guide dog as an option.
>>>
>>> I must tell you up front that I always have been around animals, which I
>>> think may be an influencing facto in my sense that the level of
>>> responsibility is not overwhelming or insurmountable.  I find the ease
>>> and
>>> swiftness with which I move thru the streets, whether they be in the
>>> suburbs
>>> or in the busy streets of Manhattan, allow me to get anywhere and
>>> everywhere
>>> in half the time it might take by cane. My guide dog allows for a sense
>>> of
>>> freedom and security which I never felt with the cane.  All to often  I
>>> have
>>> heard of people getting their canes stepped on and broken, it happened
>>> to me
>>> 3 times within the first 3 months of using a cane.  One of those
>>> incidents
>>> almost turned into a fight due to the level of embarrassment that the
>>> woman
>>> who did not see me felt when it all happened.
>>>
>>> I have not had any incidents as difficult as that with my dog Doxology.
>>> He
>>> takes me all over by plane, train, subway, bus, you name it and does it
>>> with
>>> gusto and pride.  I never thought I would have the level of independence
>>> and
>>> security I do have with him by my side.
>>> Most of the guides are trained so wonderfully, but much of the success
>>> one
>>> realizes with a guide dog has everything to do with your ability to
>>> reinforce the skill set and level of discipline that these dogs crave
>>> and
>>> need.  They also love to play and if you and your dog bond as my dog and
>>> I
>>> have, they are so in tune to you emotionally, physically  and in ways I
>>> cannot even begin to number.  I would however suggest that you ask,
>>> should
>>> you decide to go that route, for one of the ugliest dogs possible as
>>> everyone will want to be petting your puppy otherwise. LOL.  No matter
>>> how
>>> ugly or beautiful your dog might be I would hole heartedly suggest you
>>> get
>>> one.  It is hard to believe that there are only 10k guide dog users in
>>> the
>>> states  in comparison to the 110k cane users.  I guess if half of those
>>> left
>>> with usable vision move freely and independently  without the need of a
>>> cane
>>> or a guide dog, that might leave 6-7 million others without an option at
>>> all?  Makes my heart so heavy to think about those others sitting at
>>> home
>>> waiting and waiting, when they could have a four legged companion to get
>>> them where they want to go and I have not even mentioned the emotionally
>>> uplifting support they lend to every day of your life.  It is not all
>>> peaches and cream by no means, but I think the cane is the pits.  I do
>>> work
>>> my cane skills every week at least 5 or 6 times as if doxy were to ever
>>> take
>>> ill, I would not be stuck in the house. So I see the value in both as an
>>> option in my life and that's how I like it, a life full of choices and
>>> options. peace.
>>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>>> CEO/Founder
>>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>>> New York, New York  10004
>>> www.myblindspot.org
>>> PH: 917-553-0347
>>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who
>>> is
>>> doing it."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Chris Jones
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 8:23 PM
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [nagdu] guide dog responsibilities
>>>
>>>    Hello,
>>> My name is Chris Jones, and I am new to the list.  I expect to learn
>>> much
>>> from this list.
>>> I am a lifelong user of the cane for mobility, but I have always been
>>> attracted to the guide dog.  I always held back because I felt that the
>>> responsibility required was too much for what I was willing and capable
>>> of
>>> maintaining.  I would like those on the list to perhaps give reasons why
>>> they finally made that plunge into the guide dog lifestyle.
>>> On a side note, those of you with guide dogs, have you found the general
>>> public to give you more respect?  I have the assumption that cane users
>>> are
>>> not looked at the same as far as traveling independently in relation to
>>> the
>>> general public.
>>> Thank you for any response.
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> My blog:
> http://wayneism.blogspot.com
> My websites:
> www.wayneism.com
> www.whitecaneday.org
>
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