[nagdu] Drop-offs

Tue Mar 10 20:30:25 UTC 2009

Guiding Eyes didn't do a drop-off but we were given a route to memorize in 
the morning, then worked it alone in the afternoon. I always did fine until 
the last right and overshot it. Verona would let me know by slowing down to 
a crawl and I would know I didn't turn where I was supposed to. Then the 
trainer would  appear and say, "Where ya going?
I've been expanding our weekly  routes and I have to say that I love it when 
Verona solves our problems and finds a way.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 2:11 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Drop-offs


> Jenine,
>
> Hmm...  I create my own dropoffs.  I've done that with cane travel, as 
> well.
> Usually it's when I have an appointment or something, so I take a cab or
> transit there so I arrive on time, then set off home, since I can just get
> there when I get there.  I prepare in advance, of course, unless I have a
> really good idea of where I'm going in relationship to familiar stuff.
>
> Then again, I'm the sort of person to go out on my horse or in my car and
> just head off to get lost and find my way home because it's something fun 
> to
> do...  Come to think of it, I've done that with cane, as well as with 
> Mitzi.
> Let's just go see where we end up, then we'll see if we can find our way
> back.  It was really cool when I could start doing that with her, because
> she seems to enjoy the process as much as I do.  /smile/
>
> For the record, taking a green, 2 year-old, 16 hand Thoroughbred cross 
> colt
> bareback into the wilderness for the first time to see how he does is not
> nearly so terrifying as walking around the next block with your cane when
> you can't see where you're going.  Well, when you're used to being able to
> see where you're going anyway.  /smile/  I always just assumed there would
> be some congruity from the early untrained colt experience (and others 
> like
> it, some preety hair-raising, I can tell you!) to the exploring with cane
> and then working a guide dog in training.  Not so much, I've discovered.
> Then again, it could be that I'm old enough now to realize that I'm not
> invincible and that if things go bad I could experience real pain and
> suffering for a long time.  /smile/  I have gone to a lot of effort over 
> the
> past four or five years to get myself into situations that scared me
> spitless.  With progressive vision loss, at least for me, I also find I
> don't have to go anywhere new to suddenly be hopelessly lost and totally
> freaked out.  I have a really good memory, so I don't necessarily notice 
> to
> difference until something changes or step half an inch to the left of 
> where
> I usually do.  Then I'm lost between one step and the next and have to 
> think
> like mad to find my way back to where I am...  Very odd.
>
> Anyway, that's not a program thing, or a school requirement.  It's just 
> the
> sort of thing I do for fun anyway, and now I can write it off in my head 
> as
> a "valuable learning experience."  Some people just never grow up. 
> /smile/
> I've heard of drop offs for cane O&M, but not with guide dogs.  I 
> certainly
> think it's a good idea for new teams, so long as safety is a primary 
> concern
> in where when and whether it's a good idea for any given pair.  I can only
> assume I would find it to be great fun.  /smile/
>
> Oh, if you're wondering why I rode that colt through the back gait into 
> the
> wilderness bareback when I had been doing basic training under saddle... 
> I
> thought the western saddle represented too great a risk.  Do you have any
> idea how dangerous those things are?  /smile/  Also, that was a darn good
> colt.  If I could have him again, knowing what I know now...
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Jenine Stanley
> Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 7:52 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: [nagdu] Drop-offs
>
> Someone asked me recently which schools still do "drop offs" where they
> drive you around a familiar area until you are basically lost then turn 
> you
> lose to return to the lounge or van or whatever is the agreed upon 
> landmark.
>
> The person asking was mortified that this was actually done at some 
> schools,
> including the one from which she obtained her dogs, obviously prior to her
> time there though.
>
> So, I'm pretty sure GDB still does this for most students, correct? What
> other schools currently do "drop offs"?
>
> If you've done one of these recently, would you care to share your 
> feelings
> about them?
>
> I can tell you GDF does not do "drop offs", not since I have been 
> attending
> class, 1990, unless it was an individual instructor's practice for some
> students. They may have done it in the past though.
>
> Personally, I see great value in doing this if appropriate preparation is
> done in advance. I'm a fan of solos too though.<grin>
>
> I do recall in my very first class at Pilot, our instructor did such a 
> "drop
> off" route, letting us out on a street, not telling us its name but 
> telling
> us to follow our dogs because they knew where  they were and how to get 
> back
> to the school. It was only three blocks straight back but whew, that trust
> exercise was harrowing but good in the end. I've never done another one 
> and
> have always wondered how people feel about them.
>
> I completely understand and appreciate anyone who has serious anxiety 
> about
> "drop offs". Believe me, I hate being lost or feeling as if I may be lost.
> So no judgment calls on liking or disliking such training exercises.
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
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