[nagdu] Drop-offs

Wed Mar 11 02:39:02 UTC 2009

I experienced a drop-off last time I was in class at Guiding Eyes.
There is a good bit of detective in me, and I love the exercise of using my
clues, and working at figuring out where I am.
One of the things I love about working with a guide dog is, I don't feel
stuck, b/c she and I keep moving.  
With my cane, I often got stuck in places where I could hear where I was
supposed to be, but couldn't get there, b/c there was a wall in the way, or
I was inside a maze, etc.  (I experienced that in the renaisance Center in
Detroit where we're going this summer) but my dog can see the logical way
out, where as I might be walking around for a long time, trying to find it
with my cane.

Anyway, I admit, when I was younger, and not so patient, and unskilled at
using my clues, I didn't like drop-offs very much.  Now I find them kind of
fun, and challenging.  
Susan & Rhoda

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Allison Nastoff
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 2:23 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Drop-offs

Occupaws did a drop-off with me the day before my graduation.  I had walked
the sidewalks around my college where we trained countless times, but I
admit the prospect of being dropped off and lost was a little scary.  I
think it was a valuable exercise though because getting lost occasionally is
an inevitible part of life.  The trainer wanted to prove that if it happens,
it's not the end of the world, and he told me to start walking and when I
hear a pedestrian coming, get their attention and ask them what street I'm
on.  There was a lot of fumbling, and the trainer, who was watching at a
distance did have to come to my rescue after a pedestrian gave me bad
directions.  But I think it was a great confidence builder, and a great
exercise in trusting strangers.  
Since then, I have gotten lost occasionally.  Of course when I get myself
lost, it is a little easier because usually I know where I started from, and
can figure out where I went wrong.  I used to panic when I was lost, but now
when I am lost I think to myself, "I survived a drop-off, so I will survive
this (grin)."
I do think that when schools do drop-offs, students should have a partner
with them.  When I had my training, the blind person who founded Occupaws
came to observe some of the lessons.  Since she was there on the day of the
drop-off the trainer had her and her guide dog accompany me.  She couldn't
really help me because she was unfamiliar with the area.  But there is
something comforting about being lost, but not alone.
Allison and Gilbert

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com
>To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 10:52:05 -0400
>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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