[nagdu] Newbies to guide dog use

Wed May 20 16:29:18 UTC 2009

Hi DeeAnne,
Let me start by saying that the term isn't "eye seeing dog".  Terms used are 
" Seeing Eye dogs" which apply to dogs trained at The Seeing Eye in 
Morristown, NJ, "guide dog" or "dog guide".

That said, technically, any person getting a guide dog MUST be deemed 
"legally blind" by an eye doctor.   I think it is 20/200 in the best eye 
WITH correction by lenses OR have a visual field of 10 degrees or less 
(tunnel vision).  However there are many variables tossed into the mix.

Many times a person with alot of sight who are still deemed legally blind 
has trouble with trusting his or her safety to the dog.  they try to steer 
the dog instead of allowing the dog to function as trained. I'd say that 
most guide dog users are either totally blind or pretty close to it.

I have partial vision in one eye - almost totally blind in the other. My 
central vision is fairly good for things up close and good light and 
contrast. I have a less than 10 degrees of periferal vision.  I may see a 
black spot on the concrete sidewalk.  But I don't know if it is a patch with 
some blacktop, a shadow, or a hole.  I have to rely on my dog to tell me by 
his actions. If we just walk over it, then it is a patch.  I look up to see 
if somethiong's causing a shadow - and if nothing is there and my dog takes 
me around it - then it is a hole!  I can look for visual landmarks and still 
trust my dog to watch out for the stuff my vision misses. At night, I am 
totally blind.  Like a person with Retinitis Pigmentosa, I have "night 
blindness".  I have to TOTALLY rely on my dog for safe travel.  I have to 
work my dog the same regardless of if it is daytime or nightime.  I was 
trained with my white cane under sleepshades so I learned to rely on other 
nonvisual cues as well like sound and what's under my feet.

As far as your friend goes; does he have trouble seeing during travel? 
That's both during the day or at night.  Has an eye doctor deemed him 
legally blind?  Has he had Mobility and Orientation training with a long 
white cane?  Does he lead a lifestyle that would allow him to travel 
independently with white cane or guide dog? And, does he WANT a dog?  A 
guide dog IS a dog with everything that goes with dog ownership and not just 
a fuzzy cane.  Or does a family member or friend want the dog for him. To 
avoid this, the schools interview the prospective student ALONE so they get 
a feel for the wishes of the person.

Lots of times people think our dogs do everything for us and we merely hang 
on for the ride.  They don't realize the teamwork required for successful 
guide dog use.  They think that the dog would make a nice companion - we're 
really lonely souls trapped in the dark (grin!) - which we certainly are 
NOT.  Working and living with a guide dog takes time and commitment for it 
to be successful.  Everything taught at the school HAS A REASON - the blind 
person's safety is paramount!

Lets assume your friend is qualified and wants a dog.  Research the guide 
dog schools.  There is an excellent book by Toni and Ed Eames called "A 
Guide To Guide Dog Schools" it is available on National Library Services for 
the Blind wich is in every state.  He would need to see which school would 
best meet his needs.

Hope this has been helpful to you.  Also, encourage your friend to subscribe 
to this NAGDU List.  We have a wide range of experience with guide dog use - 
everything from people considering their first dog and all the way up to 
long time guide dog users. We have some who have elected to train their own 
dog and also one who uses a guide miniature horse! Encourage him to pick our 
brains - that's why we are here!

I am on my eighth dog and have been a user since 1973.

Regards,

Linda and Landon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DeeAnne Hedrick" <deeannehedrick at msn.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 12:33 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] about insentives

This is for anyone that has the answer: my fiance' has eyesight: 20/2100 in 
one eye and 20/70 in the other...would he be able to get an eye seeing dog 
at this point? please advise. Thank you,

DeeAnne Hedrick

> From: ntorcolini at wavecable.com
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 14:19:48 -0700
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] about insentives
>
> I agree.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Angie Matney" <angie.matney at gmail.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 8:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] about insentives
>
>
> Hi Julie,
>
> In my mind, incentives for filling out non-required forms and late fees on
> the rent are two entirely different things. You have to pay your rent
> anyway. The landlord's extra fee is kind of like a punishment if you don't
> pay it near the beginning of the month. The vet reports are nnot required,
> but the school really wants the information. I just don't think a school's
> services to its grads should depend on who does or does not fill out a
> non-required form. Again, this is JMO.
>
> Angie
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of JULIE PHILLIPSON
> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 10:05 AM
> To: NAGDU
> Subject: [nagdu] about insentives
>
> There was a question of a guide dog school offering an incentive to fill 
> out
>
> a report. I said in a previous post that GEB offers a $250 per year grant
> toward vet expenses and $300 if you do the report. I have no problem with
> this and it is meant as an inceptive but again not mandatory. My landlord
> does the same thing with the rent. If you pay it within the first 5 days 
> of
>
> the month it is $50 less but if you are delinquent it is $50 more, so its
> not unheard of to build an incentive in.
>
> Julie Phillipson
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/angie.matney%40gmail.
> com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecable.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/deeannehedrick%40msn.com

_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don’t worry about storage limits.
http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/Storage?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_Storage1_052009
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net