[nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog

Fri Apr 2 20:53:16 UTC 2010

I had more thoughts on reasons why it's important to learn to use a cane 
before getting a dog.

When you mess up and get lost, turned around and generally frustrated , the 
cane doesn't also get confused.  the cane doesn't care how you feel.  It 
doesn't care if you swear at it.   You can even make the same mistake 
repeatedly and it won't mess up the cane's training.  Canes are very 
forgiving that way! *smile*

Also if you have never learned to travel independently, you are going to be 
learning that along with trying to learn how to use a guide dog all at once. 
That seems like a lot to take in in a month.
JMHO
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 2:56 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog

> >From my understanding and this is from GDF when I went, and it does make
> sense, if your dog is sick and you cannot take you dog some place, or you 
> are waiting for a dog, you need cane skills or other skills to keep you 
> going, they want to know you are a motivated person, and not sitting at 
> home.
>
> The dogs are working dogs, guide dogs, not pets, as well all know.
>
> So if we aren't out there working then why get a dog.
>
> I think for me it was important to learn cane skills, I am very very 
> independent and it goes back to the sighted guide, they don't point 
> everything out.  Also when and still losing my vision I have no depth 
> perception I cannot tell when the whole is coming up or something that I 
> can fall into, so yes I needed good cane skills, go to trust a cane and 
> then trust a dog, now that I am almost total I am glad that I learned cane 
> skills prior to getting a dog.
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
> ----- 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: Friday, April 02, 2010 4:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog
>
>
>> Why is it a requirement for being considered getting a guide dog anyway? 
>> I
>> would like to understand the rationale. I am not agreeing or disagreeing
>> just wondering about the reasons. Then too, if cane mobility is so 
>> integral
>> to independence, why are there some schools of thought on not introducing
>> the cane to toddlers or blind youth as soon as they can hold one?
>>
>> 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."
>>
>>
>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Tracy Carcione
>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 2:33 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog
>>
>> Marion, I don't necessarily agree that good cane skills should be a
>> prerequisite for getting a guide dog.  It's a nice theory.  It would
>> certainly be helpful.  But I know too many people who don't have
>> spectacular cane skills, but do great with a dog.  Some of them are older
>> people, who started getting dogs when cane training was not very
>> available.  Some of them are from places where services for blind people
>> are not very good.  Some of them went blind as senior citizens, and quite
>> a few agencies don't serve that population very well, since they won't be
>> employed.  Should we tell these people they have to wait until they can
>> somehow get cane training?  I don't think so. I've met enough people for
>> whom the dog was the thing that got them back out, living their lives, 
>> and
>> I think getting out and living one's life is a great thing. I'm not
>> willing to stand in someone's way over whether or not their cane skills
>> measure up to some philosophical mark.
>>
>> Should we take good orientation as good enough?  Or should the guide dog
>> schools offer cane training to prospective applicants who they feel 
>> should
>> have it? They seem like reasonable approaches to me, and I believe they
>> are
>> the ones being carried out. Encouraging good cane skills is fine, but I
>> wouldn't make it a prerequisite for a guide dog.
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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