[nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Thu Feb 11 01:20:43 UTC 2010

Do not forget the gdf ion long island, that is just a ferry ride away my
friend.

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."

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-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mark J. Cadigan
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 7:59 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Thanks all of you for your suggestions. I like both the Seeing Eye, and GDB.

Ware as I live in MA the Seeing Eye is a lot closer. I am a junior in high 
school so I haven't yet decided what college I will be attending. What I do 
know, is I want to be in a big city with access to a good public transit 
network such as the MBTA. I currently take the T to and from places all over

Boston using my cane. Because of this independence I am having difficulty 
explaining to my parents that a dog would only enhance it making me a more 
competent, safer, and faster traveler. Have any of you ever experienced 
complaints about your dog either shedding or smelling bad? Is this a problem

with roommates in college? Like most teenagers my room is never clean for 
long, but it is never that messy. I always take excellent care of all my 
equipment, and don't see how the maintenance of a dog will be a problem. My 
parents seem to have concerns of how I will maintain a dog in college. Any 
thoughts?

----- 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: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 2:29 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

> First, where are you located? Maybe there is a guide program in your area
> which would allow you to sort of host a dog for sometime until the guide 
> is
> matched up with a handler. This would help to introduce your parents to 
> the
> concepts  and strength having a guide could and would lend to your life. 
> You
> could also let them know that their role in your life is to make you as
> completely independent as possible and that the introduction of a guide 
> dog
> into your life would do just that. you could also play on their sympathies
> by letting them know you are looking to be able to walk independently with
> friends and thereby depend less on their eyes and more so on your own 
> senses
> coupled with the security and independence a guide would lend to your 
> life.
> Where are you intending on going to college? If you are hoping to go away,
> your parents would need to understand  that a guide would help you to move
> swiftly and securely through a campus ensuring your timely attendance to 
> all
> your classes. Again, maybe a talk with a teacher/principal  might help
> advance your crusade.
>
> 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 Mark J. Cadigan
> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 2:11 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>
> Dan W,
>
> My mom claims to be terrified of dogs, but yet we have a pet dog.  My
> parents claim that a guide dog will smell, then I point out that if you 
> take
>
> care of it properly it won't. Then I point out people we know with guide
> dogs that don't smell. My dad's response to this is to tell this story of
> his friend's son's roommate's friend had a roommate with a smelly guide 
> dog.
>
> This happened so long ago, and is so far removed from the situation that I
> can't see how it possibly has any bearing on the current situation. Also
> that story is so convoluted that is impossible to verify. And the argument
> goes on and on Ad nauseam. It is getting to the point that I think they 
> are
> just attempting to exorcize there ability to make arbitrary decisions.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>
>
>> Well, first question is "Is the reason your parents don't support your
>> idea
>> of getting a dog that they don't like dogs?"--smile.
>> Second of all, what is your parents objection, I mean presumably you're
>> the
>> one who's blind so maybe you might know a little better than they do
>> whether
>> a dog would enhance your lifestyle or not.
>> I'm fortunate that by the time I wanted a dog, my parents had figured out
>> I'd pretty much do what I wanted without permission, so my Dad just asked
>> one or two feeble questions and then left it alone.
>> He asked "Are you sure a dog will be worth the trouble, how do you know
>> it'll work out."
>> I explained that, never having a dog, a guide dog, that is,  I'd need to
>> find it out for myself and I really wanted to take care of the dog and 
>> was
>> ready.
>> When I got home, he admired the dog enormously. But he asked the second
>> day
>> back home if the dog really had to go out with us to breakfast. I said it
>> did, when he seemed to balk I said "I love you Dad, and enjoy going out,
>> but
>> this is important to me and if you don't want my guide dog than I'm 
>> afraid
>
>> I
>> won't be going".
>> Dead silence ensued, and the issue never came up again.  As a matter of
>> fact, my Dad adopted my first hound after he retired and loved him.  The
>> dog, Grant, even went to my Dad's funeral's
>> The only thing I wasn't really ready for was the access issues. Being the
>> brilliant young man I was--smile--it never occurred to me that people
>> would
>> have issues with a dog, I mean access issues to public places.
>>
>> So, tell us more what the problem is and we'll be happy to talk about it.
>> There are some folks on this list who can be very good role models and
>> mentors, I wish there had been such a list when I started out.  But, then
>> I
>> don't think there were such things as computer lists--smile.
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Dan W. and the Carter Dog
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Mark J. Cadigan
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:17 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>
>> Hello list,
>>
>> I am new to this list, and I am thinking of getting a guide dog for when 
>> I
>> go to college. The only problem I am having is convincing my parents that
>> a
>> guide dog is a useful mobility tool.  As you can probably guess, that is 
>> a
>> large obstacle. I am currently in high school, so I have to abide by my
>> parent's wishes, or at least for now. What I am asking for is how best to
>> explain to them, that guide dogs are useful mobility tools, that will
>> enhance my independence rather than detract from it. I have given them
>> literature, DVDs and have attempted to talk to them. Any instructional
>> materiel finds its way into the circular file, and they change the 
>> subject
>> when I talk to them. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Mark
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