[nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Sat Feb 13 14:18:26 UTC 2010

I don't think a dog would be able to keep up with your friends either.  Not 
all guides are taught the follow command.  If they are taught follow I'd 
advise caution when using it.  Most guides will follow the person to the 
exclusion of all other concerns.  If you tell your dog to follow and your 
friend darts across the street...well I'm not sure about others, but I'm 
pretty firm about never entering the street unless it is at my specific 
command.

Perhaps you and your friends could agree on a place to meet should you 
become separated?   Or I guess the thing that would be more in keeping with 
the times would be to call each other on the cell phone! LOL

HTH
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

>I think a dog would be useful in situations ware I have to negotiate a 
>crowd, or times when I am out in the city. If I am with friends, they 
>usually seem to wander aimlessly. By this I mean, they switch sides of the 
>street, seemingly at random, dart into stores, and whatnot. The only way I 
>can keep up with them is by taking a guide. I feel as if a dog, would allow 
>me to keep up with friends, be useful in crowds and do things such as 
>helping find open seats, doors, and things like that. Also I feel as if a 
>dog is useful socially, people don't seem to be as intimidated by a handler 
>and his dog as they do by a cane. I don't know how a cane is intimidating, 
>it might be the fear of the unknown, but there is a noticeable reaction in 
>people when they see my cane even when it is folded up and under my seat or 
>otherwise out of the way.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC Inc)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 2:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>
>
>> How will a dog help you do that? I ask because you seem like you do just
>> fine with a cane, yet you mention certain things not being available to
>> you, things that other high schoolers have access to. How would a dog
>> give you access to these things?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Mark J. Cadigan
>> Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 1:01 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>
>> By success I meant the ability to travel independently every ware at any
>>
>> time.
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC Inc)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 11:25 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>
>>
>>> Mark, The only secret to your success is you. A dog may help, but a
>> dog
>>> will not make you successful.
>>> Maybe this is what your parents are pushing back against?
>>>
>>> -----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 2:15 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>>
>>> Albert,
>>>
>>> I have had my parents talk to several blind professionals that say
>> that
>>> there dog is the secret to there success, but it hasn't worked yet.
>>> Thanks for your offer
>>> Mark
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- 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 1:54 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful
>>>
>>>
>>>> as a new entrant into the blind community I would be hard pressed to
>>> not
>>>> be
>>>> an advocate for guide dog use over the cane any time any day and any
>>>> where.
>>>> My guide helps me navigate the rigors of new york city seamlessly and
>>>> adeptly. I also never feel insecure or unsure of my path as he is
>>>> extremely
>>>> dependable  and reliable  more so then a cane would or could be in my
>>>> life.
>>>> Maybe your parents would like to call me to get my feedback. I am
>>>> available
>>>> to help you realize your wish for securing a guide. They make  for a
>>> great
>>>> option in mobility and they are true companions in the simplest sense
>>> of
>>>> the
>>>> word. I would also think that moving onto college, that having a
>> guide
>>>
>>>> would
>>>> make perfect sense for oh so many reasons. Peace.
>>>>
>>>> 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 Dan Weiner
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 1:33 PM
>>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>>> 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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>>>> et
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>>>>
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