[nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Sat Feb 13 16:09:45 UTC 2010

My dog was taught the follow command, and it is a great option in a very
crowded area. The leader or person we are following will intermittently
snap their fingers and say follow and then I give the command to follow and
the rest is a piece of cake. it is and has a great option in my mobility.

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: Saturday, February 13, 2010 10:56 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

Does the Seeing Eye teach the follow command? Also, anyone have experiences 
with GPS and guide dogs?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 9:18 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Explaining to parents that guide dogs are useful

>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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>>>> pot.
>>>>> org
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> om
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>>
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