[nagdu] presentation about blindness

Thu Mar 18 23:24:25 UTC 2010

I think you've said that well, Julie.  I get alot of the same thing - people 
think I'm the "dummy" just along for the ride! LOL!

I also get, "Oh, he must be your best friend."  As if I'm all lonely living 
in a dark world. I respond with, "Well, he's my best CANINE friend to go 
with all my human ones!"

Lyn and Landon
----- 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: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] presentation about blindness

> Mark,
>
> My impressions of sighted people's take on cane vs. dog is probably not 
> very accurate, but I'll give it a go.
>
> I think sighted folks view the dog as taking care of the person.  this is 
> very reassuring to many people.  It's not true, but I think it's the 
> reason why so many newly blind adults are encouraged to get a dog very 
> soon after loosing their vision.   I cannot count the number of times I 
> have told newly blind people that they really need to take some time to 
> learn some skills before getting a dog.  Because a dog isn't going to help 
> you match your clothes, balance your checkbook or tell you when the 
> chicken is done.  the dog will add on additional responsibilities that the 
> person just can't cope with at that time.  An example...if you haven't 
> figured out how to brush your teeth, how are you going to brush the dog? 
> Kind of a harsh reality check.
>
> I also think that sighted people don't understand the fundamental 
> difference between using a cane vs. a dog.  With a cane you need to make 
> contact with your environment to figure it out.  With a dog you figure out 
> the environment by what the dog avoids.  When the cane taps something you 
> know it's there, but the dog will stop or move around the object.  Both 
> work fine, but sighted people are used to no contact, so to them the dog 
> appears to be the preferred method of mobility.
>
> Interesting stuff.  I'm looking forward to hearing how your presentation 
> goes.  I am talking about owner training to the local Lions club next 
> week. I'm glad you brought up the topic.  It's helping me prepare for my 
> presentation too!
>
> 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: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 7:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] presentation about blindness
>
>
>>I am not currently a guide dog user. I am in the application process. But 
>>guide dogs were one of the things they were interested in. another thing 
>>is, I was curious about the sighted impressions of cane users verses dog 
>>users.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Jennifer L Finley" <jenniferfinley at embarqmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:18 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] presentation about blindness
>>
>>
>>> Mark when do you have to give the presentation?  Maby you can show them 
>>> how you use both the cane and the dog.  I use to talk to a pree school 
>>> class, and I got all kinds of questions.  I had a lot of people ask me 
>>> if I could drive.  I showed them how I use my cane, and they wanted to 
>>> try it.
>>> ----- 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: Monday, March 15, 2010 6:11 PM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] presentation about blindness
>>>
>>>
>>>> Does anyone recognize a difference in the way people act towards you 
>>>> when you have a cane verses a dog? What about when you have no 
>>>> blindness mobility devices with you? I have to give a presentation 
>>>> about blindness to a class of 5th graders, and I was wondering how to 
>>>> make them understand that someone with a mobility device is no 
>>>> different than anyone else. I think they are more afraid of the fact 
>>>> that I carry a cane, than the fact that I am blind.
>>>>
>>>> PS why are people so afraid of blindness?
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
>
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