[nagdu] presentation about blindness

Fri Mar 19 14:50:31 UTC 2010

To be fair, I've met some sighted people who use the same language and
feel that their dogs are their best friends. 
When people would say "I bet she helps you so much" I'd sometimes ask
what they meant. Helping isn't always task driven, one can be helped by
someone's simply being there.  My daughter was barely a year old when I
retired my second dog. She helped me greatly by cuddling with me while I
read Cesar Milan's book which was a book I used in my deciding tree, and
also helped me by just sitting with me on the floor and letting me cry
when I'd taken the dog to her new home. 
In all honesty, my daughter was more help then my husband. Husband isn't
a dog person and probably never will be.  He simply doesn't "get it".
My daughter, even as a very young person is a dog person and does
understand. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Linda Gwizdak
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:24 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] presentation about blindness

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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