[nagdu] dog and cane question

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Martha,

No clue about attaching the straight, one-piece cane to something.  When I
was still doing leash work with Mitzi early in her training, I spent way too
much time juggling cane and dog and wondering why I couldn't manage my
stuff.  I found carrying a backpack and using a good fanny pack to be
essential.  I started carry a real purse again once Mitzi was trained and
working, relieved that I could be a real girl again...  Only now I'm looking
for a new, less battered fanny pack to use as a purse, because every time I
bend over to adjust her harness or feel for something, the purse falls off
my shoulder and bangs her on the head.  Or it would if she didn't jump out
of the way every time she thinks I might be about to drop the purse on her
again.  I really pity that poor dog for ending up with me for a handler.
/smile/

Anyway, carrying stuff you will need throughout the day in a good,
comfortable backpack is good, with stuff you might need to get your hands on
during travel in the fanny pack worn backwards...  Which makes it a belly
pack, I guess.

If you're talking about carrying food in the cafeteria sense -- taking a
tray to and from a table or something on that order -- I wish you luck!  I
try to avoid doing that even with just the dog.  Or just the cane.  I'm a
horrible klutz to begin with.  /smile/

Can you use a folding or telescoping cane for when you're using your dog?
It would be with you, on your person, but you don't need to use a hand just
to carry it...  I'm not sure of BLIND, Inc.'s reasoning for insisting on the
white cane at all times, other than to get the students used to having it
with them until it's part of them...  Which makes sense, actually.  Keeps
them from becoming chronic cane losers and leavers like me.  /smile/  I
never get far before I realize my mistake when I bolt out the door without
it, but I always manage to arrange things so I have to dance through any
other humans I'm off to travel with, then the dogs, then I have to find the
cane which I put somewhere, while the dogs dance around in excitement
because I'm back home!  And so soon!  /lol/  Even back when I was still
working, I would find myself getting up from my desk and start walking to
the bathroom, only to hear someone call out laughingly, "Tami! Do you think
you're forgetting something?"  And once I went up to talk to my boss who was
only a few feet away, except that I had to go around a little barrier and up
a couple of stairs, bumping into a stray chair on the way and
absent-mindedly moving it out of the way and into a corner...  Then, after
talking about whatever with the boss, stopping myself just in time at the
top of the steps because I had just realized what I had done, so then I
carefully, carefully, walked down the familiar steps and turned towards my
own desk -- and tripped over the chair which was right where I put it so
nobody would trip over it.  Fortunately, I was only embarrassed, and the
rest of the office felt free to laugh and tease and badger me about
remembering to take the cane, all at the same time.  I love people like
that!

Yet, I have still managed to be using a cane for some reason while shopping
(dog at groomer, probably), lean it against a clothing rack so I can feel
the clothes with both hands, feel my way around, and move on to the next
rack and, then follow a helper or whoever I'm shopping with, feeling my way
along without noticing that anything is missing, until I bend enough to drop
the purse and reach to check my dog...  /lol/  I'm generally with DD when I
pull that one (I'm sure I will again), and he just sighs in exasperation
because now we have go try to find the stupid cane because neither of us
remembers where I left it, then he just starts laughing.

So the insistence that you keep your cane on you at all times or else is
certainly a good idea, because it is the sort of thing you should keep with
out at all times.  /smile/  Since you'll be working your guide dog for
travel, though, it does seem it would be more convenient if you could use a
folding or telescoping cane to use as a straight cane the rest of the time.

I did the dog and cane combo on a shopping excursion a week or so ago --
Mitzi had very slight injury, not enough to warrant leaving her home, but I
wanted to give her a day before I did even light work with her -- and it was
a nightmare!  I had forgotten how impossible it is to try to identify things
with my fingers or hold the couple of things I was there to by or...  I
could just hear Mitzi thinking, "Oh, great. Something *else* for her to drop
on my head." /lol/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Martha Harris
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:09 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] dog and cane question

Hi,
I am attending BLIND Inc. in May for the 6-9 month program. One of the
requirements is to always have the straight cane at all times. Is there any
way to attach it to something? I will be working Dee to and from the center,
but carrying the cane leaves no free hands for food, groceries, ETC.

Thanks,
Martha
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