[nagdu] Got a question for the list

Wayne Merritt wcmerritt at gmail.com
Wed May 5 19:47:24 UTC 2010


Mark: I'm not sure you're going to find a study outlining the benefits
of guide dogs like you describe. Yes, one should be done, but it
should be done wiht the right set of circumstances and completely
devoid of any preconceived notions. Unfortunately, those are very hard
to come by. I can think of many resources, some that have already been
mentioned, in addition to having a guide dog owner talk with  your
parents, but in the end it's very likely that these sources are going
to come off as seeming biased to your folks. I've learned that if
someone has their mind set on a particular issue, there's not a lot
you or others can do to change their minds, especially if the person
is not willing to change their mind or consider other viewpoints. Not
saying this about your folks. If your folks aren't open to you having
a dog and you're going to be staying at home and going to college,
then perhaps the dog is not in your immediate future. On the other
hand, if you go off and get a dog anyway, then hopefully they will see
the plusses to guide dogs and be open to bonding with yours. It's
possible they won't and you need to leave yourself open to that
possibility as well.

Jmt,
Wayne

On 5/3/10, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
> Mark, T
> He added work to bennifit ratio is incredibly subjective.
> The added work of a dog was fine for me until I had my daughter. Then it
> became way too much for a bunch of reasons. I've written about this
> on-list but if you email me off-list I can rehash so as to avoid
> repeating myself here.
> A guide dog is at first a dog and they do dog-like stuff I'll say that
> people with pet dogs run into the same issues, so this isn't unique to
> guide dogs.
> As with all things, there are trade-offs. It is very hard to quantify
> guide dogs though because both you and the dog are living beings with
> changing needs, you more so then the dog. A dog may be right for you
> now, but will it be in your 30's when you have a wife and kids? Maybe,
> maybe not. This may explain why finding the type of data you want is
> difficult.
> I don't know how to advise you further. Sounds like you two are having a
> religious war, v. a discussion that you both hope to resolve.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Mark J. Cadigan
> Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 5:31 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Got a question for the list
>
> In response to the points made on this list in no particular order:
>
> I am an 18 year old cane user. My parents haven't stated a valid reason
> for
> not wanting me to have a dog. The only things they say are, the famous
> "I
> said so" and more recently they have clamed that the work of a dog
> outways
> it's usefulnis. My question about the last statement is how they would
> know
> how useful a guide dog is.
>
> I think it is important to convince them rather than going around them
> because I am currently living with them, and will be for the next year
> or
> so. I will also be living at home over vacations and possibly for a
> brief
> time after college.
>
> The type of report I was looking for is a study on effectiveness of
> varying
> mobility aides that clearly states that a dog is superior in certain
> situations or quantifies the added work to additional benefit.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ioana Gandrabur" <igandrabur at gmx.de>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 11:44 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Got a question for the list
>
>
>> HI Mark,
>>
>> Many good points have been made and I have nothing much to add. I do
> think
>> that if you had to live with your parents as you are getting the dog
> them
>> not being for it might cause problems with the dog and also between
> you
>> and
>> them and maybe even you and the dog because of tensions. But since you
> are
>> going away it should be easier and they might even accept the dog
> better
>> once they see how you are doing together. That being said, I also
> would be
>> interested if you would want to share what your parents concerns
> against
>> getting a dog might be.
>>
>> Good luck in finding what's right for you!
>>
>> Ioana
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Cheryl Osborn" <chapalacheryl at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 10:05 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Got a question for the list
>>
>>
>>> Hi Mark,
>>>
>>> I think that the answers given to you on this list are very good.
> But
>>> I have a couple of questions for you.  Do you currently use a white
>>> cane?  And what are the reasons your parents give for not wanting you
>>> to get a guide dog?  Perhaps they have valid reasoning.  I would
> think
>>> that this is a good time for you to get a dog, but I am not familiar
>>> with your situation.
>>>
>>> On 4/30/10, William ODonnell <william.odonnell1 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> Colleges and Universities are required to except or deny you based
> on
>>>> your
>>>> academic credentials only.  In regard to your parents, a boundary
> issue
>>>> can
>>>> come up if you are going to be living at home with them.  If you are
>>>> going
>>>> away to school, both the school has to permit you to have that dog
> and
>>>> your
>>>> parents do not really have a voice in what decision you make about
>>>> getting
>>>> the dog especially when you are of the legal age 18.
>>>>
>>>> --- On Fri, 4/30/10, Mark J. Cadigan <kramc11 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> From: Mark J. Cadigan <kramc11 at gmail.com>
>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Got a question for the list
>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users"
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Date: Friday, April 30, 2010, 8:03 AM
>>>>> Got a question for the list
>>>>> I am still working on convincing my parents to allow me to
>>>>> get a guide dog. I think I am going to apply and let the
>>>>> parents know once I am accepted and already going to a
>>>>> class. I will be leaving for college soon, and believe the
>>>>> only way to get a guide dog is to just go do it. What
>>>>> potential problems are there with this approach? By this I
>>>>> mean, will schools accept me without talking to my parents?
>>>>>
>>>>> I have not given up on convincing my parents. I think the
>>>>> process will be so much smoother with them supporting it.
>>>>> However there support is not a necessity. I will be living
>>>>> away at college and won't be seeing them regularly.
>>>>>
>>>>> Another question I have is, is there any literature out
>>>>> there promoting the use of a guide dog. Most of the
>>>>> literature published by organizations not affiliated with
>>>>> the guide dog schools is either against dogs, or neutral on
>>>>> the subject. Information published by the schools is biased
>>>>> in favor of dogs. My parents highly value the opinions of
>>>>> experts, so I think the key is to find a neutral expert that
>>>>> agrees with me.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for all your help
>>>>> Mark
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nagdu mailing list
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cheryl in Mexico
>>> chapalacheryl at gmail.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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