[nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane

Fri Feb 4 11:40:13 UTC 2011

I am glad to hear that there are other dog users who see the benefits of a 
cane. I think that if I can do a route comfortably with either dog or cane I 
am truly oriented. In October when Fredimae (pronounced Freddie May) had 
cancer surgery, I continued every aspect of my normal routine with my cane. 
The environment sure looks different with a cane, doesn't
it?

Sandy, with Freddie

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 1:59 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane

> Not using your cane when healing your dog is silly. If my memory serves, 
> GDB wants you to use your cane when healing your dog, as we were not 
> allowed to use our dogs inside for quite a while.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "GARY STEEVES" <rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 12:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane
>
>
>> Hi:
>>
>> I think there are a couple of factors that go into the comment 
>> "forgetting how to use a cane". The first is that many people getting 
>> their first dog are relatively newly blinded. From what I've seen this 
>> means that many of these people may have minimal cane skills and/or 
>> comfort getting around with a cane. (please no one come down on me I am 
>> making broad genearlizations). So this can lead to the secdon issue which 
>> is lack of, or a loss in, confidence using your cane.
>>
>> I have noticed this since getting a dog. I too have used a cane for too 
>> many years to count and get around very well with said cane. However, 
>> after having a dog for only 8 months I find many things I do much easier 
>> with the dog. For example, I had to go pick up my girlfriend after a 
>> small surgery. We had decided to not bring the dog for this since the 
>> process was going to be complicated enough as it was. But when I was 
>> leaving Bogart at home and grabbing Aregon, my super long and strong 
>> cane, I realized that Bogart would have done many things better at the 
>> hospital setting. getting out of the cab he would have just found the 
>> main entrance without any problems, Probably could have found the 
>> elevator as well as I did but would have had me feeling more confident 
>> moving through the crowded hallways. On the other hand having to push my 
>> girfriends wheelchair while she gave me directions and helping her into 
>> the cab et al would have had Bogart being a bit in the way.
>>
>> Last week, while Bogart was at the  groomers getting all prettied up I 
>> had some errands to do after hockey practice. I was using Jasper, my 
>> shorter guiding cane since it folds up smaller, and going to the bank. I 
>> do this route every week with bogart with my giant hockey bag on my back. 
>> I had no problmes walking confidently like I always have but I think it 
>> took a bit more mental work to remind myself how I worked with my cane.
>>
>> At my school I asked them about using the cane when I walked my dog. They 
>> said that in no way could you use your cane and the dog together. This 
>> anoyed me since I think a dog needs to go for little walks just on a 
>> leash and having the chance to sniff and smell. So in my normal way of 
>> doing things, when I got home I started walking Bogart  with my cane if 
>> he was on leash and this was a "dog"walk time. When my trainer came for a 
>> visit I asked her why did they say that there was no way people could use 
>> a cane and their dog together since, obviusly I was. She said that some 
>> dogs are really freaked out by the cane. fair enough, but why don't you 
>> let the students try this at the school to see how their dog will react 
>> so we know what to expect when we come home. Seemed weird to me.Of 
>> course, I'm using my cane slightly different when walking Bogart. Mostly 
>> for edging with sweeps just to my right and in front of me. Bogart is 
>> walking on my left so it is usually easy to figure out what's going on 
>> there.
>>
>> So if a school told me to give up my cane when I walked in then I'd have 
>> a bit of an issue. Hmm, I guess my school sort of did that since once we 
>> got the dogs we were walking around the small campus just with our dogs 
>> and it was many  days before they were in harness guiding us around. Oh 
>> well, it all worked out and once I got home I just figured out what 
>> worked best for the two of us. I really enjoy the times, like when I go 
>> to my monday night jazz jam, when I leave bogart at home an me and my 
>> trusted cane head out to the bar. It's a nice break to just hop on a bus, 
>> fold up my cane and put on my music without trying to organize my dog. :) 
>> However, I'd miss him if that happened too much.
>>
>> Gary
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecable.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/finleyknits%40gmail.com 