[nagdu] a cane and dog discussion

[Dan Weiner]

All right, here I go with my take on it though what I said earlier still
applies, I don't care what tool people use and I don't care about their
skills, I take people as human beings, and I don't think that people need to
measure up to some standard.

I know how to use both but a dog, a properly trained one and the right match
for an individual, can do things a cane just doesn't.

There are walks I take with a dog that I wouldn't take with a cane.
First of all  just having a dog made me actually want to go on walks.
Before that walking or not was just a means to an end and one I would have
been glad to avoid--smile.


I, of course have needed t use a cane since then and though I know how to
use it, I do a lot of things that I might not do with a dog, veer, or just
simply get lost--smile.
I have a hearing issue in one ear and it plays havoc with orientation.

All right, some people just don't want the responsibility of having a dog
and that's perfectly all right.
However, even the best cane travelers I've seen will improve their travel
with a dog, in other words, just because you're a great cane traveler it
doesn't mean that a dog might not benefit you in some way.
I hear a lot of smug cane users say "oh, well if I had some other handicap
I'd want a dog, but I don't need one".  Well, of course, you don't in quotes
"need" one, but as I've said I've seen some great cane travelers who benefit
from having a pair of canine eyes to help them out--smile


When you have a dog you're working with a living thing, and it's team work,
so some people just can't adjust to that and I respect their honesty in
admitting that.

The feeling of freedom I have when I'm taking a nice brisk walk with my dog
and it's going great is something, though, that I never had with a cane, so
I'll be sticking with  a dog  for a long time, I suspect.

I think that, based on my reactions when I've been between dogs or when my
dogs are sick, that I would really miss it.


What I'm tired of though, and I see this in our NFB or at least I used to,
is this spirit of competition, cane users feeling they had to compete or
justify.
I'd say something good about what my dog does and I'd get the response:

"I can do that with my cane", well, big deal, do I really give a
shoot?--smile
What I mean is, I'm not trying to compete but I have a right to say that I
have been benefited by the use of a dog.  Well, someone who gets good cane
training certainly has a right to talk about how it's benefited them too and
I don't object.
So, let's all use what works and just deal with it.

I've noticed something, ever seen in the monitor a picture of a person with
their guide dog and it's John Smith with his guide dog, the dog never has a
name and it almost seems like you're not supposed to say anything that would
give your dog personality?   

Just my take on it.


Is that helpful or do I need to give you more concrete examples?

Dan and Carter Dog