[nagdu] [Nagdu] Walking in a blind person's shoes, at The Seeing Eye in Morris Township

Wed Nov 30 16:46:28 UTC 2011

Tami, I would rather be in the care of my dog than some of the folks I know! 
At least the dogs only want as compensation food, water shelter and 
affection.  No telling what other folks motives for helping are?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tami Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] [Nagdu] Walking in a blind person's shoes, at The 
Seeing Eye in Morris Township


> Buddy,
>
> This member of Cynics Anonymous would have to agree. Sigh. Not everybody 
> sees our dogs and us as you describe, but too many do. They see our 
> friends and our children in the same way.
>
> So long as we have a keeper, we are Somebody Else's Problem, so they are 
> safe from having to worry about us. /grin/
>
> Tami
>
> On 11/29/2011 03:08 PM, Buddy Brannan wrote:
>> Perhaps nit picking, but I really don't think that sighted people see 
>> those of us who use guide dogs as more independent than those of us who 
>> don't. No, in fact, they think that the dogs "take care of us", to use 
>> one turn of phrase. And, since our dogs are "taking care of us", or "know 
>> where we're going", or what have you, that means that they don't have to 
>> be as responsible for our well-being as they otherwise would have to be. 
>> So, in their minds, our dependence is just placed somewhere else.
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>
>>
>>
>> On Nov 29, 2011, at 12:33 PM, Marsha Drenth wrote:
>>
>>> In the perspective that most blind people use the long white cane, and 
>>> that
>>> society views them as helpless. But that society sees those of us who 
>>> use a
>>> guide dog as more independent. Not to say that we are any different 
>>> either
>>> way either using a cane or a guide dog, its just the way that society 
>>> views
>>> us. Yes our dogs are warm and fuzzy. Yes to some extent, our dogs do 
>>> have an
>>> internal GPS. Yes, this does not help us in the same respect that it 
>>> tells
>>> us where to go, and gives us instructions on how to get there. But to 
>>> some
>>> extent our dogs can say we walk two blocks north and then turn right. 
>>> They
>>> can make the decision to go around a bench, or an open man hole. In the
>>> simple sense they are a GPS. As the handlers we must need to know where 
>>> we
>>> are going, we must know how many blocks to walk north, and then which 
>>> way to
>>> turn, to instruct that guide. But because we can't see the bench or the 
>>> open
>>> man hole, our guides are doing that work for us. We as guide dog users 
>>> have
>>> that advantage over cane users, in that our dogs can be patterned to 
>>> routes.
>>> And as we all know this can be a good and bad thing. This is not an 
>>> argument
>>> over which is better, just views.
>>>
>>> I am not sure what the dog's internal GPS system is called or if it even 
>>> has
>>> a name. But how many of us have been completely lost? How many of us 
>>> have
>>> gotten off the bus at the wrong stop? Or have been let off at the wrong
>>> house or business by a cab driver? Yes it's a combination of skills we 
>>> use
>>> to figure this out, but to give our guides some credit; they do know 
>>> where
>>> they are all of the time.
>>>
>>> One example in particular. My first guide, Heather, and I had just moved 
>>> to
>>> a new area. One very late night I got off the bus, I asked the driver to 
>>> let
>>> me know when to get off, even describing the stop. I counted stops, and 
>>> then
>>> arrived, got off. And the bus when on its way. I soon realized that I 
>>> was
>>> not at my stop. I had never been to this area, never had been on that 
>>> bus
>>> late at night. Once we figured out that I wasn't at the stop I should 
>>> have
>>> been, I had no clue how to get home. I knew I needed to be home, but 
>>> where
>>> that was not clear to me. So we started walking, turned around several
>>> times, walked about 30 blocks, in subfreezing temperatures, and finally 
>>> got
>>> home. I would like to think that my guide had an internal GPS. Maybe 
>>> that is
>>> an extraordinary situation, maybe our dogs aren't supposed to have 
>>> internal
>>> GPS, but to some extent I do think they do.
>>>
>>> The quote in question probably was not a good thing to say in an article
>>> where sighted folks do not understand what I just explained. But it did
>>> sound cute to me.
>>>
>>> IMO
>>> Marsha
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Jewel
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 11:26 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Walking in a blind person's shoes, at The Seeing 
>>> Eye in
>>> Morris Township
>>>
>>> Marsha,
>>> Could you explain what it is you like about the quote? It's the one
>>> part of the article I objected to most, since it leans on the
>>> misconception that guide dogs are the ones plotting the course and the
>>> blind person is just along for the ride.
>>>
>>> My thoughts,
>>> Jewel
>>>
>>> On 11/28/11, Marsha Drenth<marsha.drenth at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>>> I love this quote, " A guide dog is simply the warm and fuzzy
>>>> version of a GPS system."
>>>>
>>>> Marsha
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>>> Behalf
>>>> Of Ginger Kutsch
>>>> Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 8:40 AM
>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Walking in a blind person's shoes,at The Seeing Eye in
>>>> Morris Township
>>>>
>>>> Walking in a blind person's shoes, at The Seeing Eye in Morris Township
>>>>
>>>> Posted by Morristown Green Contributor on November 28, 2011 .
>>>>
>>>> By Berit A. Ollestad
>>>>
>>>> Source:
>>>>
>>> http://morristowngreen.com/2011/11/28/walking-in-a-blind-persons-shoes-at-th
>>>> e-seeing-eye-in-morris-township/
>>>>
>>>> It's not until most of us are faced with adversity that we see things 
>>>> with
>>> a
>>>> different perspective. What are some of the basic challenges 
>>>> confronting
>>>> blind people?  I did not want to wait for adversity to find out.
>>>>
>>>> When I decided to accept an invitation to be blindfolded and navigate
>>> around
>>>> The Seeing Eye's Morris Township campus with a guide dog, I was quite
>>>> surprised at the varied range of emotions I experienced during the
>>>> experiment.
>>>>
>>>> I had looked forward to the opportunity, because it promised to take me
>>> far
>>>> from my comfort zone. It's important to mention what inspired me to 
>>>> delve
>>>> deeper into The Seeing Eye School and its training program. As I wrote 
>>>> in
>>> my
>>>> prior article, the mere mention of The Seeing Eye School evokes intense
>>>> curiosity and bewilderment among residents. Here in Morristown, The 
>>>> Seeing
>>>> Eye is an integral part of the town's history and daily life, yet no 
>>>> one
>>>> seems to know that much about the organization.
>>>>
>>>> Photos by Berit Ollestad. Please click icon below for captions.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> When I arrived in The Seeing Eye lobby, I was greeted by a roaring fire
>>> and
>>>> the smell of cinnamon wafting through the air. Immediately, I felt 
>>>> right
>>> at
>>>> home. Doug Bohl, senior manager for instruction and training for more 
>>>> than
>>>> 20 years, greeted me along with Craig Garretson, communications 
>>>> manager.
>>>>
>>>> But the one I was most anxious to meet would be my lifeline, the one I
>>> would
>>>> depend on to keep me safe and guide me over the next couple of hours:
>>>> Alcott,  my Seeing Eye Dog.
>>>>
>>>> When I first saw Alcott, a petite golden retriever just shy of 2 years
>>> old,
>>>> I knew she had the confidence and calmness required to get the job 
>>>> done. I
>>>> got down on the floor with her and talked and caressed her silky fur,
>>> hoping
>>>> to create a rapport in a brief amount of time.
>>>>
>>>> Alcott was trained by Peggy McKenna, a trainer at The Seeing Eye for 
>>>> more
>>>> than seven years.  Alcott was eligible to be selected during the last
>>> class
>>>> of students to go thru The Seeing Eye. But for some reason she was not
>>>> paired with a student; she will have another opportunity when classes
>>> resume
>>>> in late January.
>>>>
>>>> Peggy started out working in the kennels.  Her love for each dog she
>>> trains
>>>> is immeasurable. "The moment one of the dogs I am training does 
>>>> something
>>>> that he/she has clearly learned in training, there are no words to
>>> describe
>>>> the feeling that it gives me," she said.
>>>>
>>>> As one can imagine, it is only natural to feel sadness when one of your
>>> dogs
>>>> gets placed with a student and is no longer part of your daily routine.
>>> But
>>>> Peggy was quick to point out that her mission is meaningful and 
>>>> rewarding.
>>>> "I feel so fortunate to do something I love," she said.
>>>>
>>>> Completing the circle, Peggy married fellow trainer Brian McKenna last
>>>> month.
>>>>
>>>> WALKING WITH ALCOTT
>>>>
>>>> As I attempted to take Alcott's harness gingerly in my hand, I tried to
>>>> acclimate to my new (albeit temporary) status of being blind. This may 
>>>> not
>>>> sound difficult, but imagine my surprise as I rooted around for her
>>> harness
>>>> and recognized I was at the wrong end.
>>>>
>>>> My initial reaction was to rip off the blindfold because I felt so
>>>> vulnerable. But suddenly, by default, I noticed my other senses taking
>>> over.
>>>> The air smelled crisper and the sounds around me became clearer.
>>>>
>>>> Although blindness is labeled as a disability, I would prefer to call 
>>>> it
>>> an
>>>> inconvenience. It surprised me how quickly I started to function in my 
>>>> new
>>>> alternate reality. Granted, I was on a closed course with an instructor
>>>> close by my side, yet I still felt surprisingly normal.
>>>>
>>>> As Alcott and I ventured around the campus, I quickly realized that I
>>> needed
>>>> to pay closer attention to her cues. This was never more evident than 
>>>> when
>>>> she was indicating by her refusal to go forward that there was danger
>>> ahead
>>>> in the form of a pothole.
>>>>
>>>> My first reaction was to gently tug on her leash and command her "to 
>>>> go."
>>> It
>>>> wasn't until Doug pointed out that she was practicing one of the
>>> principles
>>>> she was taught: "Intelligent disobedience."
>>>>
>>>> Though I was commanding her to go forward, she recognized the danger 
>>>> ahead
>>>> and ignored me. I couldn't help but be reminded that if you are someone
>>> used
>>>> to being in control, this will be humbling.
>>>>
>>>> Sighted people make safety decisions based on their subconscious 
>>>> awareness
>>>> when they are walking about town. I'm sure if someone were to ask how 
>>>> many
>>>> potholes you averted on South Street you wouldn't have a clue. Yet for
>>>> someone who is blind, potholes are a major hazard. That is why guide 
>>>> dogs
>>>> are taught to make conscious decisions for blind individuals.
>>>>
>>>> "Guide dogs are not taught to do certain things in particular 
>>>> situations.
>>> We
>>>> teach them to evaluate what is the safer option when given a choice to
>>> make
>>>> the safest decision," according to Doug.
>>>>
>>>> Working with dogs, I found, is much like working with small children. 
>>>> The
>>>> dogs are brought into town daily for their training sessions, which
>>> average
>>>> 45 minutes per day. Anything past that and you risk losing the dog's
>>>> attention.
>>>>
>>>> For trainers to get an idea of what would be an appropriate pace for 
>>>> each
>>>> student, trainers mimic a guide dog by placing a harness over 
>>>> themselves
>>> and
>>>> allowing students to "guide them."  This lets them gauge their normal
>>> pace,
>>>> for choosing the appropriate dog.  Students are assigned a dog after 
>>>> they
>>>> are at The Seeing Eye for two days.
>>>>
>>>> After following behind Peggy with the rookie Coach and the seasoned
>>> Alcott,
>>>> I determined that the training itself isn't the difficult part.
>>> Essentially
>>>> the dogs are taught very few commands. Verbal commands such as left,
>>> right,
>>>> hup-hup ("let's go") and a few specialized ones seemed to be the extent 
>>>> of
>>>> it.
>>>>
>>>> The trainer also will use hand signals in conjunction with verbal 
>>>> commands
>>>> if traffic noise, construction, etc.,  prevents the dog from hearing
>>> verbal
>>>> commands. The primary principle the dog is taught is to take the blind
>>>> person from the beginning of a street to the end of the street. The dog
>>> then
>>>> will await the person's command to go forward or turn left or right.
>>>>
>>>> At the risk of sounding silly, I always had wondered how guide dogs 
>>>> seemed
>>>> to know exactly where they were going. After speaking to a handful of
>>>> different people I realized I wasn't alone in my line of thinking. As 
>>>> Doug
>>>> explained to me, "When you are getting in your car and heading to 
>>>> Newark
>>>> Airport, you need to have an idea of how to get there before you start
>>> out.
>>>> The car will get you there, but you need to know how to drive it 
>>>> there."
>>>>
>>>> It then all made sense to me: A guide dog is simply the warm and fuzzy
>>>> version of a GPS system. Doug then told me to close my eyes for a 
>>>> minute
>>> and
>>>> give him directions on how to get to my house from the airport. This
>>>> illustrated how blind persons are just as capable of visualizing
>>> directions
>>>> as I am.
>>>>
>>>> At the conclusion of my experience, I could see how being blind might 
>>>> be
>>>> considered a gift as well. It gives each of us the ability to relate to
>>> each
>>>> another with a slightly different perspective, and to relate to the 
>>>> world
>>>> differently.
>>>>
>>>> I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to 
>>>> everyone
>>>> at The Seeing Eye School for the kindness shown to me, and for the
>>>> opportunity to learn about the school.  The Seeing Eye is a vibrant and
>>>> valuable part of our community;  I encourage everyone to reach out and 
>>>> get
>>>> to know our neighbors a little better.
>>>>
>>>> Berit Ollestad and Alcott, a Seeing Eye Dog who guided Berit around The
>>>> Seeing Eye's Morristown campus. Berit wore a blindfold to experience
>>>> training as a blind person would.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>>
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