[nagdu] navigating without your cane

[Marion Gwizdala]

Dear All,
    I think it borders on cruelty to forbid a blind person to use a cane in 
an unfamiliar setting or in a place in which the individual does not have 
absolute control over the environment. This is why NAGDU's  Guide Dog 
Consumers' Bill of Rights, under the section entitled "Equitable Treatment", 
states, "
a.       The consumers freedom of independent travel with a white cane shall 
not be restricted by the training program, unless doing so would interfere 
with the training process or adversely impact other consumers."



Fraternally yours,

Marion





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie Phillipson" <jbrew48 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] navigating without your cane


> ok so I was on the right track, thanks for the more credible explanation. 
> Is it also used to evaluate what dog might be the best match for the 
> person like someone might need a dog to take more initiative then someone 
> else does?
>
> Julie Phillipson
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 1:42 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] navigating without your cane
>
>
>> Julie,
>>
>> One of the reasons guide dog programs ask that you navigate without your
>> cane prior to receiving your dog, say during those first few days on 
>> class,
>> is to in part observe your skill at orientation and mobility and also get
>> you used to not having that cane input as you move around spaces. Most
>> schools have you walk with your dog at heel in the building. When you do
>> progress to harness work indoors, you're used to that form of input, but
>> initially while heeling the dog, you are in charge of movement, 
>> orientation,
>> etc.
>>
>> At GDF we have the dogs guide on leash from the beginning and very rarely 
>> do
>> we ask you to heel your dog and simply walk around.
>>
>> For some people changing the input from the cane to the dog is hard, 
>> harder
>> than they thought. When traveling with a dog, we do lose important sound
>> cues initially, replacing them with others eventually, but we also lose 
>> cues
>> about proximity to obstacles that we have to relearn with new inputs.
>>
>> Hope that makes sense.
>>
>> We do allow people to use their canes in the building prior to receiving
>> their dogs but there are times when we do ask that canes be put away. 
>> Once
>> the dogs are issued, unless someone really needs it, we ask that all 
>> canes
>> other than support canes be put away when working the dogs and when 
>> moving
>> around the building.
>>
>> Jenine Stanley
>> jeninems at wowway.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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