[nagdu] navigating without your cane

[Julie J.]

Jenine,

Thanks for the explanation.  I have no issue with people choosing to 
move about without cane or dog.  I just hope it's a choice.  I'm glad to 
hear that GDF doesn't restrict cane use before getting the dog.

Thanks!
Julie
On 10/8/2011 3:04 PM, Jenine Stanley wrote:
> Julie J., this is why I don't think there's as much emphasis put on
> observing how you move without cane or dog on the match, but it's more for
> you to learn to pay attention to cues other than those of the cane as you do
> move. As I said, GDF no longer requires you to put away your cane though
> many people do. Also, remember that you are going to be moving, in the case
> of the guide dog class experience, indoors around an area where you will be
> living for the next several weeks. It's kind of like moving around your home
> or hotel floor during convention week. You might not venture down into the
> lobby without a cane or dog but you may go to the soda machine without
> either.
>
> When I go to GDF for work, I often move around the Administrative building,
> which includes 3 floors of offices and the Student Residence which covers 2
> floors, without a cane or dog. If I'm running between the braille embosser
> which is on one floor and our office on another, I'll often leave my dog in
> our office and make that run sans anything.
>
> Has this resulted in some uhm, interesting situations? Oh sure. Luckily I
> haven't embarrassed myself too much though.<grin>
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 3:06 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] navigating without your cane
>
> Jenine,
>
> I can understand the part about getting used to not having the input
> from the cane.  It is very different from a dog.  It does take some
> getting used to the new information you will get from the dog.  However
> taking a cane away without the input from the dog doesn't make sense to
> me.  You won't be getting used to the information you are getting from
> the dog if you aren't working it yet.  You need some sort of information
> from somewhere.
>
> I also don't think taking a cane away is a good test of orientation and
> mobility skills.  I'll use myself as an example.  I am comfortable with
> either dog or cane.  I travel confidently and easily with either.  Of
> course I feel I get more information from a guide and I can get a dog to
> do a lot the cane can't.  Anyway if I have neither dog or cane outside
> of my home, I move about extremely slowly, cautiously and probably look
> like the proverbial Magoo.  It's rather embarrassing really.
>
> Watching me move about without dog or cane would leave a person
> wondering if I should be let out of my house alone, set aside the whole
> issue of what sort of guide dog would best fit my needs.   Perhaps I'm
> in the minority here and others move about easily and comfortably
> without a cane or dog.  I don't know.  It seems that if this was the
> case, though, that there would be a lot of blind folks traveling about
> without a mobility tool of some variety.  Not many do that I know of.
>
> The short story is I'm not comfortable moving about outside of my home
> without a guide dog, cane or sighted guide. Others may feel differently,
> that's okay.   This will be something for me to keep in mind if I do
> decide to attend a guide dog program someday.
>
> Thanks for the explanation,
> Julie
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jeninems%40wowway.com
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3943 - Release Date: 10/07/11
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>