[nagdu] Questions About Guide Dogs

Thu Sep 1 00:49:55 UTC 2011

I had trouble with the transition. First of all, the first dog I had was a bit of a problem for me, but I was impatient. I would rather reach out and find things with my cane instead of having the dog work around them. I had a lot of fear that the dog wouldn't stop at curbs and steps. That is all a part of learning to be a team and developing trust--yours in the dog and the dog's in you and its understanding of what you want. 
Cindy

On Aug 31, 2011, at 6:02 PM, Tatyana wrote:

> Dear Buddy,
> You are explaining well about macro and micorview. Frankly I can't imagine
> that I totally rely on a dog and not use my cane. It's something very
> different and obviously it takes time to retrain brain from micro to macro.
> I would like to hear stories from somebody  who had difficulties with such a
> transition. And thank you all again.
> Tatyana.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Buddy Brannan" <buddy at brannan.name>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 10:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Questions About Guide Dogs
> 
> 
>> Hi Larry,
>> 
>> Yeah, these guys are great in what they can be taught. Given patience,
>> time, and some training tricks you're likely to learn at guide dog school
>> and pick up along the way here and elsewhere, a dog's ability to learn new
>> skills is amazing.
>> 
>> I do think it's important to discuss the differences in orientation with a
>> dog versus with a cane. While you will use many of the same skills, such
>> as finding landmarks and using environmental clues to determine where you
>> are in space, the landmarks and clues you use with a dog will of necessity
>> often be very different from the ones you use with a cane. A cane will
>> give you a lot of tactile landmarks, and you get a very in-depth idea of
>> your very immediate surroundings. This way, you can know that you turn
>> into the second driveway after the third mailbox on your right. Or, you
>> can know that just past the bench at shin level, there is a trash can, and
>> just past that you'll find a bus stop pole. These kinds of things aren't
>> as easy to do with a dog. Since your dog will treat things in your path as
>> obstacles, you can't very well use them as landmarks, so you have to use
>> other things, such as the change in acoustics (for instance, are you under
>> an overhanging roof or not), changing in pavement texture, and the like,
>> not to mention estimating distances to things. As time goes on, you'll
>> even learn to use things like your dog's reaction as environmental clues
>> unfamiliar routes. Strange but true. I think someone said that with a dog,
>> you've got more of a macro view of your surroundings, where using a cane
>> gives you a micro view, or a more detailed view. Some people don't care
>> about that, while others may well feel very lost without all of the very
>> immediate tactile information one gets from a cane. I say there's a place
>> for both. Sometimes the close-in tactile world is a great tool for
>> teaching your dog something new, but sometimes that same view gets in the
>> way and slows you down. I'm sure I'm not explaining this well at all.
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Aug 30, 2011, at 9:48 PM, Larry D. Keeler wrote:
>> 
>>> My neighborhood is very walkable as well.  My mobility is pretty good.  I
>>> like working with my Holly for a few reasons.  We can move really fast
>>> and not have to worry about bumping into anything.  For instance, I have
>>> to transfer busses often.  I try to run to catch the next bus and bump,
>>> bump, bump!!  I would have to have a head like a musk ox to survive all
>>> of those posts I bump into.  And a 30 foot cane to hit them in time to
>>> stop!  I haven't hit 1 post with Holly!  Also, Holly is just a great
>>> companion!  I forgot, she also will go around those cars who insist on
>>> sticking out in stopped traffic and finding those curb cuts quickly.  And
>>> she also finds the push button lights and now, the sheltered bus stops!
>>> I'm trying to think of a way she can find the bus stops that are not
>>> sheltered.
>>> Intelligence is always claimed but rarely proven!
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>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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