[nagdu] Introduction and Questions

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Welcome, Milissa,
I have partial vision and have been a guide dog user for most of the time 
from 1973 to the present.

There are many people who have some vision and are sucessful guide dog 
users.  If the instructors at the school think your vision is interfering 
with the dog's work, they will work you in sleepshades.  Bottom line:  You 
have to learn to trust the dog!  Many adapt to this and some never do. 
Thiose people need to wait for a significant loss of vision before trying a 
dog again.  Don't be afraid to ask.

When using my dog, Landon takes care of the safety issues around traveling 
and I can use my vision for other things like spotting many landmarks or 
watching the scenery. I can walk with my head up and not looking at where 
i'm putting my feet.

I am 61 and am on my 8th guide dog.  I do pet assisted therapy and do 
political work with my Democratic club.  I have a male Lab/Golden cross 
named Landon and he is six years old.  He is from The Seeing Eye in New 
Jersey.

Why did I get a guide dog?  I met my first guide dog in 1971 when I went to 
college in Boston.  My vision was still fairly good except for night vision 
which is non existant.  When I was a kid I rode my bike around like all the 
other kids and visual impairment wasn't such an issue then.  In 1972, after 
graduating from college, I lost a lot of my vision causing me to go to white 
cane usse full time instead of just at night.  My roommate had a guide dog 
and I got to see what it was like realistically and on a day to day basis. 
Having grown up with animals all my life, I had no issue with animal care. 
I liked how much easier it was to navigate crowds with a dog rather than the 
cane that was always being stepped on and people expecting ME to move out of 
their way on the sidewalk.  After almost getting run down by a car and 
stopped by my friend's guide, I made the decision to get my own dog.

Enjoy the list!  Pick our brains!  That is what we are here for - support 
for each other in guide dog use and in trying to decide if a guide dog is 
for you.  Ask anything.  Making the decision to use a dog is a very personal 
one that others cannot make for you (although they seem to try!) and we are 
here to help youi make that decision.  Oh, a book that is excellent for 
people exploring if a dog is for them is Toni and Ed Eames book called "A 
Guide To Guide Dog Schools" and this is available throuoghn the NLS Talking 
Books.  It was written in the 1980s and revised in the mid 1990s.  Toni is 
still around but her husband and co author Ed died a few years ago.  Some of 
the information and resources are outdated but the general body of the book 
is not outdated.

HTH,

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "melissa padron" <fuzzylucky2021 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 7:35 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions


Hello,


I am new to this list so I though I would just start off with an 
introduction and then some questions.

Well, first of all, my name is Melissa and although I am not a guide dog 
user I am a cane user. I'm in college pursuing a degree in psychology and I 
will be moving back to my hometown once I graduate. I'm considered legally 
blind, so I do have vision.

Because of the condition I have, I was not taught to use a cane until my 
senior year of high school. I actually had to fight in order to get cane 
lessons, but since then, I just about take my cane everywhere with me. It 
helps a lot more than using my vision and stressing my eyes....

Now, some questions:

I am not considering getting a guide dog now but I do want to keep it as an 
option if I decide that it would help me in my travels. So my question is, 
what was ultimately you deciding factor in getting a guide dog?
What are some advantages and disadvantages in using a guide dog?
For those of you who have vision, did you encounter problems with the guide 
dog schools saying that a guide dog would not benefit you because you have 
"too much" vision?
Ultimately, this is my greatest fear. I'm scared of encountering criticism 
by guide dog schools and "blindness professionals" about whether a guide dog 
would benefit me or not. A lot of people with my condition function well 
without a cane or a dog so would this be used against me if I were to apply?

I am looking forward to hearing your responses and advice.

Melissa
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