[nagdu] A Guide To Guide Dog Schools was Introduction and Questions

Lyn Gwizdak linda.gwizdak at cox.net
Thu Feb 2 21:53:04 UTC 2012 

I have no more ideas!  Does anyone know if Toni Eames is still on the list? 
She might know more of what to do.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brenda" <bjnite at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2012 12:45 PM
Subject: [nagdu] A Guide To Guide Dog Schools was Introduction and Questions


> Well I can't fiond it on the national Library System for Ohio.  Any other 
> ideas on where I can find this book?
> Brenda
>
>
>
> On 2/2/2012 2:21 PM, Cindy Ray wrote:
>> Bard is the website at National Library Service for the Blind and 
>> Physically Handicapped to download digital books if you don't want to 
>> check out the cartridges from your lending library.
>>
>> Cindy
>>
>> On Feb 2, 2012, at 11:44 AM, Lyn Gwizdak wrote:
>>
>>> I don't know what NLS BARD is.  I know that the Braille Institute NLS 
>>> Library in LA has it.  Ed Eames did write another book about service 
>>> dogs which I haven't read.
>>>
>>> Lyn and Landon
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brenda"<bjnite at windstream.net>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
>>> Users"<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:11 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions
>>>
>>>
>>>> I just looked on NLS BARD and could not find the book under the 
>>>> author's last name or the tityle.  There was another book by Ed Eames 
>>>> about service dogs.  I hope someone can point us in the right direction 
>>>> for reading this book.
>>>>
>>>> On 2/1/2012 6:22 PM, Lyn Gwizdak wrote:
>>>>> 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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