[nagdu] Introduction and Questions

[Nicole B. Torcolini at Home]

One other thing that I forgot to add. If you think that your orientation and 
mobility skills could still be improved, I would strongly recommend getting 
more training before getting a dog. Most guide dog schools expect you to 
have good orientation and mobility skills.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 8:19 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions


> Melissa,
>
>    Welcome to NAGDU. My name is Nicole, and my female black lab from GDB 
> is Lexia. I am a senior in college.
>
> To answer your questions:
> I decided to get a guide dog because I find traveling with one faster and 
> smoother. That being said, you do need to have the time, money, and other 
> resources to take care of a dog, but, for me, it is definitely worth it.
>
>    Anyone who is legally blind can get a guide dog. Here is the one thing, 
> though. When you are using the dog, you need to follow the dog, not your 
> eyes. The place where some people have trouble is when they try to use 
> their vision when they are using their dogs, and what the dog thinks is 
> right and what you think is right may be two different things. Some 
> schools provide blindfolds to help people with remaining vision get used 
> to trusting the dog. I have a tiny bit of remaining vision, but I'm sure 
> not nearly as much as you do. I often use my vision to look for landmarks, 
> but I always trust my dog when it comes to leading me around things.
>
> HTH,
> Nicole and Lexia
>
>
>
> ----- 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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