[nagdu] Introduction and Questions

Larry D. Keeler lkeeler at comcast.net
Sun Jan 29 15:55:19 UTC 2012


Hannah, you should be getting out of there this week!  Hope everything goes 
well!  Question, is your poodles tail docked?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hannah Chadwick" <sparklylicious at suddenlink.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2012 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions


Welcome to the list Melissa! My name is Hannah and I'm currently training at
Pilot Dogs in Columbus, Ohio. I've had about 6.5 years of orientation and
mobility training and used my cane through all of high school. I have some
usable vision so at first it was difficult for me to trust my poodle, but in
the last 3 weeks, I've gotten more and more used to having my guide. I'm
starting college in the fall so I thought having a dog would be a great
companion and I feel that I'm ready for a dog. I'm always eager for new
challenges and learning to work with a guide was something I've been curious
about for a few years.
Cheers, Hannah and Princess

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of melissa padron
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:33 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions

I absolutely love poodles. I have two poodles of my own and I would
absolutely love a poodle guide dog! They are such characters...!

Melissa


________________________________
 From: Larry D. Keeler <lkeeler at comcast.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:26 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions

Mellissa, I decided to get a guide dog mostly just because I like dogs!
Especially poodle breeds. I never gave up my cane work but I mostly find
that I can move a lot faster and bump into fewer objects. But, I do belive
the firsrt and most important thing is that you must like dogs! Well,
secondarily, that the dog shouldn't be your only means of getting aroubnd.
Some folks may not aggree with me but many do. For instance, if its really
inconveniant to take your dog with you, you can easily slip backto the cane!
----- Original Message ----- From: "melissa padron"
<fuzzylucky2021 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 6:13 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions


Thanks Julie!

That's an interesting way to decide on getting a guide dog... I'm actually
curious about it as well.

I truly understand the advantages. I've heard other guide dog users at my
college say that it's a lot faster than traveling with a cane. Also, I have
two pet dogs (a toy and a miniature poodle) so I understand the care and
maintenance involved. It would just be a couple times larger than what I'm
use to! Lol.

When I was younger I always thought that completely blind people used canes
and guide dogs and read Braille. And here I am using a cane, considering a
guide dog, and teaching myself Braille! I believe it's lack of education of
"blindness professionals." A majority of them are sighted and have no type
of visual impairment so they really wouldn't understand what would help a
person with some vision.

Melissa


________________________________
From: Julie J. <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:03 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions

Melissa,

Welcome! It's really good to have you here! I'm Julie, one of the
moderators. I'm working with Monty my lab and Boxer mix guide. I'll answer
your questions to the best of my ability and experience.

1. What made me decide to work with a guide dog?
Lots of things, but I think the main thing was curiosity. Weird, I know. I
had heard a lot of claims about how fabulous working with a guide was and
how it would make me more confident and an a better traveler and on and on
and on. I wanted to find out for myself.

2. Advantages and disadvantages.   A lot of the things people said that a
guide could do did turn out to be true for me. Snow travel is much easier
with a dog. Overhanging tree branches are easier to avoid with a dog. A dog
can find things with a simple request, like an empty seat, a door outside,
an elevator etc. They also remember places you've been before and make
suggestions based on past experience. I move a bit faster with a dog
outdoors, inside it's about the same as with a cane.

Disadvantages for me are that sometimes I'm not aware of things in my
environment because the dog takes me right past, whereas with a cane I would
have probably contacted it. There's more cleaning of the house too. The bits
of dog hair that escape the grooming session and the mud they drag in on
their feet in the spring. Depending on the particular dog you may need to
make sure you don't leave food within reach or a trashcan without a lid. And
of course there's that whole picking up poop thing. It's not that big of a
deal, but I think if I'm to be really brutally honest, I'd really rather not
pick up poop. *smile* There are also the occasional access issues to deal
with. I've only ever had one issue, which was easily corrected with a bit of
explanation. Other people have varying levels of problems with being told no
dog.

A couple of things that are neutral for me. A dog requires a lot more daily
maintenance than a cane. There's food, water, grooming, playing, and making
sure the training is consistent. I've always had dogs since I was a little
kid. This daily stuff is just a part of life for me. I would have pet dogs
that required the same sorts of things if I didn't have a guide. So it's not
really an advantage or disadvantage for me. Although I really do enjoy
teaching them new things.

another thing that is noteworthy with a guide dog is that you will spend
more time interacting with the public.   Sometimes this is nice. If the
person is someone I'd like to get to know it helps get the conversation
going. Also if I'm in a waiting room or in line somewhere and small talk is
socially expected the guide dog is usually an easy topic for everyone.   And
the flip side to this is that there are some strange folks out there. I've
met some people who were enthralled with my guide dog to the point of
downright inappropriateness. There are people who know my dog's name, but
not mine.   There are people who ask after my dog, but never ask how my day
is going.

3. level of vision and a guide.
I've never attended a guide dog program so I don't have any direct knowledge
of how this is a factor in the determination of suitability. I know that for
a long time that guide dogs were perceived as appropriate for only totally
blind people. I think this is unfortunate. I view it the same as not
teaching Braille to people with some remaining vision. It goes back to the
concept that the more vision a person has the better off they are. I don't
think this is so. I believe that knowledge and attitude are better
determinants of success than physical ability to see.   I think there is a
social shift to this way of thinking, but it's a slow process.

Whew! That got long! I hope you find something useful in there. And again
welcome!
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/fuzzylucky2021%40sbcgloba
l.net
_______________________________________________
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/lkeeler%40comcast.net

_______________________________________________
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/fuzzylucky2021%40sbcgloba
l.net
_______________________________________________
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/sparklylicious%40suddenli
nk.net


_______________________________________________
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/lkeeler%40comcast.net 





More information about the NAGDU mailing list