[nagdu] The Differences in Dogs and Canes

Thu Jun 27 17:06:00 UTC 2013

Carol, 
I've responded a bunch on this thread. 
I think that one problem is that it can be difficult to tell if a person is
an obstacle or part of the line. 
You have a lot more to think about when you are using a dog. It is less
tactal then using a cane and the transition can be difficult to get one. 
Also, as Tracey says "plowing through a crowd" and "getting through a crowd"
are two very different things. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Hingson
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 9:04 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Differences in Dogs and Canes

Carol,

There is no excuse for rudeness anywhere.  If guide dog users plow through
people they are being inconsiderate.

Dogs do look for ways around obstacles, and people can be obstacles.  It is
up to us as guide dog users to watch our dogs' behaviors to make sure they
are not helping us cut in lines.  We are still in charge and need to manage
our guides. 

Best,

Michael Hingson

The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
"Speaking with Vision"
Michael Hingson, President
(415) 827-4084
info at michaelhingson.com
To order Michael Hingson's new book, Thunder Dog, and check on Michael
Hingson's speaking availability for your next event please visit:
www.michaelhingson.com

To purchase your own portrait of Roselle painted by the world's foremost
animal artist, Ron Burns, please visit http://www.ronburns.com/roselle

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carol Osmar
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 05:43 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Differences in Dogs and Canes

Hello All, I am new to the list, and am looking forward to learning from
your discussions.  I am in my 60S and recently retired.  I have been a cane
user all my life, but just recently applied for a guide dog, so, I have a
lot to learn.

 Although I haven't had a dog, I have been around many people with guide
dogs, and I have noticed on many occasions, a blind person with a dog will
plow his way through a crowd to get to the head of the line.  I feel this is
rude.  My question is, Do the schools address the issue of curtesy to others
when using a dog?

I have never been in New York City,   so I don't know what it is 
like traveling there as a blind person.  Perhaps you would be trampled if
you are not aggressive there.

Carol  ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org Date sent: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 11:05:00 -0400
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Differences in Dogs and Canes

I think a dog is much better for moving easily through a crowd.  
I know
plenty of people use canes in New York City, but I imagine they have to slow
way down when things get crowded, or whack a lot of ankles.  
Ben just
slides on through, finding spaces between people.  Ben is one of those
"pushy urban dogs".  Crowds are something of a specialty with him, and I
really appreciate that.
Tracy

 Great point Nicole as even the best cane user would not find such an
obstacle.

 Steve

 -----Original Message-----
 From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole Torcolini
 Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 2:08 PM
 To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
 Subject: [nagdu] The Differences in Dogs and Canes

 Okay, yes, I know that this one has gone round and round before, but I had
something happen today that made me just have to bring it up one more  time.
 There is the way of thinking that says that the good cane user should be
able to travel as quickly and as safely with a cane as with a dog.
 However,
 unless you wear a full body shield, I just don't think that that is true.
 For reasons that I will not discuss here, I was out walking today with my
cane rather than Lexia.  I was traversing a route that I have taken numerous
times with Lexia.  Lexia usually stays a tiny bit from the edge of the side
walk.  However, as I was using my cane rather than Lexia, I was trailing
the  edge.  There is a staircase that comes down from a building that has a
railing that sticks out farther than the bottom step.  With Lexia, this had
never before posed a problem as she had cleared it as an obstacle.
 However,
 I had no way of detecting it without her; it was at hip level.  
As a
 result,
 I ran right into it.  I was not hurt or anything, but it just goes to show
that there are those things that a guide dog, at least a well trained one,
usually detects that a cane cannot.

 Nicole
 _______________________________________________
 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/blinddog3%40ch
arter.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/carcione%40acc
ess.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/osmarc%40sbcgl
obal.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/info%40michaelhingson.com

_______________________________________________
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/pickrellrebecca%40gmail.c
om