[nagdu] which side are you on?

[blind411]

Daniel,
	Like your friend, I am not very pleased with the fact that most
guide dog programs train their dogs to walk to the left. I feel it is very
inconsiderate, as the normal flow of traffic moves on the right. When our
dogs pull to the left, oncoming pedestrians, bikers, skateboarders, etc. all
need to avoid us. When walking through a strip mall, I feel like I am a
slalom skier.
	My dog was trained to walk to the left and, despite my best efforts,
I have been unable to break him of this very engrained training. I have
addressed this with the Guide Dog Foundation and they claim this is not a
part of their training, though it obviously is! Why, then does my dog do
this. When I was on the graduate Advisory Council of Southeastern Guide
Dogs, I was given the explanation that this is so sighted people can see the
dog and avoid it. They would not need to avoid it if we were to walk with
the normal flow of traffic. I would love to read other's feelings on this
issue.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala




-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 6:51 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: [nagdu] which side are you on?

Hi all,

 

I have just spent a troubling afternoon with a couple of great friends. We
were on a walk in Golden, Colorado, through town and along the river trail.
My friend kept telling me to stay to the right on the path because of all of
the foot and bike traffic on the trail. The trail is a wide, cement trail,
approximately 10' wide. Cass always walks to the left  on any path. My
friend became increasingly upset with me because everyone had to move around
me to avoid missing me and Cass. I tried to have Cass move to the right, but
she insisted to continue to travel on the left side of the walk, as she
always does. It is true the path was very busy, but I told my friend that
Cass would avoid anyone that was in her way. He became very irate, telling
me I should walk with Cass on my right side instead of my left side. I told
him that this was not an option, and that I knew what I was doing, and just
chill out and let me and Cass do what we do. He said it was absurd that any
dog would not be trained to walk on the right side of a path, and I told him
that she was following the side of the walk.

Does anyone come across any of the same remarks from people. Do your dogs
travel on the right or left on a path with no curbs, or buildings to line
either side.

I must admit I do not remember having ever discussed this during training
with Cass. I naturally assumed that Cass would follow along the left side.
My friend said that everyone else had to move out of the way for me, and
that it was not right that I took up the left side. Just because I was blind
did not give me the right to make everyone else move out of the way for me,
and that I had to be more considerate of them. Needless to say I was just a
bit pissed off at this point.

What do you think about this?

I told him to forget about ever trying to get me to move my dog to my right
hand, it was not going to happen. Other than that, I fell short of giving
him a good reason for travelling on the left side of the walk.

 

Thanks,

Daniel and Cass

 

 

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