[nagdu] From Cane To Dog

[Elise Berkley]

Good morning, Steph.  I am beginning to understand.  I am also like you.  I
have been blind for 19 years and did not want a dog at all.  Now, I am
willing to try a dog and I am quite curious and excited about getting my
first.  Thank you for sharing your story with us.  Elise

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Stephanie via
nagdu
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 1:34 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] From Cane To Dog

 Hi all,
I have to write on this, because I can relate. I used my can since I was
young. I am mid 30's, it it was a problem. First of all, I went through a
grieving process as I realized that soon I was going to be with out the
cane. I even doubted if a dog was for me. I did not get a dog for many
years, because I thought I could never trust an animal to guide me. But I
heard about the benifits and decided to try for a dog. 
The first day of training, I was told to put my cane away, and that we would
be learning the lay out of the building with out my cane. I felt dread and
wondered how the hell I was going to do this. I got lost a lot those first
few days.
But soon, I found my dog was guiding me, and I didn't feel so lost. There
were some things that really puzzled me though. Obstacle work caused a real
problem to me. I kept failing the obstacle work because I just couldn't
understand how I could tell the dog to find my way around something when I
had no idea what, or where the obstacle was. After a frustrating time of it,
I told the instructor my issue and that she would have to show me how to do
this because I just couldn't get my mind around it. So we worked through
each obstacle and I was able to work out how to use my feet, hands etc
instead of a cane.
The other thing I found was trying to work out why my dog stopped some
times. And thefeeling the loss of land marks that I'd gotten used too.
Now, I'll never go back to the cane. I don't have to count steps, work out
land marks as much. I can just remember the turns and how to get some where.
I can go straight across streets, no more indents or anything like that. No
more having to find a pole to tell me we were close to something. No more
having to stress about an open space because Gypsy guides me through all
that. 
Last christmas, I used my cane for the first time since getting my dog 15
months ago. I got to the shops ok, but my mind was telling me where the
counter was, but I forgot the obstacles in my road. I also nearly crashed in
to some one on the way out, and couldn't find the door. Like I couldn't
glide gracefully to the door. I was so thankful for my dog!
Anyway, it will take time to trust the dog. But if you give it time, and you
want to, you will never look back.
Steph
'

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