[nagdu] O&M instructor with guide dog was Perspectives on Guide Dogs

Tue Oct 21 19:01:33 UTC 2014

We have a graduate at GDF who is a Certified O&M Specialist COMS and is the second person in the country to be accredited as such while using a guide dog as his primary means of mobility. 

He has some usable vision and his dog is older and very experienced. 

Yes, this would be tough with a brand new dog and inexperienced handler but I think with the right combination of talent, it works. 

I’ve taught GPS devices during which we went out on the streets. I walked in the position I would if monitoring an O&M student. The people I worked with were all fairly experienced guide dog handlers so their dogs and mine just took it as one more thing to do. I did this with two of my dogs, Molly and Swap and both accommodated their paces to stay at a comfortable distance from the student.
Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com

http://www.twitter.com/jeninems

> On Oct 21, 2014, at 1:17 PM, Tracy Carcione via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I've never had a blind O&M instructor, so I'm not sure how they work with
> students, following closely or whatever.  I think it might be a bit
> distracting, trying to work a dog and instruct a cane user, especially
> with an inexperienced dog/handler. You would have to monitor the student
> and deal with any distractedness of the dog at the same time.  You would
> also have to get the dog to suit its pace to each student, if you wanted
> to stay near the student.
> However, there are people who leave their dogs somewhere for part of the
> workday.  I knew a person who had to spent part of his day working in a
> clean lab, and left his dog in his office during that time.
> JMO.
> Tracy
> 
>> Hello, Daryl:
>> 
>> Thank you for your answers. I read the blog, and I am a little pleasantly
>> surprised that having a guide dog has actually improved your experiences
>> with the public.
>> 
>> The mobility question was a little unclear. I am thinking about going back
>> to school to become certified in O&M, but since an O&M primarily teaches
>> cane travel, I'm not sure if it would be wise to have a guide dog at work.
>> I wonder if anyone on this list is an O&M instructor who uses a guide dog?
>> 
>> Cheers!
>> 
>> Rachel
>> 
>> rachelgrider.com
>> 
>>> On Oct 20, 2014, at 14:48, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi, Rachel!
>>> Welcome to the list!
>>> 
>>> My name is Daryl, and I live with my husband, guide dog, and three cats
>>> in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  The waiting/application process for a
>>> guide dog is exciting and frightening, and training is all those things.
>>> 
>>> I will answer your questions as best I can.
>>> 
>>> 1. Based on your experiences, which dog breeds do you feel make the best
>>> guide dogs and why?
>>> - I am only on my first guide dog, a black Labrador
>>> retriever; I can't offer any breed insights for you.
>>> 
>>> 2. How have the dynamics in your home been changed since you got a guide
>>> dog, especially your relationships with family and other pets? If so,
>>> how do you keep a balance between your relationships?
>>> - We have three cats, and that was the hardest part of creating a
>>> balance in our house.  Jenny had to learn the cats' "language". We had
>>> to teach her not to jump at the cats... thankfully one of the cats was
>>> incredibly patient with her and showed her what behaviors were
>>> acceptable and what weren't.  All three cats have learned to co-exist
>>> with Jenny - one is her friend, one tries to play with her, and the boss
>>> cat tolerates her existence (which is about the best we can hope for
>>> from such a grumpy cat).
>>> - As for my husband, we've had to set boundaries, and we have made
>>> mistakes here.  It's been a bit of a shift, figuring out what
>>> information my husband could or should give while Jenny is guiding me...
>>> we're not all the way there, but usually (as an example) my husband will
>>> pick up the coffees and pastries at the bakery while Jenny finds us a
>>> table.
>>> 
>>> 3. Do you feel that people tend to be drawn to you because of your dog
>>> rather than your own qualities? If so, have you done anything to change
>>> that?
>>> - A little bit, yes... but I find that people also tend to respect my
>>> autonomy much more with a dog than with a cane.  If I am doing some work
>>> with Jenny, or we get a bit lost, they will take me at my word that we
>>> are OK much more readily than they did when I traveled with a cane.
>>> - Most people will tell you that they like your dog, or give other
>>> comments... it's simply a biproduct of traveling with a cute dog.
>>> 
>>> 4. Have any of you ever been aware of housing or job discrimination
>>> because of your dog? If so, please explain.
>>> - Not me.  Back to my point #3, I find that I seem to be magically
>>> granted more respect with a dog.  Two years ago, I spent five months
>>> unemployed, and I went to over 50 interviews with a cane.  A year ago, I
>>> went to one job interview with my dog... and got the job.  I doubt
>>> there's a direct correlation, but that was my experience.
>>> - The only workplace problem that I've had has been with a coworker.
>>> She is terrified of dogs, and her cubicle used to be beside mine.  She
>>> requested a move to another cubicle on the other side of the office
>>> where we didn't have to interact, and in the 10 months I've been here
>>> we've only had two run-ins.
>>> 
>>> 5. Where and when do you believe it is appropriate to have your dog with
>>> you, and where and when should one leave the dog at home? For example,
>>> is it appropriate to take your dog to a job interview?
>>> - Similar to point #4, yes, take the dog to a job interview.  If a
>>> prospective employer doesn't see the guide dog in action, or your
>>> interaction with it, they may be more concerned about its presence
>>> (right or wrong, this is the way of the world).  During my job
>>> interview, with Jenny curled up beside my chair, about 1/2 of the way
>>> through the interview, another interviewer opened the door and startled
>>> Jenny awake.  She let out one quick "Woof!"  I told her it was ok, to
>>> lay back down.  Without missing a beat, my future boss said, "Oh, that's
>>> OK; we all react that way when we see Jon."
>>> - I would not take Jenny to a home where she is not welcome.  I would
>>> not take her to a rock concert (though I might do that once I purchase
>>> the MuttMuffs that I plan to in the next month or so). Those are the two
>>> main places I wouldn't take her, but everyone is different.
>>> - In situations where she has been overly distracted, I am more likely
>>> to leave her at home to give her a break.  Sometimes a night's rest
>>> isn't a bad "reset" button.
>>> 
>>> 6. For those of you who are fond of sports such as running, hiking, and
>>> the like, are you able to use your dog as a mobility aid while
>>> participating in these activities?
>>> - There are others on this list with more experience in these areas than
>>> I... I plan on buying a sport harness shortly to enjoy jogging and
>>> running with my guide.  But from what I understand, with activities like
>>> running, it would be harder to pick up on guiding cues, so IMHO it would
>>> be best to do these in reasonably familiar areas.
>>> 
>>> 7. Do you think it is appropriate for a mobility instructor te use a
>>> guide dog?
>>> - I don't quite understand this question; sorry!
>>> 
>>> 8. What are some of the emotional benefits that your guide dog has
>>> provided you?
>>> - She makes me feel safe.  On our third day of training, she pulled me
>>> out of the path of an oncoming bus, and always has a full respect for
>>> traffic.  I have posted previously about some of the adventures we've
>>> had - including the time I got more lost than I've ever been in my life
>>> - and still been able to remain calm in a situation that would terrify
>>> me with a cane.
>>> - She loves me unconditionally, even on days where I am demanding and
>>> cranky.
>>> 
>>> 9. Have you ever encountered folks who had dog alergies or fear of dogs?
>>> If so, how did you deal with that?
>>> - I have addressed this in question #4.  To be honest, I understand a
>>> fear of dogs, but I will not tolerate blatant disrespect.  I have two
>>> goalball teammates who aren't fans of dogs, and one of them once asked
>>> me not to take Jenny on a shopping trip.  I told her that it was MY
>>> decision to make, and while I would've decided to leave her behind
>>> anyway - it was a very rough weekend - but she was not to make that
>>> demand of me, period.
>>> 
>>> 10.  What are some ways of finding a balance between treating your guide
>>> dog as a "soul mate" and simply using the guide dog as a mobility aid? I
>>> know that some of you might have extremely intimate relationships with
>>> your dogs and think of them on equal terms with a child or spouse. While
>>> I see nothing wrong with this, I personally do not want to think of my
>>> dog that way; I want it simply to be my partner and my companion. I do
>>> not want it to get in the way of my relationships with my human family.
>>> I also, however, want to give my dog no less attention and love than any
>>> animal deserves. What are some ways of developing healthy boundaries
>>> with your dog?
>>> - That's a tough one.  Honestly, the best advice that I was ever given
>>> during training was: "Jenny is a dog. She will help you navigate, and
>>> because of that she is a tool; but she is a living, breathing creature
>>> with needs and quirks... don't forget that."  My husband and I love
>>> spending an hour at the off-leash park, walking, talking and listening
>>> to Jenny run around like crazy.  This gives us a chance to connect, and
>>> shows Jenny that while we love her, WE have our own relationship.
>>> 
>>> 11. As blind people, we know that using a guide dog instead of a cane
>>> makes no difference in the independence of the person. The average
>>> sighted person, however, is not educated in our mobility aids, and many
>>> of them have their own preconceived ideas about why one may use a cane
>>> or a dog. Based on your experiences, do you balieve that the overall
>>> public perception would favor a cane user or a dog user? For example, do
>>> you believe that you might have a greater chance getting a certain job
>>> if you brought your dog or your cane to the interview? Another example:
>>> Do you believe that a sighted person would be more or less inclined to
>>> want to date a blind person with a dog or without one?
>>> - I think I addressed the perception of sighted people previously.  But
>>> if you want more of a take on this, I wrote a blog post here:
>>> http://blindbeader.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/cane-vs-dog-the-perception-of-blind-travel/
>>> - My husband - a sighted man - dated and married me while I used a cane.
>>> I have only worked with my guide for a year.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I hope this helps!
>>> 
>>> Daryl
>>> 
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