[nagdu] 5 reasons Guide Dogs are a Terrible Idea

[Daryl Marie]

Hey, Aleeha,

I am glad this article is getting the attention that it is.  With a bit of distance and caffeine, I think my opinion remains the same... with a slight qualifier.

I agree with the place this article comes from, even if I am not sure I agree with the delivery.  IMHO, guide dog schools have a responsibility to their students to fully ensure them that they are aware that there are drawbacks to having a dog.  A guide dog CAN have a bad day/week, be a brat, be a diva, be frustratingly stubborn, disobey direct commands, be inconvenient, get sick, etc.

Had I known what the first 18 months with Jenny would be like, would I have agreed to work with her?  Probably.  But I would have appreciated a bit more well-rounded idea about what working with a guide would entail from the school, and especially from other first-time handlers.  Jenny has taught me a LOT about myself, expectations, and both the benefits and drawbacks of working with a guide.

Would any of the 5 items listed in the article made me NOT choose to work a guide?  No... but there are others that might.  Every dog is different, with unique quirks, foibles, and bad habits.  I do believe the place the author is coming from is a good one: go in there with your eyes WIDE open.

That being said, I think the delivery was a bit upsetting.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was written in such a way thta guide dogs in and of themselves were a burden, which I DO disagree with.

Daryl
----- Original Message ----- From: Aleeha Dudley via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List <nagdu at nfbnet.org> Sent: Fri, 20 Mar 2015 07:51:37 -0600 (MDT) Subject: [nagdu] Fwd: 5 Reasons Why Guide Dogs Are a Terrible Idea! Just curious what you all think. This article greatly upset me, especially given the subject line. But I wanted to see what you guys thought, as the responses on the list that I saw this on our very mixed. If you're blind, you obviously read Braille. Your hearing must naturally be > superior to your sighted peers, and of course you have a guide dog! Right? > > Well, that last may not be as pervasive as the first and second. Someone > recently told me the number of guide dog users has actually declined in my > millennial generation. I have no evidence proving this one way or the other, > but for the general public, to see a blind person with a guide dog feels as > natural as butter and toast. > > Thing is, I'm not so sure guide dogs are right for everyone. Or, maybe I'm > just projecting my own uncertainties onto the rest of the community? > > Last November I took the first step in the application process to return for > a second Seeing Eye dog. It's been more than three years since I lost Gator, > and even though I've gotten around just fine with a white cane, I am > approaching what feels like the final years with sight, however minimal that > sight might be. I admit it's unnerving if I sit still long enough to > contemplate total blindness. NFB philosophy be damned, and the thought of an > extra set of eyes to help me navigate the world does bring a measure of > comfort. But, is it enough to go get another dog? > > In no particular order, here are reasons why a guide dog would be a terrible > idea: > > Read more: > > http://serotalk.com/2015/03/18/5-reasons-why-guide-dogs-are-a-terrible-idea/ > > -- > Musings of a Work in Progress: > www.JoeOrozco.com/ > > Twitter: @ScribblingJoe > > > > > _______________________________________________ > nabs-l mailing list > nabs-l at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blindcowgirl1993%40gmail.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/crazymusician%40shaw.ca