[nagdu] Guides at NFB training centers

[Debby Phillips]

Raven, the more I read, the more I agree with you.  And if this 
is true, perhaps there is something at the core of NFB philosophy 
that I'm not understanding.  I have heard (not on this list 
necessarily) that because dogs can see it alters the way we 
travel, and that that is a clearly bad thing.  If using a dog as 
my mobility aide is an inferior choice according to NFB 
philosophy (and it appears that it is, since NFB training centers 
are unwilling to incorporate that choice into part of training), 
then clearly either we are not doing a good job of educating our 
own members, or we are considered as inferior.  Or at least 
second class.  There were no songs about NFB people walking 
proudly with their dogs at their sides, only canes.  There is a 
culture within NFB that almost, if not, excludes dogs.  I can 
only hope that this changes.  There is a proud heritage of people 
using dogs as guides, even before cane travel and orientation and 
mobility existed.  And all of us, whether Seeing Eye grads or 
not, should be proud of that heritage, and be the very best dog 
handlers we can be, and be proud of the fact that we are working 
dogs well.    Debby and Nova