[NAGDU] Boarding buses.

Fri Feb 26 16:40:06 UTC 2016

I do it that way, too. The dog works me on and off the bus. If we need 
to go single file, the dog goes ahead of me and leash guides. I'm still 
pondering how I want to manage Loki's first bus trip, since I've not 
used the bus here before so will have to figure out the seating. But I 
plan to train him to guide me on and off and to show me an empty seat 
and all that good stuff. It finally occurred to me I need to teach him 
stairs first. With Mitzi, there were tons of stairs in our regular 
environment, so they weren't a big deal. Here, I have to go hunting for 
them and walk up and down them for no reason just to give him practice 
so we can get on and off the bus to go to more stairs and other stuff to 
work on.

I was honestly shocked when I heard that schools teach to heel the dog 
on and off the bus. That just sounds dangerous to me. I hadn't heard of 
the notion of leaving the dog on the sidewalk before... I would not do 
it that way for any money. Awkward as it is in some busses to squeeze up 
the stairs and pay the fare and all with the dog beside me, it's a lot 
less risky to both of us.

Tami

On 02/26/2016 07:25 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
> Vivianna, I couldn't agree more.
> A long time ago, GDB told us to heel the dog on and off the bus.  After banging into a pole, I decided that was just dumb.  If I work my dog off, I can tell how far down the last step is, and avoid any obstacle in front of the door.  I hold on with my right hand to the door, to help me balance stepping down to the curb.
> I work my dog onto the bus because there are often other people getting on, too, and I don't know if someone has stopped in front of me for some reason.
> If the door is narrow, I'll let my dog go ahead of me a bit.
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vivianna via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 10:12 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Vivianna
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Boarding buses.
>
> also, often there is something in front of the bus door when they drop you off.  a bench, tree, pole, or whatever.  and, sometimes the bus is a bit away from the curb.  IMO it’s just not safe for me to not work my dog.
>
> Vivianna
>
>> On Feb 26, 2016, at 9:07 AM, Lisa via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Deanna,
>> I just wanted to quickly thank you for asking this question.
>> I also have been taught to heel the dog while boarding a bus but I thought the same thing that you mentioned: Wouldn't it be a more secure feeling to work the dog while entering so you know what the entrance is like? When I have my dog next to me while boarding a bus, I have to kind of feel with my foot where to step and how many steps there are. This can be a bit difficult at times.
>> So I'm looking forward to answers on this.
>> Lisa
>>
>> Am 26.02.2016 um 15:13 schrieb Deanna Lewis via NAGDU:
>>> Hi all,
>>> I have a question on how to board a bus/van when travelling with a guide dog. I was reading a friend's training blog, and she described how the school she is at teaches boarding the bus with the dogs. She said that the student has the dog sit outside the bus doors, makes a long leash, then the student boards the bus and then calls the dog on. The way it was described reminds me of how someone would walk through airport security. I know when I've trained in the past, we have been told to heel our dogs onto buses, but I've almost always worked my dog onto buses, paratransit vehicles, and subways. By working my dog, I can tell if there are steps, how many, and so on. I would think it would be kind of dangerous to step "blindly" onto a vehicle and then call your dog onto it. So, my question to you all is, how do you board buses?Do you also exit the bus in the same way?
>>> Thanks!
>>> Deanna and Mambo
>>>
>>
>>
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