[NAGDU] Another neat trick for staying together.

[Deanna Lewis]

Hi Tracy and all,
Both of my guide dogs have been very good on the occasions where I have guided another blind person. Heck, at one National Convention I think Pascal and I guided several people at once. I usually have the person hold onto my right arm and my dog and I give them "sighted guide". It may take your dog a few times before he gets used to this extra person, and doesn't think of them as an obstacle or distraction. Since my dogs were not specifically trained to guide two people, it's always best if the person we are guiding uses their cane to make sure they don't trip or run into anything.  As with traditional sighted guide, the person walks a bit behind us, so I notify them when my dog reaches the curb, and they know to watch for it in a few more feet. 
I also learned another technique that you might find useful. You can take your cane and use it as a connection. Ok, I'm going to try to describe this, but if it doesn't make sense, let me know! LOL
You would extend the cane (horizontally), and you would hold onto one end of it with your right hand, then the person you are guiding would be directly behind you and hold onto the back end of the cane with their right hand. So, the two of you are connected by the cane, yet they are further from the dog and may be less distracting for him/her. This usually works better with a shorter cane, that way there isn't as much distance between the two of you. Ideally, you want about two feet between you and the person you are guiding. This is nice too as you don't take up as much room on the sidewalk, or wherever. 
Hope this helps some of you.
Deanna and Mambo


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2016 8:23 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: Tracy Carcione
Subject: [NAGDU] Staying together

My husband Jerry uses a cane, and I of course use a guide dog.  My husband has lost a lot of vision, and we are having trouble staying together when passing through big, open spaces, like fancy hotel lobbies or the bus terminal.  Either Krokus gets into a groove and Jerry can't keep up, or Krokus starts screwing around and Jerry goes off ahead.  Sometimes I grab Jerry's hand and pull him along, or we start calling loudly to each other.
Neither one feels very dignified.  

Do people have methods that work to keep a cane user and a dog user in contact?  I've heard some people wear a bell, but does that really work, in an open, noisy environment?

I'd like to figure out something that works, and doesn't make us both feel ridiculous.

Tracy

 

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