[NAGDU] {Spam?} The myth of the magical cane

Fri Feb 10 14:35:20 UTC 2017

Good morning everyone,

I think I like how Raul put this - no, there's nothing magical about a cane, per se, but it is really the O&M skills that are key to being successful with either a guide dog or a cane.  I've been in classes as well where I've seen some students with poor orientation and got terribly frustrated with their dog, when the poor dog was only doing what it was instructed to do, yet the handler was completely lost.  I honestly felt such individuals really weren't ready for a dog yet.  In this partnership, it is the human's responsibility to know where it is they want to go, and what route they wish to take to get there, and it is the canine's responsibility to follow the indicated route and avoid obstacles, and otherwise assist with safety along the way.

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raul A. Gallegos via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2017 5:01 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Raul A. Gallegos <raul at raulgallegos.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] {Spam?} The myth of the magical cane

Dan, I definitely don't want to see this turn into a dog versus Cain issue on the list. It's one of those things that has been brought up time and time again and there is no real answer. However, that being said, it is my opinion only that a fair amount of Cain travel skills are necessary in order to be a successful dog handler. Canes are certainly not magic wands. Although I am a good Kane traveler, there are people who are better than me and there are people who are not as good as me. This is Merely my own observation and not from a professional's viewpoint. One example of how Cain travel is important to me as a dog user is, I will not depend on my dog for 100% of my travel. There are times that I will not take my dog to certain situations, or my dog might not be feeling well. Therefore, having good cane skills is a must. I have met blind people, both cane and dog users who had trouble finding their way out of a simple one door room with four walls. It has made me sad that people like this have not been able to receive adequate mobility training, or if they did, they have a lead that training laps for one reason or another. The dog is not going to make someone be a better traveler just like the cane won't, it is merely one's personal abilities and goals with whichever tool one uses to utilize. There might be situations that I am shopping at a store and will take my guide dog in and out of the isles. However when I need to find something specific that he might normally take me around, you bet I will take out my cane and heel the dog. I hope my comments make sense. Thanks.

--
Raul A. Gallegos
Assistive Technology Trainer - RGA Tech Solutions

Mobile: 832.554.7285
Work: 832.639.4477
Personal Email: raul at raulgallegos.com
Work Email: training at rgats.com

“Any teacher that can be replaced with a computer, deserves to be.” – David Thornburg

> On Feb 9, 2017, at 4:03 PM, Dan Weiner via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Gosh you make cane skills sound like some magic wand, I know if when I 
> first got a guide dog someone had known quite how little confidence I 
> had with a cane , judging by what seems to be today's standards I 
> would have never been given a dog--lol. I'm glad guide dog schools 
> gave people a chance when I, for example, started out. I got a dog and 
> soon understood what I would need to do to become a good traveler with 
> a dog and I worked hard and voila I'm using a dog 24 years later, have traveled all sorts of places,
> even other countries and so on...   This though I only hear in one ear   and
> of course am totally blind.
> fact is I was very motivated.
> this isn't directed at your question about high school but I am just 
> amazed at how much I hear about people saying things like "oh before 
> you have a dog you had better have good cane skills."
> 
> And even now, every time I go for a successor dog they'll come to your 
> home a lot of times and try  out my cane skills  on a walk and I hear 
> grumbling about how I veer with a cane when I cross streets...if I 
> thought I were the cat's miao with a cane I probably wouldn't 
> necessarily opt for a dog, fact is it's a better mobility tool for me.
> 
> Just an observation. 
> 
> 
> No comments about the TVI, I actually agree with what's been said on 
> that subject already.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/raul%40raulgallegos
> .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/matt.hackert%40gmail.com