[NAGDU] Cane vs dog

Fri Feb 10 21:34:09 UTC 2017

Hello Peter,

I completely agree with your reasoning here. It's funny, because Raul 
mentioned to me before I even read your message that your thoughts were 
U to mine. I'm sure what I'm about to say, might strike a nerve with 
some folks, but as I always say, everyone is entitled to have an 
opinion; assuming they are willing to own those opinions. I'm extremely 
blessed that I was able to receive excellent orientation and mobility 
services while growing up. I  was a cane user all through college and 2 
years into my teaching career. I made the decision to get a guide dog in 
April of 2002 and was matched with my first guide dog, Ascot in July of 
that same year. I'm now with my second guide dog, Cash. When Ascot had 
to be suddenly put down due to his being diagnosed with acute lymphoma, 
I found myself getting really attached to my cane. It would be 11 weeks 
before I would be matched with Cash, and as harsh as this might sound, 
life had to go on. I had to get to and from  work each day. Being 
totally blind and traveling in downtown Houston, my cane was the only 
option. Like you, I do believe in giving Cash breaks from time to time. 
In these situations, out comes the cane. There's also those times when 
its not the best option to take Cash to places. I'm a firm believer that 
our dogs have feelings too. Of course, their feelings aren't like that 
of human beings, but they aren't to far off.

Stacie Hardy <shardy at nfbtx.org>
President: NFB of Texas Houston Chapter
Voice and Text: (346) 704-0190 or (832) 779-7477

"A question never asked is an answer never known"
"Live the life you want!"

On 2/10/2017 2:47 PM, Peter Wolf via NAGDU wrote:
> I echo this.  Here are a few nuggets…
> I use a dog, and / or cane, depending on the situation.  Sometimes Metukah is tired or not feeling well.  For example, if we’ve flown, it really drains her.  She’d just glued deep into bed the next day.  We do that every few months.  She’s impeccable in airports and flights, and perfect with the relief area cycle.  She’s just awesome.  And, for you fellow tightening up airport rules folks, non-reactive to the every-single-time-at-an-airport, snapping or barking untrained dog.  But when we get home, I let her sleep for the next day.  Just a fact, she needs rest.  So then it’s cane.  One of the most important things I ever learned from my trainer was that it’s not the dog, it’s me who has to be dialed in.  She’s trained, but she is following my commands.  So if I am not grounded, and functioning in my own skin, then the message she gets includes hesitation, confusion, or too much force applied in too much the wrong place.  That’s me being confused, not her.
>
> I really envy some of you who got into residential programs, and had daily, and multiple per day trainings.  I had two 1.5 hour sessions a week.  It was good training.  But it is necessary for me to sometimes hire an O&M trainer to sharpen back up my skills, possibly because I couldn’t get them in deep enough in the first place.  I don’t have good spatial perception, so sometimes I just have to buck up and sharpen the pencil, so to speak.
>
> Peter
>
> 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
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