[NAGDU] Dogs finding the most unusual things

Sun Feb 12 11:36:57 UTC 2017

Well that does remind me of  a story (oh no, here he goes again, Dan and his
stories--loll)
Picture the scene, dog numero dos, Evan who worked with me as a guide dog
for ten and a half years and was retired two more. He got to be very good
when it came to finding counters and such.
We would walk in to the publiks, (supermarket down here)  and I'd say find
the counter and he did know that I was going to customer service. That
worked every time except for once--lol.
I said find the counter, you know what the deal is, buddy", yes a long
command but what can I say, I'm just telling the story...He started prancing
off in the direction I knew we needed, but then there was s a sharp turn. He
stopped very proud of himself, I reached out expecting the counter, figuring
there had been an obstacle to take me around and hence the sudden turn, but
what did I find, the chew treats for dogs. What's even funnier is that I
never bought him these long treats that sort of looked like slim jims, but
he must have smelled it or who kows what...It was, I'll admit, hilarious.

I wasn't sure they were long treats but a helpful customer informed me "Oh
those are the chew treats for dogs"--lol and then I told them what happened
and we all started laughing.
Warmest regards,

Dan and the Parker Hound 

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of lkeeler--- via
NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2017 9:20 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: lkeeler at comcast.net
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] {Spam?} The myth of the magical cane

Oh, but our dogs are supposed to know everything! Its funny how many people
figure the dog knows exactly where I want to go! If left to Holly though
I'll go into a store and end up standing in front of the dog treat or dog
toy shelf! She does know where those things are!

-----Original Message-----
From: Danielle Ledet via NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2017 5:57 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Danielle Ledet
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] {Spam?} The myth of the magical cane

Sandra, I always tell people this when I start to anser questions about dog
guide school consideration. Very well said. Raul I agree.
One of the frustrating things for me is going into an unfamiliar environment
and being expected for us to work as fluidly as a team as we would in our
own environment. If I do not know where I'm going or what type of terrain
and obstacles to expect, how can I expect my dog to be on her best job? I
have never faulted my dogs for my ineptitude during those times! Dan, that
really was funny. And I especially want another dog with all the silent cars
rolling around, and, no, I do not think that persistently living in rural
areas is the correct solution!

On 2/10/17, S L Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I completely agree with you.  If you cannot orient yourself to your 
> surroundings and know the rout you must take to get somewhere it will 
> not really matter whether you are using a cane or dog.  I have seen 
> too many people get dogs thinking the dog will solve their mobility 
> issues.  That is
>
> not true.  You must have good orientation skills in order to be a good 
> guide
>
> dog handler.   If I had not been such a good cane traveler with the
> confidence I had I do not think I would have been able to transfer 
> that confidence to working with a guide dog.  I guess I have to say 
> that I am glad that now the guide dog schools pay more attention to an 
> applicants cane
>
> skills.  In the short time you have on class it would be impossible 
> for the
>
> trainers to also have to teach basic orientation and mobility skills.
> Furthermore, as others have said, there are times you might want to go 
> somewhere without your dog.  Your dog may become ill and you still 
> have to get to school work etc....  I know in my 42 years of guide dog 
> use I have found myself having to pull out my cane many times when my 
> dog was ill or when I was between dogs.  So, even though I prefer 
> using a guide dog, I think it is important to have good cane skills too.
>
> Sandra and Eva
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Raul A. Gallegos via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2017 6:01 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Raul A. Gallegos
> 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
>
> â?oAny teacher that can be replaced with a computer, deserves to 
> be.â?ť â?"
>
> 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%40raulgallego
>> s.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/sljohnson25%40comca
> st.net
>
>
>
>
>

--
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of
the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of
these.
George Washington Carver
Email: singingmywayin at gmail.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/lkeeler%40comcast.net 

_______________________________________________
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/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.net