[NAGDU] researching about getting a guide dog

[Susan Jones]

OK, I am ready to chime in on this thread:

I had a guide dog when I was in college.  My initial reason for getting one is that my O&M skills while pretty good, didn't satisfy me.  That is *not* a good reason for getting a guide dog, as I learned in the three years it took me to realize things were just not working out.
I used my cane for 21 years, while I finished college, spent time at home, and eventually moved to the city and began working.
Then, in my 40's, I decided to revisit having a guide dog.  I had much more travel experience, was more mature, and had a great deal more stability in my life.
I learned a lot by having a field visit from an instructor at the schools I was considering, and would highly recommend this to anyone.  Most schools, in the application process, will send a field rep or instructor out to visit you.  As I said, I really consider this of utmost importance, especially for a person considering getting a guide dog for the first time.
They will do a Juneau walk with you, so you can get an idea what it feels like.

Walking with a guide dog is a bit different from using a cane.  With a cane, you find obstacles and go around them.  With a dog, you will generally pass by most obstacles, hardly realizing they are there, b/c the dog will choose to lead you where the path is clear.  A lot of us feel we travel more freely, and have less need to concentrate with a dog.  This is somewhat true, but as Mike Hingson said, you need to have the helm at all times.  

In some ways, traveling with a dog would help you be more independent.  I find this is true especially in downtown areas, where the sidewalks are very wide, sometimes crowded, and sometimes cluttered with outdoor cafes, scooters, trash bins and the like.  In other ways, life with a guide dog is a bit more circumscribed.  You have to consider where you'll be at feeding times, where you will relieve and groom your dog, (and grooming is a daily task.)  You'll always be picking up after your dog,.  You will need to take care of your dog's health, seek veterinary care, etc.  So I would say, yes, it's more independence, but more of a tether in some ways as well.  

At some point, you'll need to stop asking the questions, and just jump into the experience and see how it feels.  Hopefully, you'll get a good match, and be on your way to one of the most fascinating adventures you've had thus far.


HTH,
Susan
 

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2019 10:33 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Star Gazer
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] researching about getting a guide dog

Tracey and Cindy have given you some good feedback. 
The truth is, you really don’t know until you do it if a guide dog is for you. 
That’s true of all types of things though. 
View it as any other transaction, picking a college, buying a house, getting married. 
Nothing commits you forever and it’s good to keep that in mind. 
If you don’t like using a dog, send the dog back. You want to like what you do. 
Do give it time to get over an adjustment period, but also know that you aren’t locked into anything. 

My dad says that nobody likes anything that is new. It’s worth remembering that. 


Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: andrew edgcumbe via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2019 10:53 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: andrew edgcumbe
Subject: [NAGDU] researching about getting a guide dog

Hi  I am just researching about the idea of getting a guide dog. I
know it may or  may not be for everybody in a sence because of work
involved. I  like to hear about people's experiences and ask
questions. I  know it is not for everybody but how do you really know
for sure weather it is for you or not for you you might think as a non
guide dog user that it may be an option but in a sence  may not fully
realize what is involved.  I have been suggested by it i has been
suggested by other people i should consider it and stuff like that in
the past and think it would be good idea for me.  but in last week or
so I decided to start looking into it all on my own. I know you do
need good o and m skills. i can walk at least 2 or 3 roots myself.
What is your experience been like with a guide dog would you
reckommend thatdog to those who feel like it would be an option to
them?  Would you feel a guide dog has made you even more independent
over time did you find you were less independent without one?   like
could you compair if it made a difference or not in your life as a
blind person.  and if you have a guide dog why did you even consider
getting one?

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