[NAGDU] Dogs and Canes in Tandem?

Danielle Sykora dsykora29 at gmail.com
Thu Apr 28 16:16:53 UTC 2022


It is common these days for handlers to carry a folding cane, either
all of the time or just in situations they think it might be helpful.
I personally keep a folding cane in the backpack I carry with me
around my university campus most of the time anyway. However, I
typically don't carry a cane at home in my quiet neighborhood or
really any time I'm not carrying a backpack for another reason.

Personally, there are really only a few situations where I use a cane.
THe main one is when locating a target I haven't taught the dog to
find. Usually, this is something completely new I never taught the
dog, like finding the pole for a crosswalk button when I have not yet
taught the dog to target (or generalize targeting) poles. In this
situation, I heel the dog and find the target using my cane once I
know we are very close. I've also used my cane to find something that
requires using physical landmarks I can not hear or feel. For example,
I know I need to find the fourth door on the right in a building with
no accessible signs to identify room numbers. I can't ask the dog to
find the fourth door or tell the dog to find the door when I think we
are close, and verify it has the correct room number. So I use my cane
to find it the first time, and then teach my dog to target that
specific door. In these situations, the dog is heeling while I use my
cane.

The second  situation I sometimes use a cane for is sidewalkless
travel, when walking on the right side. It is helpful to check that we
are all the way to the right without needing to stop to check. In this
situation, the dog is guiding and I'm just using the cane on the right
side.

The third way I use a cane while working a dog is in significant snow
coverage. Sometimes, it can be really helpful to use a cane to
determine if a snow pile is one I can climb over or it is better to
take a long way around. Snow often turns routes with sidewalks into
country walks when people don't shovel, so that is an additional
consideration.

Of course, I also use my cane when I heel the dog for any other reason.

Another use for the cane is checking why the dog has stopped, if you
can't figure it out using other methods. TO be honest, I haven't found
this necessary much but I know others find this to be very valuable.

That being said, I'm not sure I would recommend using a cane for an
entire route while working a dog on a regular basis. If the dog isn't
consistently stopping at stairs or curbs on a regular basis, then that
dog is not safe as a guide without retraining. If the dog is reliably
performing tasks, then I think it is important to trust that the dog
will keep you safe. I don't mean to sound critical and everyone is
different; however, I would be concerned that using a cane extensively
while also asking the dog to guide would lead to one of two issues.
First, second guessing the dog the same way people sometimes do when
relying on vision. Second, I would be concerned about degrading the
dogs performance because you are relying on the cane and not the dog
stopping for changes in elevation. If the dog learns you are going to
stop whether she initiates it or not in unfamiliar areas because your
cane detected the change in elevation, she might be less reliable in
familiar environments without the cane. If you start subconsciously
using your cane to find the way around obstacles, she might start
showing less initiative to move around obstacles because you are doing
her job for her. This could probably all be mitigated by truly using
the cane only to back up what the dog is suggesting and reworking any
mistakes she makes as usual. However, I'm not sure it is worth the
temptation to trust the cane over the dog if she is not giving you any
reason not to trust her.

Hopefully that made some sense and good luck with whatever you decide.

Danielle










On 4/28/22, Kevan Worley via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Stacey, another great point. I didn’t even think of that one when I answered
> the question. By the way, I wants took my dog to the vet. They had to keep
> her for a few hours. I had not brought a cane. So I was wandering around
> caneless! It was a very bazaar.
>
> At Your Service,
> Kevan Worley
>
>> On Apr 28, 2022, at 6:39 AM, Stacie Gallegos via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hello there. This is a great question. I have had two guide dogs. And am
>> hoping to get my third and the near future. Using your cane along with
>> your dog is absolutely no problem and I personally think it is a great
>> idea to have a cane with you. With my first dog, I was at a conference,
>> and he got sick. Had I not had my cane, I would not have had a way to
>> travel independently. I look at it as having a toolbox and having all
>> kinds of tools at your disposal for whatever situation may come about.
>>
>> ---
>> Stacie Gallegos / President
>> National Federation of the Blind Houston Chapter
>> (346) 704-0190 | SGallegos at nfbtx.org
>>
>>
>>
>>> On April 28, 2022 6:57:46 AM Diane Graves via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Greetings Once Again,
>>>
>>>
>>> Back again with my 2nd question. I'm wondering if any of you use your dog
>>> and your cane at the same time when exploring unfamiliar environments?
>>>
>>>
>>> As I've posted here before, I didn't decide to try using a dog until
>>> later
>>> in life. As a result, the learning curve relative to the transition from
>>> cane to dog was quite steep. My initial instructor was very
>>> condescending;
>>> not encouraging at all, so I didn't get the same quality of training as
>>> others likely did. Anyway, shortly after Izzo and I got together I took a
>>> pretty nasty fall. This was likely my fault, but nonetheless, it was
>>> frightening. That said, I  remain very apprehensive when in unfamiliar
>>> environments wherein I don't know exactly where the curbs and steps are.
>>>
>>>
>>> Have any of you had similar experiences? Do you see any problems with
>>> walking with the dog while checking out the new or unfamiliar environment
>>> with the cane at the same time?
>>>
>>>
>>> Any feedback appreciated.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Diane Graves
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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