[NFB-DB] Help from Any deafblind guide dog users

[Lisa Ferris]

I have had 3 guide dogs, from 2 different schools. I am wondering if you have applied to either Guiding Eyes or Leader Dogs? Both have programs specifically for the Deafblind. I have always had decent cane skills and have always found the expectations for guide dog users dead easy. I mean that not like I am so great, but that they don’t expect that much, just a basic level of ability to know where you are in space and walk straight. 

If you do have severe veering problems, You could try a couple of apps. One is called Haptic Nav which gives you vibrating cues when you veer too far from a path. The other is OKO which reads traffic signals, just making sure you continuously have the traffic signal in camera range can help. This is haptic based as well. (Oops, just noticed you already mentioned OKO, sorry!) Also, you might want to experiment with your hearing aid settings if you use them to make sure you are not veering towards your better ear and that things are as even as possible with the sound. I need to turn OFF all automatic programming to cross streets. Not using my hearing, (or much of it) helps me clue in to tactile elements which can be used to keep yourself straight such as vibrations from cars, feeling the zebra stripes and truncated domes and curb cuts, wind changes, etc. 

Based on what you say, I think you will likely be able to pass. 

> On May 22, 2023, at 3:15 PM, Showe Trela via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello. I am thinking of getting a guide dog to help me travel more independently. I used to feel very confident traveling with my cane when I had full hearing but I am now profoundly deaf on one side and am struggling with walking in a straight line, crossing intersections and navigating in parking lots. Guide dog schools are telling me that I will need to demonstrate that I can complete 3 routes, be able to line up correctly, and tell when the traffic surges. I am curious to know if others have had the same issues and how they qualified for getting a guide dog. I am using audible pedestrian signals to help confirm the traffic surge and the oko app to keep me crossing in a straight line. I have AIRA as an accomodation for work and when I traveled to an out-of-town conference for work, I used AIRA to walk to and from my hotel to the conference and I felt so impowered! Are these tools allowed to be used when meeting with the guide dog school reps while they  observe you? Any advice you all can give me would be much appreciated. 
> 
> Showe 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
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