[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Wed Jan 20 23:30:03 UTC 2010

A child using a guide dog would most certainly  need to be held to the same
standards as others looking to use a guide dog. Cane skills are key. So if a
child has proper cane technique and is a strong independent traveler why
preclude them from that option. I was a cane traveler who had to touch
everything as I walked by. With a guide I do not hit things so I do not care
to touch them any more and get to and from more quickly.  An achiever of
skills sometimes is a young person who has parents who support their
independence and choice of mobility if all criteria are met should not be
withheld simply because of a perceived level of immaturity instead of
embracing  the Childs unique ability to rise above his peers and be a leader
rather then accept being lumped into what others perceive his abilities
should be based upon a number rather then his own or her own ability. If I
were to agree with your thinking I would not be a guide dog user at present
because I only used a cane for 6 months before I transition into a guide. I
am 4 tears into m blind life,, I would think a twelve year old blind since
birth has worlds of experience over me and should be permitted this option.

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."

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-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Carol Castellano
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 10:54 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Well, I'll chime in with a different view.  My experience observing 
young guide dog users leads me to believe that even at 16 or 17, it 
is the RARE young person who has the required all-around ability to 
use a guide dog.  I have no statistics for this; my opinion is based 
only on observations...over the past 20 years or so.

Another concern I would have for allowing a 12-year-old to use a dog 
is that in order to be a good traveler with a dog, the blind person 
needs to be a good traveler in general.  A person would need a lot of 
experience in all aspects of travel in order to be successful with a 
dog.  For example, much information needs to be kept in mind when 
traveling without the direct contact with landmarks, etc., that cane 
travel provides.  How many 12-year-olds have such experience?  Have 
they traveled much independently at that point?

Last but not least, many people out there--some parents 
included--believe that a guide dog would protect their child and take 
him/her places safely.  They see dog use as a panacea for what they 
perceive as the travel difficulties and safety issues facing their 
blind child.  This is no basis for getting a guide dog!

So, all in all, my feeling would be against this idea.

Carol

Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc

At 10:09 AM 1/20/2010, you wrote:
>Here here!  Wy set the bar low when in fact a child of 12 years or 13 years
>has the capacity and maturity to handle the responsibility? Isn't it our
>responsibility  to give all children those tools they need based upon their
>individual abilities to achieve all things possible in their lives. I do
not
>see the reason for nor the reluctance  to allow any teenager an opportunity
>to exercise their choice for mobility and that it include a guide dog.
>
>Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>CEO/Founder
>My Blind Spot, Inc.
>90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>New York, New York  10004
>www.myblindspot.org
>PH: 917-553-0347
>Fax: 212-858-5759
>"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
>doing it."
>
>
>Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Doreen Frappier
>Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:40 AM
>To: (for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>
>I am not opposed to having responsible 12 year olds own and care for a
guide
>dog.  I believe that children mature at different rates. For example, 4-H
>children own and care for animals (on their own) at very young ages.  They
>are responsible for feeding and caring for that animal. One of my children,
>(sighted) is 13, and has been the sole trainer of a dog since she was 9
>years old.  She has won many awards and competitions with her dog,
including
>adult dog shows. She is responsible for feeding and caring for that dog.
>When the dog gets her check ups at the vet, she comes to the vets office.
>It's true, a young person can not take care of the expenses of a guide dog,
>but I am all for training teaching blind children to be independent as
early
>as possible. I think each situation is different.  I am not aware of
>everything that goes into caring for and owning a guide dog, but I think
>some children are capable and should not be excluded because of
>  age.
>
>Doreen
>
>--- On Wed, 1/20/10, Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>
>From: Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
>Subject: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 7:22 AM
>
>I just wanted to get some feedback on this from some parents of blind
>children and teens.  I, personally, was absolutely apalled to hear that a
>local guide dog school, not mentioning names *coughs* Freedom guide Dogs
>*Coughs* has preposed a program to place guide dogs with twelve year olds.
>All of the other schools in the US accept teens no younger than sixteen or
>eighteen years of age, depending on the school, but twelve?  I am happy to
>note that at present, no O and M instructors, parents or twelve year olds
>have contacted the school to enquire about this program, but I am dreading
>the day.  This makes a mockery of those exceptional blind teens who are, at
>sixteen or seventeen, responsible enough, committed enough and have
>demanding enough schedules to properly care for, utalize and actually need
a
>guide dog.  At what age would you consider supporting your teen in
>researching guide dog schools?  At what age would you support them actually
>  submitting applications?  How old would you want your teen to be before
>actually being placed with a guide dog?  Do you think that you would have
>the blunt honesty to deny your support of your child getting a dog guide,
if
>they were not emotionally, mentally, etc capable of utalizing a guide dog,
>at that time in their life?  Do you think that you could restrain yourself
>from taking care of the dog, interacting with the dog, or doing things that
>would undermine the ownership of the dog by your blind teen, acknowledging
>their sole ownership and responsibility for the dog, even if you, as their
>mother or father still have all other rule-making power in the house-hold?
>Finally, would you ever, honestly let your twelve year old apply for a
guide
>dog?  I just felt this should be brought to the list's attention.  Just me
>personally, I would not encourage my blind teen to start researching guide
>dog schools until age fourteen or fifteen, and I would not
>  allow them to apply to schools until they were at least fifteen, and that
>is assuming that they are emotionally ready to deal with the demands of a
>guide dog, such as handeling an emergency vet situation, mentally able to
>care for the dog, such as, researching and selecting safe toys, effective
>medications and appropriate foods, mature enough to deal with the social
>implications, such as access issues, and that they actually had a need, not
>just a want for a guide dog, due to a challenging travel area or complex
and
>demanding schedule of activities and classes.  Please share your thoughts.
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