[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Thu Jan 21 02:46:46 UTC 2010

You are right, about the mobility skills portion, but the perceaved maturity 
level is important.  I would not let the most mature twelve year old in the 
world care for my dog long term or my child for an afternoon.  It is a risk 
that I am not willing to take and that most schools, and I agree with them, 
are not willing to take.  I did not realize that you are a guide dog user. 
You do realize, of course, that you are an exception to the rule, as most 
schools would not take someone who has only used a cane for six months into 
their program.  You must be an unusually hard-working individual, who had a 
very good O and M instructor, and i commend you on that, but I think you are 
letting your personal achievements color your view of the issue.  It is good 
to here some guide dog users chiming in, it really is.  I love these 
debates, when people really invest themselves in them.  I am just curious, 
which school is your dog from?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:30 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?


>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."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----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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>>
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