[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
Heather
craney07 at rochester.rr.com
Fri Jan 22 14:17:32 UTC 2010
That is how I judge guide dog schools actually. The ones that I don't
recommend, that I warn people against, are the ones that I see compermising
their safety and O and M requirements. I only will get dogs from schools
with exacting standards, and although all schools slip up on occation, the
ones I hold in high regard are pretty stringent in their requirements and
uncompermizing in those that effect the safety of the dog and the handler.
Recently I have had to change my opinion of a school I really thought highly
of, because of some of the problems they were letting slide both with their
dogs and with some of their applicants. Having an exclusive school is a
good thing, not a snobby school, but an exacting one that puts safety first,
not numbers or PR.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:02 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
> Heather:
>
> I must beg to differ with you slightly. In theory, you are correct: the
> schools expect a good working knowledge of O&M including use of the long
> cane before they will consider an applicant for guide dog use. However,
> all-too-often, I have seen this honored more in theory than in the breech.
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Heather" <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>
>
>> 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.
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>blindkid mailing list
>>>>blindkid at nfbnet.org
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>>> o
>>>>.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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