[nabs-l] dog v. cane

[Nicole B. Torcolini at Home]

Well said, Joe. I was going to add in some of that in a later message. Being 
a full time college student, I can definitely testify to some of those 
points, but, as Joe said, I know what my dog needs, and I am able/willing to 
do it.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com>
To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 6:15 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] dog v. cane


> Jorge,
>
> It's pretty easy to come up with advantages to having a guide dog.  I 
> agree
> with Nicole on the ease of travel and general companionship, but for the
> sake of a balanced perspective, I'll give you some negatives based on my
> experience:
>
> First, it's important to remember that the dog is a living creature.  More
> to the point, they're a trained living creature, and as such, they require 
> a
> certain feeding and relieving routine.  The dog will not implode if you
> don't stick to a regular schedule, but sometimes you have to forego
> flexibility to keep them on a consistent pattern.  Most days this should 
> be
> fine.  Yet if you find yourself traveling and in the midst of a cluttered
> agenda, this can become something of a nuisance.  It's a matter of 
> figuring
> out an acceptable place to relieve the dog, finding the proper place to
> dispose of the waste and being able to find similar locations as you move
> about your day.  And, no matter where you are, you should get ready to get
> up fairly early every day to make sure the mess stays outside and not in.
>
> Second, there are logistics to consider.  My German shepherd is large.  He
> significantly reduces the number of people who can travel with me in a 
> taxi.
> Leg room can be a nightmare on airplanes.  Granted, this is owed to my 
> being
> a tall guy, but bus travel and other forms of transportation might see a
> difference depending on the animal.  You need to pack more in your luggage
> for their food, food bowls, grooming equipment and medicine, as needed.
> I've never liked the view some handlers take of seeing their guide dogs as
> their children, but to a certain extent, it's true that they require some
> consideration about their needs as they travel with you.  Throw in a 
> couple
> toys into that there list of supplies in your luggage.
>
> Additionally, when traveling with a dog, be prepared to wear dog hair. 
> You
> might get lucky if you get a poodle, but otherwise, I don't care how well
> you brush them, shedding is part of the deal.  Most people will of course
> understand it's part of the natural course of things, but this is one 
> reason
> I've not taken my dog on job interviews.  It's a minor point, but I feel
> presentation is a huge part of leaving a good first impression, because
> appearance is seen differently on blind people.
>
> Fourth, the social interaction can be pleasant sometimes.  At other times,
> however, it can get tiresome.  Thankfully, because Gator is large, he 
> gives
> off the impression he is ferocious.  People would never know he's a
> marshmallow, but in some cases the over attention can become irritating if
> I'm rushing to get somewhere.  At other times, you figure out the only
> reason people are talking to you is because of the dog, and really, who
> wants to play third fiddle after the everyday sighted person and the guide
> dog?
>
> Next, there's the matter of expenses.  Most schools, I believe, offer some
> form of financial assistance to their students, but one should not get a 
> dog
> if one is not prepared for or capable of maintaining it.  Dogs get sick,
> sometimes seriously sick, and aside from the bills that can quickly become
> astronomical, they might be out of commission for a while, leaving the
> handlers in the position of needing to use a cane to temporarily move 
> about.
>
> Finally, be prepared to advocate for yourself.  There are far too many
> public establishments that did not get the memo that service animals are
> allowed in public establishments.  This does not mean every restaurant, 
> shop
> or transportation service representative will be a pinhead, but pinheads
> there are a plenty, and I classify this as a disadvantage because your
> activities would never be interrupted while using long white and Faithful.
> Dealing with the public is not always a bad experience, but you should be
> prepared for the occasional confrontation.
>
> Now, you'd think from this list of disadvantages that I would generally
> discourage people from getting a dog.  Actually, you might be correct. 
> Only
> the people who can see the negatives to getting a dog and feel confident
> about still continuing with the process should get a dog.  I've been
> criticized in times past for not taking my dog everywhere I go.  I, for
> example, did not see it fit to take my dog to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
> concert last week.  I will more than likely not take him to the pub when I
> meet some colleagues for networking this week, but I have taken him white
> water rafting.  Crazy?  Not at all.  Gator and I have an understanding.
> And, it should go without say that there are exceptions to the things I've
> listed and the other things I could list.  Teams develop their own 
> routines
> and understandings, but there is a fundamental core from which we all have
> to build no matter what dog you get or what school you get him from.
>
> The point is, there is no question of the chicken or the egg.  If you 
> don't
> have a good command of the cane, you have no business with a dog.  They 
> have
> bad days.  They get sick, and sometimes, unfortunately, they die.  A 
> person
> should view their dog as a travel enhancer rather than a traveling crutch.
> It will keep you from unfairly seeing the dog as having the answers to all
> obstacles.  When the team works well together, it's a dream team, and
> there's no stopping it, but there's a lot of preparation that goes into
> that.
>
> Anyway, I hope that helps.
>
> Best,
>
> Joe
>
> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
>
>
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