[nagdu] Guide dog school that offers guide dogs to children between the ages of 11 & 17 years old.

Fri May 31 13:53:04 UTC 2013

I worry that giving a guide dog to someone so young that the dog would become more of a pet. I would have applied for a guide dog when I was 16, but my vision was better, I had never used a cane, and I knew that the dog would become a pet. In high school my vision was about 20/100. But, during college it decreased significantly and I then started using a cane and got involved with the NFB. I am glad that I had pretty good mobility skills, since they are very important when travelling with a guide dog. 
Deanna and Mr. P

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of blind411
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 9:17 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog school that offers guide dogs to children between the ages of 11 & 17 years old.

Dear All,
	I am of the opinion that the best guide dog handlers are those who have good orientation & mobility skills prior to getting a dog. Too many people believe a dog will solve mobility problem; however, for those without good skills, the dog only causes more problems. I believe children must develop their independent travel skills just as they need to develop their other skills of independent living, before moving into the use of a guide dog. Additionally, most children are not responsible enough to properly care for a guide dog, leaving the parents with that responsibility, thus compromising the working relationship necessary for effective guide dog use.
JMHO!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 8:59 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog school that offers guide dogs to children between the ages of 11 & 17 years old.

Very good point, Cindy Rae; while I love conversing about my dogma there is much, much more to me than my dog or my blindness.
Darla & Retiring Ro9xy

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 7:26 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog school that offers guide dogs to children between the ages of 11 & 17 years old.

Well, first of all, I think it gives a horrific view of blind children. It doesn't need to be like that. Second, the younger ones, I would have to say I am a little hesitant, not so much because of thekids who are having the dogs as the others. I have seen enough of how adults and others kids react to an adult's dog. I just don't feel it to be a great idea, and I sometimes think that the dog is as isolating in its own way because it can be hard to get the topic of conversation off the dog. JMO

CL

On May 31, 2013, at 7:04 AM, Deanna Lewis <DLewis at clovernook.org> wrote:

> What do you all think about this...
> Deanna and Pascal
> 
> 
> 
> MIRA - The only organization in the United States dedicated to 
> providing guide dogs to blind children and youth between the ages of
11-17.
> 
> MIRA: from the Spanish "look", "to have one's sights set on", was the 
> nickname of a favorite guide dog trained by Eric St. Pierre, founder 
> of MIRA Canada. MIRA Foundation USA takes its name from its 
> collaboration with MIRA Canada, a nonprofit organization founded in
> 1981 upon the belief that all individuals, regardless of their 
> physical challenges, should be able to set their sights on the same 
> goals
as those people born without handicaps.
> 
> Today, MIRA Canada is recognized as a global leader in the breeding, 
> selection, and training of guide and service dogs. MIRA USA was 
> created in
> 
> 2008 as a legally separate entity, but with close ties to MIRA Canada, 
> where our dogs are currently trained.
> 
> Our mission is to offer blind children in the United States between 
> the ages of 11-17 the opportunity to receive guide dogs free of 
> charge, to provide targeted educational outreach to promote public 
> awareness, and, as we continue to grow, to offer support services to 
> the adult population of blind and their families.
> 
> It is our experience that blind children, for the most part, are 
> highly adaptive, fiercely determined, and seek to have many of the 
> same opportunities as their sighted peers. Although a cane provides an 
> adequate degree of mobility for the blind and severely visually 
> impaired, there remain some serious limitations. For example, it is 
> impossible to navigate with a cane when there is no tactical 
> information such as what is provided by sidewalks. A child living in a 
> rural area is severely challenged by this restriction.
> 
> Furthermore, a cane tends to be isolating, whereas a dog provides a 
> social bridge to the sighted community. Not only are dogs social 
> creatures, they also provide stability and a level of protection 
> through their visual awareness training that a cane could never replicate.
> 
> Finally, a guide dog provides a young blind person with a greater 
> level of self-reliance at an early age. Although a very young student 
> is not going to be out on the streets alone with their dog, having the 
> ability to navigate without holding a parent's hand is crucial to 
> developing maturity and confidence. The student's freedom and mobility 
> are especially enhanced in the school environment with the assistance 
> of a guide dog. Although there is no cure for blindness, there can be 
> hope, and we at MIRA witness it every day through the service of a 
> MIRA
guide dog.
> 
> http://www.mirausa.org/
> 
> 
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