[nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog

[Star Gazer]

		Julie says this all very well Responding because I think
it's what I was trying to say and failing miserably.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J. via
nagdu
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2014 12:06 PM
To: Elisabeth Clark; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog

Liz,

I think what you're asking is somewhat dependent on trusting the dog. 
that's tough in the beginning, because you don't really know the dog all
that well.  Is he goofing off or is there really something he's taking me
around?  It gets better after the initial 6 months or so, once you really
mesh as a team.

However, the dog will always take you around things.  You will get new
information, but some of the things you are used to with your cane are going
to be gone.  You can get your cane out to check things out if you need to. 
However using the cane and dog continually together would be cumbersome and
rather defeat the point, I think.

Some of the information you are used to getting from your cane, you won't
need so much when working the dog.  I veer pretty bad  with my cane, so I
find myself shore lining more than most people or checking for the edge more
often than is probably strictly necessary.  a dog will keep that line for
you quite easily so you don't need to worry about it.

If you really like the information you get from your cane and don't want to 
give that up, then don't.  Dogs are not for everyone.    Is there some 
particular reason you are looking into getting a guide dog?  I'm just
curious.  It might also be helpful to spend some time with someone who uses
a dog.  then you could get an idea how a seasoned team works, what a guide
dog can and can't do and how the guide dog handler works through particular
travel situations.  You can compare this with how you use your cane and
maybe it will help you decide if it makes sense for you.

I was out with a good friend of mine who was also my cane travel instructor
once upon a time.  He's a very, very, very good cane traveler.  Some things
that surprised me a bit about the difference between his advanced cane use
and my guide dog use were that I got lined up for street crossings faster. 
I could weave through tables, fountains, flower pots and other assorted
stuff on the sidewalks or outdoor restaurant patio areas much more quickly. 
Finding a particular room in a hall of rooms was faster for him at first. 
Once I had been to a particular room once or twice, my dog would pick up on 
it and skip the others making my travel faster and more direct.   Finding 
specific things like the table with the coffee and cookies at the back of
the room was easier for the cane user.

Best of luck in whatever you decide,
Julie


-----Original Message-----
From: Elisabeth Clark via nagdu
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2014 10:33 AM
To: Buddy Brannan ; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
Users ; ntorcolini at wavecable.com ; nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog

Hi guys,
I haven't got a dog yet, but have done several walks with a few dogs through
three different schools and am looking at getting a dog.

One thing I don't understand is the fact that I feel most confident with my
cane vs the confidence I have while walking with a guidedog.  I feel that my
cane gives me more feedback on my surroundings and I can sense the
unevenness of the ground better than what I can with a guidedog.  I also
know they try to pull you around obsticals, but I'm not good with following
a dog.
With my cane, I can use the tapping technique and echo location to get
around obsticals and find that much easier.  Did any of you experience the
same problem?

Cheers, Liz.

Sent from my Braillenote Apex.

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