[nagdu] Fwd: 5 Reasons Why Guide Dogs Are a Terrible Idea!

[Marianne Denning]

I really thought he had some great points.  I weighed using a cane
against having a dog guide and looked at all of the pros and cons for
both for me.  In the end, the dog won hands down but a dog is not
right for everyone.  I think too many people don't look at the down
side of a dog guide. I, unfortunately, have seen students at the
school who want a pet, not a dog guide.  True, the number is low, but
it does happen.

People also list 5 or 10 reasons why using a cane is a bad idea.  In
the end, we need to decide which choice is best for us.  The 6 months
I had to go without a dog were terrible and I hope it never happens
again but I understand the decision to use a cane and think it is a
good choice for many people.

On 3/20/15, Aleeha Dudley via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Just curious what you all think. This article greatly upset me, especially
> given the subject line. But I wanted to see what you guys thought, as the
> responses on the list that I saw this on our very mixed.
>
> If you're blind, you obviously read Braille. Your hearing must naturally be
>> superior to your sighted peers, and of course you have a guide dog!
>> Right?
>>
>> Well, that last may not be as pervasive as the first and second. Someone
>> recently told me the number of guide dog users has actually declined in
>> my
>> millennial generation. I have no evidence proving this one way or the
>> other,
>> but for the general public, to see a blind person with a guide dog feels
>> as
>> natural as butter and toast.
>>
>> Thing is, I'm not so sure guide dogs are right for everyone. Or, maybe
>> I'm
>> just projecting my own uncertainties onto the rest of the community?
>>
>> Last November I took the first step in the application process to return
>> for
>> a second Seeing Eye dog. It's been more than three years since I lost
>> Gator,
>> and even though I've gotten around just fine with a white cane, I am
>> approaching what feels like the final years with sight, however minimal
>> that
>> sight might be. I admit it's unnerving if I sit still long enough to
>> contemplate total blindness. NFB philosophy be damned, and the thought of
>> an
>> extra set of eyes to help me navigate the world does bring a measure of
>> comfort. But, is it enough to go get another dog?
>>
>> In no particular order, here are reasons why a guide dog would be a
>> terrible
>> idea:
>>
>> Read more:
>>
>> http://serotalk.com/2015/03/18/5-reasons-why-guide-dogs-are-a-terrible-idea/
>>
>> --
>> Musings of a Work in Progress:
>> www.JoeOrozco.com/
>>
>> Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>>
>>
>>
>>
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053