[NAGDU] Traveling in Pairs

[Tami Jarvis]

Joe,

In my limited experience walking with another guide dog user in a busy 
place, we ended up letting the dogs keep track. We generally discuss 
where we plan to go ahead of time and plan a route if we know where that 
is. If we're looking for a store in a mall, we discuss finding 
strategies ahead of time. The friend I've walked that way with most is 
deafblind, though she does have some hearing with a CI. In a crowded 
mall, she can't really hear me, so we would stop at intersections to 
confer if one of us didn't know the way. The dogs seemed naturally to 
adapt their paces, more on Mitzi's part. My friend has some additional 
mobility issues, so we had to slow way down, which Mitzi didn't like to 
do for people but would do for that team. It was pretty funny, really. 
When we first started going about, the dogs would watch each other and 
compare notes, or maybe critique each other's work. Things were more 
complicated if we walked on sidewalks, where my friend needed to stop 
and take things really slowly that didn't slow me and Mitzi down at all. 
At first, she would have to call to me to stop, then Mitzi got the 
picture and would stop to wait for them. I was impressed that the other 
dog didn't get distracted from the extra care she needed to exercise. At 
times, my friend would find a bench to rest, and I would take Mitzi for 
a good spin about at our usual fast clip, then ask Mitzi to find my 
friend or her dog by name to get back to them.

I work my dog on the right, which makes it convenient to walk with most 
other guide dog users, who have their dog on the left. The people can 
walk side by side and talk more easily, assuming the dogs can match 
their paces. Planning ahead definitely helps. If there are things you do 
differently for whatever reason, discussing how to manage in places 
where that comes up also helps things go more smoothly. It is *very* 
convenient if one or both dogs are good at finding specific people in 
case you do get separated in crowds. Otherwise,you just have to stop and 
call each other and hope one of you at least can navigate by sound 
location in a sound-distorting environment. While trying to convince 
yourself you don't look silly. /lol/

hth

Tami

On 01/26/2017 08:50 AM, Joe Orozco via NAGDU wrote:
> Hello,
>
> For a pair of guide dog users, what methods can you recommend for
> ensuring a smooth travel experience? What cues do you use with one
> another to keep track of each other while moving about busy streets?
> When traveling in large crowds, do you ever physically link up somehow
> to not lose track, and if you do, how do you maneuver the dogs? I know
> these are basic questions, to which there are probably simple answers,
> but people come up with all manner of clever ideas. I'm curious to see
> what you may have thought up. Thanks in advance!
>
> Joe
>
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/tami%40poodlemutt.com
>