WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.050 --> 00:00:03.060
When figuring out how to navigate
2
00:00:03.060 --> 00:00:07.020
after vision loss, a guide
dog is one option to consider.
3
00:00:07.020 --> 00:00:10.500
But what should you know
before making that choice?
4
00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:13.860
In this episode guide
dog handlers Judy Davis
5
00:00:13.860 --> 00:00:16.050
and Nancy Kranjack join us
6
00:00:16.050 --> 00:00:20.010
to share their experiences
in working with a guide dog.
7
00:00:20.010 --> 00:00:23.880
I'm Ricky Enger and
this is Hadley Presents.
8
00:00:23.880 --> 00:00:26.520
Welcome to the show. Nancy and Judy,
9
00:00:26.520 --> 00:00:27.780
Great to be here.
10
00:00:27.780 --> 00:00:31.140
Yes, indeed. It is
wonderful to have you both.
11
00:00:31.140 --> 00:00:33.060
Judy, you've been on a couple of times,
12
00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:34.800
and Nancy, this is your first time
13
00:00:34.800 --> 00:00:38.400
and as I say, I am delighted
to have you both here.
14
00:00:38.400 --> 00:00:39.750
What better thing
15
00:00:39.750 --> 00:00:43.890
to do than talk about furry,
16
00:00:43.890 --> 00:00:47.610
wonderful companions, which
is what we're going to,
17
00:00:47.610 --> 00:00:49.170
to do today.
18
00:00:49.170 --> 00:00:52.320
And these are companions
that also have a job,
19
00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.360
which is actually pretty cool.
20
00:00:54.360 --> 00:00:56.340
So I am so looking forward
21
00:00:56.340 --> 00:00:59.820
to just learning a bit
more about your journeys
22
00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:01.950
as guide dog handlers.
23
00:01:01.950 --> 00:01:05.250
And I know that when people start
24
00:01:05.250 --> 00:01:07.110
to think about this process or friends
25
00:01:07.110 --> 00:01:10.380
and family are saying, Hey,
why don't you have a dog yet?
26
00:01:10.380 --> 00:01:12.090
Because that always comes up.
27
00:01:12.090 --> 00:01:14.580
There are so many
questions that people have.
28
00:01:14.580 --> 00:01:19.350
So I think this is a great way
to get some of those answered
29
00:01:19.350 --> 00:01:22.650
and just to kind of hear
what it's like from people
30
00:01:22.650 --> 00:01:25.650
who actually work with dogs.
31
00:01:25.650 --> 00:01:30.540
So before we jump in to the questions
32
00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:32.040
that I have, why don't we just start
33
00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.260
with getting some quick introductions.
34
00:01:34.260 --> 00:01:36.300
So tell us a bit about you
35
00:01:36.300 --> 00:01:38.640
and of course we want to know
36
00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:41.760
what dog you are currently working with.
37
00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:43.530
So Judy, we'll start with you.
38
00:01:44.490 --> 00:01:48.655
My name is Judy Davis. I
live in Western North Carolina.
39
00:01:48.655 --> 00:01:51.180
My background's actually
in library science,
40
00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:54.840
but a lot of my life has been
spent running support groups,
41
00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:57.840
working for state agencies for the blind.
42
00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:02.790
I have very little vision
remaining as far as guide dogs go,
43
00:02:02.790 --> 00:02:07.170
I'm on my third guide
dog, his name is Orville.
44
00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:10.890
I got a medical school up in
New York and he's a black lab
45
00:02:10.890 --> 00:02:14.250
and I just celebrated
my fourth year with him.
46
00:02:14.250 --> 00:02:17.700
So we've been a good team
for four years. I love it.
47
00:02:17.700 --> 00:02:20.250
Nancy, how about you?
Tell us a bit about you.
48
00:02:20.250 --> 00:02:21.870
Hi, my name is Nancy Kranjack.
49
00:02:21.870 --> 00:02:24.750
I live in New Jersey with my husband Mario
50
00:02:24.750 --> 00:02:26.820
and my guide dog Vince.
51
00:02:26.820 --> 00:02:29.220
Vince is two years old
52
00:02:29.220 --> 00:02:33.000
and we've been together since September.
53
00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:36.390
And Vince is my first
guide dog. He's adorable.
54
00:02:36.390 --> 00:02:38.970
He is a black lab
55
00:02:38.970 --> 00:02:42.090
with a golden retriever mix.
56
00:02:42.090 --> 00:02:44.700
He's got a very friendly disposition.
57
00:02:44.700 --> 00:02:47.790
He loves people, he's very social
58
00:02:47.790 --> 00:02:51.450
and he's really great at doing his job.
59
00:02:51.450 --> 00:02:53.940
We get around quite a bit together
60
00:02:53.940 --> 00:02:57.120
and we're embarking on
a new journey together.
61
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:01.810
I should say. As far as my
vision loss, I was diagnosed
62
00:03:01.810 --> 00:03:04.960
with RP when I was a teenager
63
00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:09.430
and went through school, went
through college, graduated,
64
00:03:09.430 --> 00:03:13.960
embarked on a wonderful career
in banking in New York City
65
00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:16.870
and then raised my family in New Jersey.
66
00:03:16.870 --> 00:03:20.470
Have three children and now a grandson.
67
00:03:20.470 --> 00:03:23.800
So I am enjoying my life with Vince
68
00:03:23.800 --> 00:03:26.350
because he's my new buddy.
69
00:03:26.350 --> 00:03:30.940
I used to use a cane
mainly I would go around
70
00:03:30.940 --> 00:03:34.330
with my children or with a sighted guide
71
00:03:34.330 --> 00:03:35.740
and once everybody was out
72
00:03:35.740 --> 00:03:38.140
of the house I felt a little lonely
73
00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:41.950
and going around with a cane was not
74
00:03:41.950 --> 00:03:44.050
so natural for me.
75
00:03:44.050 --> 00:03:46.660
I do enjoy going out for exercise
76
00:03:46.660 --> 00:03:49.210
and walking long walks, enjoying nature
77
00:03:49.210 --> 00:03:51.070
and meeting other people
78
00:03:51.070 --> 00:03:54.520
and walking with a cane
was difficult for me.
79
00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:56.680
It didn't come naturally at all.
80
00:03:56.680 --> 00:03:59.230
That's when I started
considering a guide dog.
81
00:03:59.230 --> 00:04:02.050
So when you were working with the cane,
82
00:04:02.050 --> 00:04:06.100
for some people they feel like it's
83
00:04:06.100 --> 00:04:07.990
a natural thing for them.
84
00:04:07.990 --> 00:04:11.470
Some people are a bit resistant to it
85
00:04:11.470 --> 00:04:13.420
and then get accustomed to it
86
00:04:13.420 --> 00:04:16.660
and for some people you
make the decision to do it,
87
00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:21.100
but it, it doesn't feel
right for whatever reason.
88
00:04:21.100 --> 00:04:24.310
So is that kind of what led you
89
00:04:24.310 --> 00:04:29.110
to think maybe a dog is better,
maybe a dog is different?
90
00:04:29.110 --> 00:04:31.030
What played into that decision
91
00:04:31.030 --> 00:04:32.890
to look into getting your guide dog?
92
00:04:33.790 --> 00:04:38.110
Well, I noticed that with
the cane I can navigate,
93
00:04:38.110 --> 00:04:40.570
I can learn streets
94
00:04:40.570 --> 00:04:43.300
and get to places slowly.
95
00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:47.830
I wasn't so great at it, but
it was work, it wasn't fun.
96
00:04:47.830 --> 00:04:52.660
I wasn't enjoying the walk, I
wasn't enjoying the process.
97
00:04:52.660 --> 00:04:54.940
So I stopped doing it as much.
98
00:04:55.930 --> 00:05:00.930
I became very reticent
about going out on walks
99
00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:04.720
and I said, well this is a
time to get a new companion.
100
00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.740
For me, going out with a dog, walking out
101
00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:10.600
with Vince is like,
102
00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:13.450
like a teenager getting a
driver's license all of a sudden.
103
00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:16.840
That's the way I could
actually describe it.
104
00:05:16.840 --> 00:05:21.280
All of a sudden I have all
this freedom to just go out
105
00:05:21.280 --> 00:05:25.360
and explore and have fun
and enjoy the process.
106
00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:27.460
For me it's liberating.
107
00:05:27.460 --> 00:05:30.160
Gosh, I just love to, to hear that,
108
00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.910
to go from not enjoying walking at all
109
00:05:33.910 --> 00:05:36.010
and feeling like you're sort of stuck
110
00:05:36.010 --> 00:05:40.060
to now you have this freedom.
111
00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:43.060
Judy, I know it's been
a little longer for you
112
00:05:43.060 --> 00:05:45.850
because you're on your third dog,
113
00:05:45.850 --> 00:05:47.380
but if you can think back
114
00:05:47.380 --> 00:05:52.360
to when you were considering
getting your first one,
115
00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:55.210
what played into that decision for you?
116
00:05:55.210 --> 00:05:57.800
What wasn't working about
your current situation
117
00:05:57.800 --> 00:05:59.330
that you're like, you know,
118
00:05:59.330 --> 00:06:00.950
maybe it's time to do something different?
119
00:06:01.790 --> 00:06:02.840
Well, with me, you know,
120
00:06:02.840 --> 00:06:05.270
I had a longer time using my cane.
121
00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:08.840
As a lot of people can imagine,
122
00:06:08.840 --> 00:06:11.390
having a guide dog is
another responsibility.
123
00:06:11.390 --> 00:06:13.460
And for me, having small children
124
00:06:13.460 --> 00:06:17.450
and then adding a guide dog
into the mix was just more than
125
00:06:17.450 --> 00:06:18.890
I can imagine taking on.
126
00:06:18.890 --> 00:06:21.320
And plus, I was fairly new to vision loss.
127
00:06:21.320 --> 00:06:23.510
I mean, I'd had RP for years,
128
00:06:23.510 --> 00:06:24.890
but I just crossed over to
129
00:06:24.890 --> 00:06:27.890
where I couldn't navigate
easily on my own.
130
00:06:27.890 --> 00:06:30.650
So when we moved to
Pennsylvania, I realized
131
00:06:30.650 --> 00:06:32.390
that I was gonna have to do something
132
00:06:32.390 --> 00:06:34.130
or else I was only
gonna be able to walk up
133
00:06:34.130 --> 00:06:35.510
and down my quiet little street.
134
00:06:35.510 --> 00:06:39.230
So I, I learned to use
my cane and my daughters
135
00:06:39.230 --> 00:06:43.040
and I walked all over
State College, Pennsylvania
136
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.960
and it was lovely.
137
00:06:44.960 --> 00:06:49.760
And as time progressed it's
like, well, you know, I,
138
00:06:49.760 --> 00:06:53.420
I'm afraid, I trust my vision
more than I would trust my
139
00:06:53.420 --> 00:06:58.250
dog, which is not a good
way to work with a guy dog.
140
00:06:58.250 --> 00:07:02.150
So that was one reason I delayed
141
00:07:02.150 --> 00:07:03.770
and at another point it's like, you know,
142
00:07:03.770 --> 00:07:07.580
I'm not really walking enough
to to to warrant a guy dog,
143
00:07:07.580 --> 00:07:09.050
you know, because you have to, you know,
144
00:07:09.050 --> 00:07:10.400
be out and about a lot.
145
00:07:10.400 --> 00:07:11.840
And then, gosh,
146
00:07:11.840 --> 00:07:15.170
I think 15 years ago I really
got into walking a lot.
147
00:07:15.170 --> 00:07:17.330
It was good for my mental health
148
00:07:17.330 --> 00:07:19.850
and my vision had changed more
149
00:07:19.850 --> 00:07:22.940
and it's like, oh it is, it
is just time to get a dog.
150
00:07:22.940 --> 00:07:26.090
Having a dog is, it's like
Nancy was saying, it's just
151
00:07:26.090 --> 00:07:30.980
so much a better sense of
independence, freedom, fastness,
152
00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:32.930
you know, able to walk more quickly
153
00:07:32.930 --> 00:07:35.810
with a dog versus walking with a cane.
154
00:07:35.810 --> 00:07:40.100
So when people start to
think about this process
155
00:07:40.100 --> 00:07:44.870
or even certainly the
general public well-meaning
156
00:07:44.870 --> 00:07:47.840
as they may be asking, you
know, why don't you have a dog?
157
00:07:47.840 --> 00:07:49.580
When are you gonna get a dog?
158
00:07:49.580 --> 00:07:53.480
Or maybe you are thinking about that.
159
00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:56.840
There are often some misconceptions
160
00:07:56.840 --> 00:07:58.850
that come along for the ride.
161
00:07:58.850 --> 00:08:02.630
The one I get a lot
162
00:08:02.630 --> 00:08:06.290
as a misconception is that
163
00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:10.460
you don't really need to learn
164
00:08:10.460 --> 00:08:14.450
to travel in any other
way before getting a dog.
165
00:08:14.450 --> 00:08:15.830
So in other words, you don't need
166
00:08:15.830 --> 00:08:19.070
to think about those basic orientation
167
00:08:19.070 --> 00:08:23.330
and mobility skills, whether
that's learning a cane,
168
00:08:23.330 --> 00:08:28.280
learning to pay attention to
some cues in your environment
169
00:08:28.280 --> 00:08:30.920
to understand where you are, you know,
170
00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:32.360
the dog's gonna take care of that.
171
00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:35.150
I think that's one misconception that
172
00:08:35.150 --> 00:08:37.610
I hear a lot.
173
00:08:37.610 --> 00:08:39.110
So what about for each of you?
174
00:08:39.110 --> 00:08:42.230
Were there misconceptions
that either you had
175
00:08:42.230 --> 00:08:43.280
or maybe your friends
176
00:08:43.280 --> 00:08:48.200
and family had about what it
would be like to have a dog
177
00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:51.230
or what they can or can't
do, that kind of thing?
178
00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:53.180
So Nancy, we'll start with you.
179
00:08:53.180 --> 00:08:58.140
So I'm the first guide
dog owner here in my town.
180
00:08:58.140 --> 00:09:01.140
So there's no one else
to really compare me to
181
00:09:01.140 --> 00:09:02.370
or ask questions.
182
00:09:02.370 --> 00:09:05.340
It was sort of an information abyss.
183
00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:07.500
I didn't know anything about guide dogs.
184
00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:09.780
So I started reading books about them
185
00:09:09.780 --> 00:09:12.900
and people sharing their journeys
186
00:09:12.900 --> 00:09:15.480
and their adventures with
about their guide dogs.
187
00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:17.250
And that was, that was educational.
188
00:09:17.250 --> 00:09:20.310
I thought that helped out
a lot as far as dealing
189
00:09:20.310 --> 00:09:21.930
with my family.
190
00:09:21.930 --> 00:09:25.110
I kept on telling them,
no, this is a service dog.
191
00:09:25.110 --> 00:09:26.910
It's not gonna be your pet.
192
00:09:26.910 --> 00:09:30.930
You're not gonna be playing
with my dog. This is my dog.
193
00:09:30.930 --> 00:09:32.610
So they were kind of resentful.
194
00:09:32.610 --> 00:09:34.650
They were like, wait a
minute, we want a pet,
195
00:09:34.650 --> 00:09:36.420
we're gonna have our own dog.
196
00:09:36.420 --> 00:09:40.290
And that is actually
different than what I thought.
197
00:09:40.290 --> 00:09:42.870
Yes, Vince is my guide dog
198
00:09:42.870 --> 00:09:46.440
and once you put a harness
on Vince, he's working
199
00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:48.570
and no one else bothers him.
200
00:09:48.570 --> 00:09:50.310
He's concentrated on me.
201
00:09:50.310 --> 00:09:53.130
But as far as when that harness comes off
202
00:09:53.130 --> 00:09:54.300
and he's only on leash
203
00:09:54.300 --> 00:09:56.910
or he's free to roam
around, he's as cuddly
204
00:09:56.910 --> 00:10:00.150
and playful with my grandson at 18 months
205
00:10:00.150 --> 00:10:01.530
as he is with everyone else.
206
00:10:01.530 --> 00:10:03.210
So he's wonderful.
207
00:10:03.210 --> 00:10:06.180
As far as what we all thought,
208
00:10:06.180 --> 00:10:08.730
how does the guide dog actually function?
209
00:10:08.730 --> 00:10:11.550
What, what can we expect of him?
210
00:10:11.550 --> 00:10:14.490
I, I tell everyone I'm the GPS
211
00:10:14.490 --> 00:10:18.930
and the guide dog actually keeps me safe
212
00:10:18.930 --> 00:10:21.090
and keeps me going.
213
00:10:21.090 --> 00:10:24.030
We actually learn to listen for cues.
214
00:10:24.030 --> 00:10:28.650
And so I do use all my mobility skills,
215
00:10:28.650 --> 00:10:32.130
learning to listen for traffic patterns,
216
00:10:32.130 --> 00:10:35.850
for voices, for cues as to
217
00:10:35.850 --> 00:10:38.760
what is close to me in order
218
00:10:38.760 --> 00:10:41.340
to guide my
219
00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:44.130
direction for the dog.
220
00:10:44.130 --> 00:10:46.800
The dog keeps me safe,
221
00:10:46.800 --> 00:10:49.620
keeps me away from trouble.
222
00:10:49.620 --> 00:10:54.620
We came back in late
September to my hometown
223
00:10:54.630 --> 00:10:57.090
and we have no sidewalks.
224
00:10:57.090 --> 00:11:00.930
We have to walk the
street close to the curb.
225
00:11:00.930 --> 00:11:03.480
And as you would imagine
in rural New Jersey,
226
00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.190
we have many trees
227
00:11:05.190 --> 00:11:08.490
and there were big piles
of leaves everywhere.
228
00:11:08.490 --> 00:11:12.990
So Vince would guide me
around the piles of leaves
229
00:11:12.990 --> 00:11:15.180
and then we would get back to the curb
230
00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:16.860
and proceed in our journey.
231
00:11:16.860 --> 00:11:20.370
He also guides me around parked cars.
232
00:11:20.370 --> 00:11:22.770
Like I said, we have no sidewalks so we go
233
00:11:22.770 --> 00:11:24.120
around parked cars
234
00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.700
and the fun thing is that if there's a car
235
00:11:26.700 --> 00:11:30.510
that's gonna cut us off,
he stops in his track.
236
00:11:30.510 --> 00:11:35.310
I was recounting this one,
one story before Vince
237
00:11:35.310 --> 00:11:37.200
and I went for a long walk
238
00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.690
and it took a little longer than I thought
239
00:11:39.690 --> 00:11:42.150
and my friend was waiting
for us in our drive-by.
240
00:11:43.020 --> 00:11:44.790
I turned onto the street
241
00:11:44.790 --> 00:11:48.180
and there was construction
going on in a house
242
00:11:48.180 --> 00:11:49.320
and it's fall.
243
00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:51.540
There are landscapers blowing leaves.
244
00:11:51.540 --> 00:11:55.300
It's really a cacophony sounds everywhere.
245
00:11:55.300 --> 00:11:57.970
We made that turn into the street
246
00:11:57.970 --> 00:12:01.030
and I could tell that there
was a truck idling in front
247
00:12:01.030 --> 00:12:05.320
of me and I kept telling
Vince, hop up, which means go.
248
00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:09.220
He would move. So then I called
my friend who was waiting.
249
00:12:09.220 --> 00:12:12.340
So eventually she came
down to meet us at the end
250
00:12:12.340 --> 00:12:15.550
of the block and she said
he was right for not moving.
251
00:12:15.550 --> 00:12:19.600
There are two trucks in front
of you, landscapers are all
252
00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.390
around and two trucks on
the other side of the street
253
00:12:22.390 --> 00:12:23.920
with traffic going on.
254
00:12:23.920 --> 00:12:27.880
No wonder he wasn't progressing
and going into danger.
255
00:12:27.880 --> 00:12:30.700
I think it's called
intelligent disobedience
256
00:12:30.700 --> 00:12:35.680
where the dog instinctively
knows that it's dangerous.
257
00:12:35.680 --> 00:12:39.190
So let's put the brakes on
until it's safe for you to move.
258
00:12:39.190 --> 00:12:41.110
I wouldn't have done that with a cane.
259
00:12:41.110 --> 00:12:43.540
I wouldn't have known,
I would've tried to get
260
00:12:43.540 --> 00:12:47.680
around the obstacle, which
is, you know, in front of me
261
00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:51.880
and perhaps put myself in harm's way
262
00:12:51.880 --> 00:12:52.930
because I wouldn't be able
263
00:12:52.930 --> 00:12:55.900
to discern all those
different trucks and, and
264
00:12:55.900 --> 00:12:59.260
and people going to
and fro in front of me.
265
00:12:59.260 --> 00:13:01.810
So that was, that was
a lifesaver actually.
266
00:13:01.810 --> 00:13:04.720
That's what I rely on Vince for.
267
00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:06.850
Yeah. And I do really, first of all,
268
00:13:06.850 --> 00:13:08.530
I really love that story.
269
00:13:08.530 --> 00:13:11.380
It's such a good illustration of
270
00:13:11.380 --> 00:13:13.660
how a dog works.
271
00:13:13.660 --> 00:13:16.630
You are kind of the
brains of the operation,
272
00:13:16.630 --> 00:13:20.110
but sometimes the dog knows
something that you don't
273
00:13:20.110 --> 00:13:22.750
and this is the way that
they communicate that.
274
00:13:22.750 --> 00:13:25.900
Yeah. I'm gonna stop
because it's dangerous
275
00:13:25.900 --> 00:13:29.170
and ev eventually we'll figure out how
276
00:13:29.170 --> 00:13:30.520
to get out of this mess.
277
00:13:30.520 --> 00:13:32.770
But for the moment you said to go,
278
00:13:32.770 --> 00:13:35.800
and I'm gonna say no, not a good idea.
279
00:13:36.760 --> 00:13:40.330
Judy, do you remember what kinds
280
00:13:40.330 --> 00:13:42.370
of misconceptions you had
281
00:13:42.370 --> 00:13:45.220
or your family had about
what it was gonna be like
282
00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:47.770
to have a dog or even
maybe what the dog could
283
00:13:47.770 --> 00:13:50.920
or couldn't do before you got yours?
284
00:13:50.920 --> 00:13:54.640
This was a misconception that I had
285
00:13:54.640 --> 00:13:58.630
and it was a really tough one
to come face to face with.
286
00:13:59.890 --> 00:14:03.100
My first guy dog was named Mandrake
287
00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:06.070
and he was a lovely yellow lab
288
00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:11.070
and we worked so hard at guiding
eyes and just did so well.
289
00:14:11.230 --> 00:14:12.430
And then I brought him home
290
00:14:13.330 --> 00:14:17.020
and initially it seemed to be working
291
00:14:17.020 --> 00:14:21.910
and then he just seemed
to be not as engaged.
292
00:14:21.910 --> 00:14:24.400
And so, you know, I talked
to the school, they were
293
00:14:24.400 --> 00:14:25.840
so very supportive, they,
294
00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.700
they said let's do some medical tests.
295
00:14:27.700 --> 00:14:30.070
And they came and got him and
took him back to the school
296
00:14:30.070 --> 00:14:31.360
and they did medical tests
297
00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.700
and I thought, you know,
everything was good
298
00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.960
and they brought him back
299
00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:38.470
and the first walk I did
with my trainer, he did okay
300
00:14:38.470 --> 00:14:39.760
but not great.
301
00:14:39.760 --> 00:14:41.740
And then the next walk
we took, you know, later
302
00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:46.060
that afternoon he just,
he wasn't engaged at all.
303
00:14:46.060 --> 00:14:50.440
So not all Guy Dog P Matches works
304
00:14:52.250 --> 00:14:55.700
and it was especially tough
since it was my first one.
305
00:14:57.650 --> 00:15:00.680
And schools, all schools try so hard
306
00:15:00.680 --> 00:15:02.270
to find the right dog for you.
307
00:15:02.270 --> 00:15:05.390
You know, they look at how
fast you walk, where you walk,
308
00:15:05.390 --> 00:15:07.550
what kind of pull you need on the harness.
309
00:15:08.660 --> 00:15:12.740
But his heart was just not
ready to be a guide dog.
310
00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:16.850
And Prince, my second guide
dog worked really well
311
00:15:16.850 --> 00:15:20.120
and I worked with him for seven years,
312
00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.910
but eventually he let me know that
313
00:15:22.910 --> 00:15:25.100
I don't like walking on this sidewalk next
314
00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:26.960
to this busy street anymore.
315
00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:29.690
So you know, that's another
kind of unknown thing is
316
00:15:29.690 --> 00:15:31.700
how long, once you have a guide dog,
317
00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:33.170
that dog will work with you.
318
00:15:33.170 --> 00:15:37.820
So you just have to be
prepared for what comes.
319
00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:39.320
And that was a hard lesson.
320
00:15:40.730 --> 00:15:42.020
Yeah, no kidding.
321
00:15:42.020 --> 00:15:45.440
And you don't think about
that with a cane, you know,
322
00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:47.450
you imagine it's going to work forever
323
00:15:47.450 --> 00:15:50.030
unless like the elastic
snaps or something.
324
00:15:50.030 --> 00:15:52.130
And so you don't know
325
00:15:52.130 --> 00:15:57.080
how long your guide dog
will say, I love this.
326
00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:58.670
Okay, not anymore.
327
00:15:58.670 --> 00:16:03.290
Or as you had your first pairing,
328
00:16:03.290 --> 00:16:06.170
that didn't work out quite so well.
329
00:16:06.170 --> 00:16:08.480
I too had a similar situation.
330
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.330
I didn't come home with that initial dog.
331
00:16:11.330 --> 00:16:16.010
We did manage to figure it
out while at the school.
332
00:16:16.010 --> 00:16:19.760
But I think it's a good
thing for people to know
333
00:16:19.760 --> 00:16:21.290
that if you're going into this
334
00:16:21.290 --> 00:16:24.710
and things are not working,
335
00:16:24.710 --> 00:16:26.840
sometimes they are fixable
336
00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:31.840
and sometimes they're just
not for a variety of reasons.
337
00:16:32.300 --> 00:16:34.580
Yeah. And plus I think
a lot of, you know, books
338
00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:36.110
that people write about guide dogs,
339
00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:39.620
they're talking about this
wonderful, wonderful experience
340
00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:43.370
and that very many people
have had failed pairings.
341
00:16:43.370 --> 00:16:46.010
And the nice thing for Mandrake is at
342
00:16:46.010 --> 00:16:49.010
that time my school had
a healing autism program.
343
00:16:49.010 --> 00:16:50.150
So he was matched
344
00:16:50.150 --> 00:16:53.540
after some additional training
to be a companion for,
345
00:16:53.540 --> 00:16:55.820
I think it was a
7-year-old boy with autism.
346
00:16:55.820 --> 00:16:59.210
And so Mandrake had a
happy story at the end.
347
00:16:59.210 --> 00:17:02.630
I had a happy story, I got prints, so
348
00:17:02.630 --> 00:17:04.100
it was all meant to be.
349
00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:06.200
But yes, you know, like I said, I just,
350
00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:09.200
I had no idea that could happen.
351
00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.150
So people need to be aware
352
00:17:11.150 --> 00:17:14.570
and like you said Ricky,
it's, it's good to know
353
00:17:14.570 --> 00:17:18.350
that in advance so that the
sooner you all recognize, hey,
354
00:17:18.350 --> 00:17:20.840
there might be an issue
here, you can try to fix it
355
00:17:20.840 --> 00:17:23.030
and men maybe just can't
356
00:17:23.030 --> 00:17:26.510
For both of you, a theme that kind
357
00:17:26.510 --> 00:17:28.850
of keeps coming up is freedom.
358
00:17:28.850 --> 00:17:32.000
So when you travel with a dog,
359
00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:35.240
it gives you this sense of freedom
360
00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:40.130
that you just don't have with
any other form of travel.
361
00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:45.080
There's the ability to not have to find
362
00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:48.440
that obstacle in order to
figure out what to do about it
363
00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:49.680
and how to get around it.
364
00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:54.000
So I think that's one thing
that a dog offers you.
365
00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.660
Is there anything else that
you feel like a dog gives you
366
00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:59.940
that really nothing else could
367
00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:02.310
or some possibility that it opened up
368
00:18:02.310 --> 00:18:04.710
that you didn't imagine before?
369
00:18:04.710 --> 00:18:06.270
Now Nancy, we'll start with you.
370
00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:12.090
I really like the fact
that when I walk with Vince,
371
00:18:12.090 --> 00:18:15.510
people understand that
I have a vision problem.
372
00:18:15.510 --> 00:18:20.160
People understand, oh,
it's a seeing eye dog,
373
00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.170
let's not cross the street
374
00:18:22.170 --> 00:18:25.650
because here's a blind
lady coming with a cane
375
00:18:25.650 --> 00:18:27.810
and let's keep away from her.
376
00:18:27.810 --> 00:18:32.460
It's a guide dog and many
times people will say hello
377
00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:37.140
and be respectful and say
Hi, I, I see you're working.
378
00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:39.180
Hello Vince, hello Nancy.
379
00:18:39.180 --> 00:18:41.640
And we keep on going and that's nice.
380
00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:46.470
They do identify me as a
person with sight problems.
381
00:18:46.470 --> 00:18:48.270
To me that's liberating
382
00:18:48.270 --> 00:18:52.050
because I don't wear dark glasses.
383
00:18:52.050 --> 00:18:54.810
I look like every other person.
384
00:18:54.810 --> 00:18:57.750
I was usually walking
with a sighted guide,
385
00:18:57.750 --> 00:19:02.750
so no one ever suspected
that I had vision problems.
386
00:19:02.790 --> 00:19:07.790
And now with Vince, I feel
like a new life started
387
00:19:07.800 --> 00:19:10.770
and people are more understanding, oh,
388
00:19:10.770 --> 00:19:13.590
Nancy does have a vision problem.
389
00:19:13.590 --> 00:19:16.050
They're more compassionate in a way,
390
00:19:16.050 --> 00:19:20.760
but have embraced this
new life of not seeing,
391
00:19:20.760 --> 00:19:24.600
but being able to be part
of life with a guide dog.
392
00:19:24.600 --> 00:19:26.370
I don't know how you feel about it, Judy,
393
00:19:26.370 --> 00:19:29.880
but I feel like it, it,
it helps me integrate
394
00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:31.800
with people a little bit more,
395
00:19:31.800 --> 00:19:33.360
Bit of an icebreaker maybe,
396
00:19:33.360 --> 00:19:36.270
and sort of answers a lot of questions
397
00:19:36.270 --> 00:19:39.060
that people maybe wouldn't
have asked. Right.
398
00:19:39.060 --> 00:19:41.520
Can she see, can she not see me?
399
00:19:41.520 --> 00:19:44.940
And it actually does
explain a lot of things
400
00:19:44.940 --> 00:19:47.760
because when you meet
someone two years ago,
401
00:19:47.760 --> 00:19:50.490
your vision might have changed
now two years down the road
402
00:19:50.490 --> 00:19:52.290
and they don't understand that.
403
00:19:52.290 --> 00:19:54.030
They don't understand that.
404
00:19:54.030 --> 00:19:55.230
But you were able to see
405
00:19:55.230 --> 00:19:59.340
before, you can't see now things have
406
00:19:59.340 --> 00:20:01.860
changed, they're different.
407
00:20:01.860 --> 00:20:03.480
And Judy, what about for you?
408
00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:05.370
What does a dog give to you
409
00:20:05.370 --> 00:20:08.730
that you just didn't have before?
410
00:20:08.730 --> 00:20:10.500
Yeah, I, I agree with both of you.
411
00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.580
It's an icebreaker,
412
00:20:11.580 --> 00:20:14.670
it's a conversation starter
if you work with the dog.
413
00:20:14.670 --> 00:20:17.310
'cause oftentimes if
somebody sees somebody
414
00:20:17.310 --> 00:20:19.770
with a white cane, I,
I think, I don't know,
415
00:20:19.770 --> 00:20:22.050
but I think that they don't know how
416
00:20:22.050 --> 00:20:23.880
to start a conversation with you.
417
00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:26.910
But if they see a dog that's something, oh
418
00:20:26.910 --> 00:20:28.800
that's a beautiful dog, you know, and,
419
00:20:28.800 --> 00:20:31.740
and that can just go on from there.
420
00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:34.050
And I live alone.
421
00:20:34.050 --> 00:20:37.440
I live in an area where
one street I walk on,
422
00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:38.910
there are no sidewalks
423
00:20:38.910 --> 00:20:40.170
and then I can get up to one street
424
00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:42.000
that does have a sidewalk.
425
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:44.970
And so having a dog that's comfortable in,
426
00:20:44.970 --> 00:20:46.770
in both work environments is,
427
00:20:47.860 --> 00:20:50.980
and also, you know, back to
that conversation starter,
428
00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:55.900
since I live alone, connecting
with my neighbors is a joy
429
00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:58.030
and also very helpful.
430
00:20:58.030 --> 00:21:01.120
I know one time when I was walking
431
00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:04.180
with my cane on this busier
street on the sidewalk,
432
00:21:04.180 --> 00:21:06.250
I cannot tell you how many pedestrians
433
00:21:06.250 --> 00:21:08.560
and even some drivers stopped to say,
434
00:21:08.560 --> 00:21:09.760
what's happened to your dog?
435
00:21:09.760 --> 00:21:10.845
Is your dog okay?
436
00:21:12.185 --> 00:21:15.010
And it was just amazing to know
437
00:21:15.010 --> 00:21:19.990
how many people saw me as
a person that they know
438
00:21:19.990 --> 00:21:22.480
and that just met so much.
439
00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:25.510
And then one time when I
was walking with Orville,
440
00:21:25.510 --> 00:21:27.610
and I know you both can
sympathize with this,
441
00:21:27.610 --> 00:21:30.880
is there was a tree that kind
of grown over the sidewalk
442
00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.610
and it just was right at my
face level, which is tricky
443
00:21:33.610 --> 00:21:35.110
for guide dogs to handle.
444
00:21:35.110 --> 00:21:39.820
And so I brought my tremors,
I got Orville in it down,
445
00:21:39.820 --> 00:21:42.760
I started just try to start
clipping this tree back
446
00:21:42.760 --> 00:21:44.380
and it's like, oh my gosh, there's thorns.
447
00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:45.610
I didn't know it had thorns
448
00:21:45.610 --> 00:21:46.990
and this is just not gonna be fun.
449
00:21:46.990 --> 00:21:49.660
And all of a sudden this man
of the blue came, he said,
450
00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:50.800
would you like some help?
451
00:21:50.800 --> 00:21:52.750
He's like, oh, that would be wonderful.
452
00:21:52.750 --> 00:21:54.760
And we just chatted while
he was trimming it back
453
00:21:54.760 --> 00:21:57.070
and he could trim way back
and he could do it faster.
454
00:21:57.070 --> 00:21:59.080
So I thanked him profusely
455
00:21:59.080 --> 00:22:00.880
and I did not realize he was in a car.
456
00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.540
So he drove off and then like
five minutes later he came
457
00:22:04.540 --> 00:22:08.050
back and he gave me a card
and he said, this is my wife's
458
00:22:08.050 --> 00:22:09.310
and wife's phone numbers.
459
00:22:09.310 --> 00:22:11.170
It's our address, it's our email.
460
00:22:11.170 --> 00:22:14.350
If you ever need anything,
you know, just let us know.
461
00:22:15.550 --> 00:22:18.580
And you know, they have
picked up che orders for me,
462
00:22:18.580 --> 00:22:20.650
they've picked me up at the airport and,
463
00:22:20.650 --> 00:22:22.600
and that's the kind of connection I have.
464
00:22:22.600 --> 00:22:25.600
And I think part of it is the dog.
465
00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:27.460
Yes, I have a good personality,
466
00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:30.190
but I think the dog got it started.
467
00:22:30.190 --> 00:22:35.140
That to me is just a really
nice bonus 'cause people care.
468
00:22:35.140 --> 00:22:37.450
It's just they don't know what to do
469
00:22:37.450 --> 00:22:38.860
with people with disabilities.
470
00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:42.580
So if they can find a neutral
place to connect with you,
471
00:22:42.580 --> 00:22:45.130
sometimes that makes it easier for them
472
00:22:45.130 --> 00:22:47.830
to start building a relationship with you.
473
00:22:47.830 --> 00:22:51.040
So here we are talking
about these wonderful dogs
474
00:22:51.040 --> 00:22:55.120
and how they can foster such connection.
475
00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:57.460
And then of course my next question is,
476
00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:58.720
I won't say it's a downer,
477
00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:01.270
but it is kind of a okay, you know,
478
00:23:01.270 --> 00:23:04.900
there's gotta be another
side to this somewhere.
479
00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:08.380
So I do have to ask, and
Judy, I'll start with you
480
00:23:08.380 --> 00:23:12.550
because you've had more
experience, so you may have
481
00:23:12.550 --> 00:23:14.740
accumulated more stories,
482
00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:17.800
but whether it is issues
483
00:23:17.800 --> 00:23:20.590
that you've had in your
own dog partnerships
484
00:23:20.590 --> 00:23:23.320
or just issues that people
should think about when they're
485
00:23:23.320 --> 00:23:27.070
going to get a dog, what
are the cons, for lack
486
00:23:27.070 --> 00:23:28.090
of a better term,
487
00:23:28.090 --> 00:23:30.610
that people should
think about when they're
488
00:23:30.610 --> 00:23:31.780
making that decision?
489
00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:37.030
One thing I tell people
about is your knees,
490
00:23:37.930 --> 00:23:39.760
dogs take up space.
491
00:23:39.760 --> 00:23:42.940
So if you are riding in
a car, we are trained
492
00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:45.440
to have the dog at our feet in a,
493
00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.530
and so that dog is at your
feet, then you're trying
494
00:23:48.530 --> 00:23:53.060
to shift your feet to keep
your knees falling apart.
495
00:23:53.060 --> 00:23:54.770
And it's the same on airplanes.
496
00:23:54.770 --> 00:23:58.160
I mean airplanes have just
gotten to be such a tighter fit.
497
00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:02.360
And Orville is a 65 pound
dog, so he is not a small dog.
498
00:24:02.360 --> 00:24:05.270
And so, you know, if
it's a very long flight,
499
00:24:05.270 --> 00:24:07.550
that's something else I
have to pay attention is to,
500
00:24:07.550 --> 00:24:09.110
you know, how to move my feet.
501
00:24:09.110 --> 00:24:12.500
But still there's that to keep in mind.
502
00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:14.960
And you know, some people, if
they have a family vehicle,
503
00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:17.060
they do put their dog in the backseat
504
00:24:17.060 --> 00:24:20.030
or in the, in the space
behind the back seat.
505
00:24:20.870 --> 00:24:22.610
And then the other thing I think
506
00:24:22.610 --> 00:24:26.390
that some people don't take
into account is the time it
507
00:24:26.390 --> 00:24:28.970
takes to do what all the dog needs.
508
00:24:28.970 --> 00:24:31.430
You know, taking them out,
you know, in the rain,
509
00:24:31.430 --> 00:24:34.010
in the cold, you know,
for those bathroom breaks.
510
00:24:34.010 --> 00:24:37.490
I do not have a fenced in
backyard. So there's that.
511
00:24:37.490 --> 00:24:39.800
And then there's also the grooming
512
00:24:39.800 --> 00:24:44.050
and I, I choose to bathe my own
dog so I don't, you know, I,
513
00:24:44.050 --> 00:24:47.480
I think they feel more
comfortable with me doing that.
514
00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:49.490
So that's something I've taken on.
515
00:24:49.490 --> 00:24:51.440
And then also there's just the brushing
516
00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:55.610
because a lot of people
don't realize that yes,
517
00:24:55.610 --> 00:24:58.550
you are allowed to go into
all these public places,
518
00:24:58.550 --> 00:25:00.200
but part of that is your dog has
519
00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:02.510
to be well groomed and behave.
520
00:25:05.060 --> 00:25:07.250
And then also I go the extra mile
521
00:25:07.250 --> 00:25:09.890
and then I brush my dog's teeth, you know,
522
00:25:09.890 --> 00:25:13.190
it's only another, you know,
five minutes or so every night.
523
00:25:13.190 --> 00:25:16.700
But I feel like dental care
for my dog is just as important
524
00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:18.500
for dental care for myself.
525
00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:19.760
So those are some things
526
00:25:19.760 --> 00:25:22.790
to consider is just your
personal space when you're
527
00:25:22.790 --> 00:25:26.360
traveling and then the time
that it takes to do what all
528
00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:30.260
that dog needs to stay
healthy and to look good.
529
00:25:30.260 --> 00:25:32.990
Yeah. All great points.
Nancy, what about you?
530
00:25:32.990 --> 00:25:35.870
Any, any cons that you
wanna throw into the mix
531
00:25:35.870 --> 00:25:38.660
or just things that maybe
aren't your favorite
532
00:25:38.660 --> 00:25:40.610
or you hadn't considered?
533
00:25:40.610 --> 00:25:45.140
Well I think all those
points definitely have
534
00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:49.670
to consider committing so much
time and energy to the dog.
535
00:25:49.670 --> 00:25:54.650
I've been with Vince
traveling in Ubers on subways
536
00:25:54.650 --> 00:25:58.610
on buses and they're
amazing how they actually
537
00:25:58.610 --> 00:26:03.500
can scoot under a seat
and travel all over.
538
00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:06.170
So that's exciting.
539
00:26:06.170 --> 00:26:09.830
However, the thing that
did hold me back at least
540
00:26:09.830 --> 00:26:13.460
that was a little apprehensive
about was the seeing.
541
00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:15.110
I has a program
542
00:26:15.110 --> 00:26:20.110
where the first time dog owners
will go there for 24 days
543
00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:22.190
and you live on campus
544
00:26:22.190 --> 00:26:27.190
and you have very limited
time away from the school
545
00:26:27.560 --> 00:26:30.680
actually you don't have any
time away from the school,
546
00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:34.310
you have to stay there
24 days on premises.
547
00:26:34.310 --> 00:26:37.700
And I was wondering how
will I manage, I have
548
00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:40.310
so many responsibilities at home,
549
00:26:40.310 --> 00:26:42.050
how will I manage going away?
550
00:26:42.050 --> 00:26:46.200
That was a little bit of
a consideration for me
551
00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:48.210
and also being away from my family
552
00:26:48.210 --> 00:26:49.770
and everything that I knew.
553
00:26:49.770 --> 00:26:53.040
This is a very new experience for me
554
00:26:53.040 --> 00:26:56.010
and I didn't know what to expect.
555
00:26:56.010 --> 00:26:59.340
That was really something I dreaded.
556
00:26:59.340 --> 00:27:01.020
And I remember the first time,
557
00:27:01.020 --> 00:27:04.500
the first day when my husband
left me off at school,
558
00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:06.720
I was just like, we were
both kind of shaking.
559
00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:10.080
He was very nervous leaving me alone
560
00:27:10.080 --> 00:27:12.480
and I was very apprehensive as well
561
00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:14.340
and we almost had tears in our eyes.
562
00:27:14.340 --> 00:27:16.830
And then he left the door closed.
563
00:27:16.830 --> 00:27:20.580
I was in my dorm room,
it was a single room
564
00:27:20.580 --> 00:27:25.140
with my own bathroom and
the loud speakers came on
565
00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:28.080
and they said, come on out to the lounge.
566
00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:31.170
And I met 17 other students
567
00:27:31.170 --> 00:27:34.260
and the instructors were amazing.
568
00:27:34.260 --> 00:27:38.550
The staff was so supportive
and energetic and friendly
569
00:27:39.450 --> 00:27:41.640
and they said, well all you have
570
00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:43.770
to do is think about yourself this time.
571
00:27:43.770 --> 00:27:45.390
You don't have to take care of your family
572
00:27:45.390 --> 00:27:47.940
or all your other obligations.
573
00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:50.250
All you have to think about is yourself
574
00:27:50.250 --> 00:27:53.250
and your new dog that
will come in a day or two.
575
00:27:53.250 --> 00:27:55.830
He said, really? What? What's their due?
576
00:27:55.830 --> 00:27:57.960
He said, oh, you'll have plenty to do.
577
00:27:57.960 --> 00:27:59.910
You don't even have to make
your bed in the morning.
578
00:27:59.910 --> 00:28:01.080
We'll take care of that
579
00:28:01.080 --> 00:28:03.870
and we'll take care of all the bathrooms
580
00:28:03.870 --> 00:28:05.520
and and things of that sort.
581
00:28:05.520 --> 00:28:08.340
All you have to do is concentrate
on yourself and the dog.
582
00:28:09.300 --> 00:28:11.340
I'm not gonna say that it was easy
583
00:28:11.340 --> 00:28:13.650
because getting up at
five 30 in the morning
584
00:28:13.650 --> 00:28:17.760
to get the dog out for first outing
585
00:28:17.760 --> 00:28:22.110
and bathroom break is not
the thing that I usually do.
586
00:28:22.110 --> 00:28:25.320
So outside with 17 other students
587
00:28:25.320 --> 00:28:29.520
and we're all trying to get the
dog to go on the parking lot
588
00:28:29.520 --> 00:28:31.140
and then we come back inside
589
00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:34.530
and wait for the doorbell to
ring so that we could feed
590
00:28:34.530 --> 00:28:36.240
and water our dogs.
591
00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:41.240
And then we're called down for
the first time with our dogs.
592
00:28:41.370 --> 00:28:43.260
We're leading for the first time be
593
00:28:43.260 --> 00:28:45.360
before we actually harness them.
594
00:28:45.360 --> 00:28:47.370
And we go to a cafeteria and,
595
00:28:47.370 --> 00:28:50.940
and there's this beautiful dining hall
596
00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.950
and everyone comes in
597
00:28:52.950 --> 00:28:56.940
and we sit at our table,
the dogs are under our seats
598
00:28:56.940 --> 00:28:59.610
and they stay there and
we're served beautiful meals
599
00:28:59.610 --> 00:29:04.610
and then off we go off we go
working our dogs all day long.
600
00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:08.910
It was a wonderfully enriching
601
00:29:08.910 --> 00:29:10.440
experience for me.
602
00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:13.650
I learned so much at the Seeing eye.
603
00:29:13.650 --> 00:29:17.610
It's hard to trust this
animal for the first time
604
00:29:17.610 --> 00:29:19.020
with your life kind of thing.
605
00:29:19.020 --> 00:29:21.780
You're going through some
busy streets on sidewalks
606
00:29:21.780 --> 00:29:24.180
and he's guiding me around.
607
00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:28.680
It was, it was, of course the
instructors are there right
608
00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:31.650
by our sides telling us what to do.
609
00:29:31.650 --> 00:29:33.330
But it makes us feel better.
610
00:29:33.330 --> 00:29:38.330
But you're still like on
edge, you know, this journey.
611
00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:39.570
It's really hard.
612
00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.810
The instructors are amazing.
613
00:29:43.810 --> 00:29:48.580
They all encourage, they
all have so much patience
614
00:29:48.580 --> 00:29:50.050
and they work as teams.
615
00:29:50.050 --> 00:29:51.340
You are never alone.
616
00:29:51.340 --> 00:29:54.520
There's always someone
looking at what you're doing
617
00:29:54.520 --> 00:29:58.240
and there might be a
suggestion, let's try this thing
618
00:29:58.240 --> 00:30:00.640
or let's try something else.
619
00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:03.850
I thought that was really
enriching and rewarding.
620
00:30:03.850 --> 00:30:06.820
And to this day, I mean I've been out
621
00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:10.570
of the program since last fall, 2025
622
00:30:10.570 --> 00:30:14.080
to this day the students
and I keep in touch.
623
00:30:14.080 --> 00:30:19.000
We have Zoom calls together,
we, we exchanged cell phones.
624
00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:21.790
So we talk to each other.
625
00:30:21.790 --> 00:30:24.880
We exchange ideas on
navigating of what works well
626
00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.770
or what doesn't work well.
627
00:30:26.770 --> 00:30:28.690
I was having a bit
628
00:30:28.690 --> 00:30:31.990
of problems correcting Vince
when he would see other
629
00:30:31.990 --> 00:30:33.430
dogs in the neighborhood.
630
00:30:33.430 --> 00:30:35.140
He would stop
631
00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:39.265
and just like, there's
a doctor I wanna comply.
632
00:30:40.270 --> 00:30:41.740
And I would try correcting him
633
00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:45.760
and say, no you, you have to
cup up and go on your way.
634
00:30:45.760 --> 00:30:48.220
And of course that's a
hard thing to correct.
635
00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:51.760
And the instructors
actually came out to me two
636
00:30:51.760 --> 00:30:55.030
or three times to help
me through this process.
637
00:30:55.030 --> 00:30:58.090
They're very supportive, wonderful people
638
00:30:58.090 --> 00:31:00.385
and they're still there.
639
00:31:00.385 --> 00:31:02.080
I mean, if I have any troubles
640
00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:06.700
or any questions, if
I need any adjustments
641
00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:11.170
to my, to the harness or the
handle, I can just call them.
642
00:31:11.170 --> 00:31:12.820
That's really great because I don't feel
643
00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:13.870
alone in this journey.
644
00:31:13.870 --> 00:31:16.120
It's not like they
shipped me out with a dog
645
00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:20.320
and now I have to figure
things out by myself.
646
00:31:20.320 --> 00:31:22.840
They're still there.
They're wonderful resources.
647
00:31:22.840 --> 00:31:23.980
That is so nice
648
00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:28.600
because even when you do
encounter a problem like a dog,
649
00:31:28.600 --> 00:31:30.310
distractions is a big one.
650
00:31:30.310 --> 00:31:33.730
A dog is going to be very well trained,
651
00:31:33.730 --> 00:31:35.920
but it's also still a dog.
652
00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:39.490
It's so nice to know those
instructors are still there
653
00:31:39.490 --> 00:31:43.270
to step in, offer support, encouragement,
654
00:31:43.270 --> 00:31:46.930
and they've seen it all
before and have some tricks.
655
00:31:46.930 --> 00:31:48.280
So that's good.
656
00:31:49.150 --> 00:31:54.070
Gosh, we have really
covered a lot I feel like,
657
00:31:54.070 --> 00:31:58.630
and so much of it is
just listening to the two
658
00:31:58.630 --> 00:32:03.190
of you kind of glow as you talk about just
659
00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:06.370
how much your dogs have given you.
660
00:32:06.370 --> 00:32:08.320
And I so love to hear that.
661
00:32:08.320 --> 00:32:12.070
I think that if you are listening
662
00:32:12.070 --> 00:32:15.880
and you're considering a dog, I'm hoping
663
00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:18.250
that this has answered a
lot of questions for you.
664
00:32:18.250 --> 00:32:21.760
We do at Hadley, have a set
665
00:32:21.760 --> 00:32:26.760
of short video workshops
talking about the pros and cons
666
00:32:26.770 --> 00:32:31.510
and kind of giving some ideas
on what it might be like
667
00:32:31.510 --> 00:32:32.890
to have a guide dog.
668
00:32:32.890 --> 00:32:35.440
I know people often wonder, hey,
669
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:39.920
I have some vision still
so I probably get one.
670
00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:44.510
Right? And that is certainly not true.
671
00:32:44.510 --> 00:32:47.450
So if you have questions,
672
00:32:47.450 --> 00:32:50.090
and I imagine that you
might we're here at Hadley
673
00:32:50.090 --> 00:32:52.070
to talk those through with you
674
00:32:52.070 --> 00:32:53.900
and I imagine a lot
675
00:32:53.900 --> 00:32:56.300
of things you might have been
wondering about have been
676
00:32:56.300 --> 00:32:58.280
answered here as well.
677
00:32:58.280 --> 00:33:02.210
As we wrap up, just wanna ask each of you,
678
00:33:02.210 --> 00:33:03.260
we've covered a lot,
679
00:33:03.260 --> 00:33:07.250
but is there anything else
that you wanna say to someone
680
00:33:07.250 --> 00:33:11.330
who is, maybe they had never
thought about a guide dog
681
00:33:11.330 --> 00:33:14.000
before listening to this, or
maybe they were considering,
682
00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:15.860
but they're still on the fence.
683
00:33:15.860 --> 00:33:18.680
You know, it's not the
right decision for everyone.
684
00:33:18.680 --> 00:33:21.680
But anything that you would
say to someone listening
685
00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:25.280
that might help to make
that decision one way
686
00:33:25.280 --> 00:33:27.230
or the other that we didn't cover?
687
00:33:27.230 --> 00:33:29.300
So Judy, we'll start with you.
688
00:33:29.300 --> 00:33:31.460
Yes, guide doc Schools are amazing.
689
00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:33.770
As Nancy said, they're very supportive.
690
00:33:33.770 --> 00:33:35.900
You know, they do this all the time.
691
00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:37.310
So you can trust going
692
00:33:37.310 --> 00:33:40.130
to a school you'll be well taken care of.
693
00:33:40.130 --> 00:33:43.550
But what I would also
like to add is people need
694
00:33:43.550 --> 00:33:46.670
to keep in mind there are at
least I think 15 different
695
00:33:46.670 --> 00:33:47.720
guide dog schools.
696
00:33:48.560 --> 00:33:53.270
So some people need to examine
the various schools to see
697
00:33:53.270 --> 00:33:55.730
what they offer because some
people will choose a school
698
00:33:55.730 --> 00:33:57.950
because of it's a location or
699
00:33:57.950 --> 00:34:00.410
because of the breeds of the dogs they use
700
00:34:00.410 --> 00:34:02.900
or the length of the training they have.
701
00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:05.840
Some people also look
at, you know, what kind
702
00:34:05.840 --> 00:34:07.730
of financial stipend there may be.
703
00:34:07.730 --> 00:34:09.230
'cause that may be a concern.
704
00:34:09.230 --> 00:34:11.840
Number one, most guides,
all schools are free,
705
00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:14.120
so we haven't mentioned that yet.
706
00:34:14.120 --> 00:34:18.380
And also some schools will
provide a financial stipend
707
00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:21.530
usually to help with like
the veterinarian bills,
708
00:34:21.530 --> 00:34:23.810
which can be a little expensive.
709
00:34:23.810 --> 00:34:27.290
So if you're worried that you
cannot afford a guide dog,
710
00:34:27.290 --> 00:34:30.710
do not rule it out that
you cannot afford one
711
00:34:30.710 --> 00:34:32.780
until you've done your research.
712
00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:35.180
And if you even have dog allergies,
713
00:34:35.180 --> 00:34:38.570
there is one guide Dog school,
I think it's Guide Dogs
714
00:34:38.570 --> 00:34:41.000
of the Desert or in the
desert out in California
715
00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:42.710
that uses poodles.
716
00:34:42.710 --> 00:34:45.800
So don't rule out having a guide dog.
717
00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:48.680
If you or somebody in
your family has allergies,
718
00:34:48.680 --> 00:34:52.160
one reference I would
suggest people use is
719
00:34:52.160 --> 00:34:57.160
GDUI, which is Guide
Dog Users Incorporated.
720
00:34:57.680 --> 00:35:02.680
And so if you just do GD ui.org
721
00:35:02.690 --> 00:35:05.630
and go to their resources
link, they have a list
722
00:35:05.630 --> 00:35:07.370
of all the different schools
723
00:35:07.370 --> 00:35:09.890
and then they also have surveys.
724
00:35:09.890 --> 00:35:12.620
Those schools have prepared
to show what length
725
00:35:12.620 --> 00:35:15.710
of training they have,
what breeds they use,
726
00:35:15.710 --> 00:35:18.080
and it's just a good place to start.
727
00:35:18.080 --> 00:35:20.750
So yes, Ricky, you're absolutely right.
728
00:35:20.750 --> 00:35:24.290
It is not for everyone
to have a guide dog,
729
00:35:24.290 --> 00:35:27.140
but just like when we're
looking at technology,
730
00:35:27.140 --> 00:35:30.230
don't rule anything out
until you do your research.
731
00:35:30.230 --> 00:35:33.620
Possibilities are there,
so don't rule anything out.
732
00:35:33.620 --> 00:35:36.950
Very well put. Thanks
Judy. How about from you?
733
00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:39.930
That was a lot of
good information, Judy.
734
00:35:39.930 --> 00:35:41.490
I really appreciate that.
735
00:35:41.490 --> 00:35:46.200
I would add to that, that
when you do make a decision,
736
00:35:46.200 --> 00:35:48.990
these schools also pay for transportation.
737
00:35:48.990 --> 00:35:53.160
So at the Seeing I, there were
people coming from Colorado
738
00:35:53.160 --> 00:35:55.200
and California in Canada.
739
00:35:55.200 --> 00:35:56.730
It wasn't just local people.
740
00:35:56.730 --> 00:36:01.590
So don't hold back thinking
you can't go somewhere
741
00:36:01.590 --> 00:36:04.350
because of the distance.
742
00:36:04.350 --> 00:36:09.240
The other thing I would
mention is that the process
743
00:36:09.240 --> 00:36:11.400
of filling out the applications
744
00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:15.660
before you actually get the
dog, it's a long process.
745
00:36:15.660 --> 00:36:18.870
So I didn't know how long it would take.
746
00:36:18.870 --> 00:36:21.300
Obviously you have to
complete all the applications,
747
00:36:21.300 --> 00:36:25.110
get referrals, get medical
records, you know, that attest
748
00:36:25.110 --> 00:36:26.520
that you do need a guide dog.
749
00:36:26.520 --> 00:36:28.500
It's not an easy thing to get.
750
00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:30.900
And then once all that
is completed, it goes
751
00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:35.640
through a process where the
school itself analyzes the
752
00:36:35.640 --> 00:36:37.560
application to determine whether
753
00:36:37.560 --> 00:36:40.500
or not you are, you're a good candidate.
754
00:36:40.500 --> 00:36:44.850
And then the board is
presented with the application.
755
00:36:44.850 --> 00:36:49.625
After an interview, a personal
interview occurs, they come
756
00:36:49.625 --> 00:36:52.260
to your house and interview.
757
00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:55.800
So they have to make sure that these dogs,
758
00:36:55.800 --> 00:36:58.710
they're very valuable dogs
759
00:36:59.550 --> 00:37:02.370
and they care for these dogs deeply.
760
00:37:02.370 --> 00:37:06.990
They wanna make sure that
Vince will be well cared for,
761
00:37:06.990 --> 00:37:09.390
that he will be in a good environment
762
00:37:09.390 --> 00:37:12.540
that I can actually care
for the, for the dog
763
00:37:12.540 --> 00:37:14.130
as well as work him.
764
00:37:14.130 --> 00:37:16.170
So yes, don't hold back.
765
00:37:16.170 --> 00:37:17.400
If you have any questions,
766
00:37:17.400 --> 00:37:19.890
you could always visit the schools.
767
00:37:19.890 --> 00:37:23.070
They are very happy to show you around
768
00:37:23.070 --> 00:37:27.780
and acquaint you with their
facilities and their process.
769
00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:31.890
And, and one final thing
I would like to add is yes,
770
00:37:31.890 --> 00:37:33.300
guide dogs are wonderful.
771
00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:34.890
They help this get around,
772
00:37:34.890 --> 00:37:38.970
but there's just that
warm fuzzy having a dog
773
00:37:38.970 --> 00:37:42.210
that is devoted to you
and is there for you
774
00:37:42.210 --> 00:37:43.470
and is at your feet
775
00:37:43.470 --> 00:37:47.610
and is there for you when you're
feeling sad, ready to play.
776
00:37:47.610 --> 00:37:49.490
It just, it's just it.
777
00:37:49.490 --> 00:37:52.770
It adds such a special part
to your life to have a dog
778
00:37:52.770 --> 00:37:55.290
and a guy dog especially.
779
00:37:55.290 --> 00:37:57.300
I mean, it's just, it's just amazing.
780
00:37:57.300 --> 00:38:00.480
It's just a, a wonderful experience.
781
00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:03.360
Well, this has been so
fun and so informative
782
00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:07.290
and I've really enjoyed both
of you talking about your dogs
783
00:38:07.290 --> 00:38:09.120
and your experiences.
784
00:38:09.120 --> 00:38:12.480
Thank you so much for
spending some time with us
785
00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:14.550
and for sharing the good stuff
786
00:38:14.550 --> 00:38:17.370
and the stuff that's a
little bit challenging.
787
00:38:17.370 --> 00:38:19.560
And I hope that if you're listening,
788
00:38:19.560 --> 00:38:21.810
you know a little bit
more than you did before
789
00:38:21.810 --> 00:38:24.990
and you're willing to ask
questions if you have them.
790
00:38:24.990 --> 00:38:28.590
So thanks so much Nancy
and Judy for stopping by.
791
00:38:28.590 --> 00:38:30.780
Really had a wonderful
time with both of you.
792
00:38:32.070 --> 00:38:33.780
Got something to say.
793
00:38:33.780 --> 00:38:37.210
Share your thoughts about
episode of Hadley presents,
794
00:38:37.210 --> 00:38:39.790
or make suggestions for future episodes.
795
00:38:39.790 --> 00:38:41.530
We'd love to hear from you.
796
00:38:41.530 --> 00:38:46.510
Send us an email at
podcast@hadleyhelps.org.
797
00:38:46.510 --> 00:38:48.940
That's P-O-D-C-A-S-T
798
00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:52.060
at HadleyHelps.org
799
00:38:53.410 --> 00:38:54.760
or leave us a message at
800
00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:59.760
847-784-2870.
801
00:38:59.950 --> 00:39:00.910
Thanks for listening.