Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc
At A Glance—An Educational Resource Guide: Section D

Section D: Resource Materials

Enclosed Resource Materials:

Adjusting to Vision Loss
Guide Dogs for the Blind provides information to agencies and professionals serving people who have recently experienced vision loss. The following has been produced on cassette for clients of these agencies. Its purpose is to assist people who are adjusting to permanent vision loss by providing specific tips for accomplishing many tasks that formerly required sight, an introduction to orientation and mobility concepts and training, and important contact information on organizations that provide helpful products or services.

As a person experiencing permanent vision loss, you should know that you are not alone. Thousands of people have been declared legally blind in the U.S.

Emotional Adjustment
While discovering new ways to accomplish tasks which formerly required sight, some people may at the same time experience a conflicting desire to deny that any change in method or lifestyle need occur. This reaction is common. There may also be feelings of loss, sadness and anger after learning of permanent visual impairment. A person may feel "this isn't me, this isn't who I am." Adjusting to vision loss can be an emotional process and you will need to find ways to express your feelings so that you can accept this radical change and integrate it into your life. It's important to give yourself some time to adjust - every day.

Losing your sight can, at first, appear to be like having to forge an entirely new identity, however, once you learn to use your other senses and find alternative ways of doing things, life will become less of a challenge than it may now seem. Patience and creativity can go a long way toward easing the process until formal training can be obtained. Many people find it helpful to get some sort of counseling or peer support at this time. You may find these services at a local independent living center or center for the blind, such as the ones listed on the resource section. It can be very reassuring to be able to express your feelings to someone who is knowledgeable and able to answer your questions.

Rehabilitation
You'll hear the term "rehabilitation" used. It simply means learning how to do things by using senses other than sight in order to restore your highest level of independence in daily activities. During the process of rehabilitation, you may learn new ways to cook and get around, learn Braille and how to use computer screen readers, enjoy sports and recreational activities, and gain skills that will help you in your job.

Rehabilitation teachers for the blind and visually impaired provide specialized training with personal management, activities of daily living, communication and recreation. Communication skills for reading and writing include Braille, talking books and closed circuit television (CCTV).

Special computer programs and equipment can assist with screen reading tasks. Voice output or "talking" computer programs assist in word processing programs and accessing the Internet. There are other devices for the blind and visually impaired that a rehabilitation teacher can suggest to enhance personal communication skills.

Low Vision Services
A person who retains some vision may benefit from low vision services. A low vision specialist can help maximize the use of residual vision to the person's best advantage. Low vision specialists provide assistance with near and distant reading and viewing tasks. Devices such as hand-held magnifiers, head-borne equipment and freestanding devices may help with near reading tasks. Low-vision specialists can also help with distant viewing by suggesting the use of monoculars and/or hand held telescopes.

While you arrange to receive rehabilitation services, you can benefit from the following tips. Knowing your immediate environment and keeping it safe is imperative. You'll want to take steps to make it easy to travel through your house safely. Because you will depend on your memory of where items are in your house, it's a good idea not to make any major changes right away. While you may want to adjust some furniture to keep pathways clear, it's important for you to participate with other household members in the decision to rearrange furniture, so you can avoid possible injury and frustration.

Mobility Tips
Here are a couple of techniques to assist you in mobility.

Trailing a wall: In the beginning, you may wish to trail the walls while you move through a room or hall. Keep the upper part of your arm flush with your body with your forearm positioned at a 45-degree angle to the floor, palm down. With your fingers curled under and wrist loose, you will stay relaxed and lessen the risk of jamming your fingers. The side of your hand, little finger and arm make contact with the wall. You may also want to put your other hand in front of your face for protection.

 

Bending at the knees instead of at the waist will decrease the risk of hitting your head on counters and cupboards.

Emphasize the need for others to keep doors and cabinets either fully opened or closed and to avoid clutter to prevent injury. Ask others not to move or clear your personal items without consulting you first. Even something as simple as moving a tea strainer a short distance from the sink to the windowsill may put it out of reach for someone who can't see it and doesn't know where it is.

The second technique will help you in moving through free space like an open room. Once again, your forearm is at a relaxed 45-degree angle to the floor, palm down, in front of your abdomen. The other hand is near your face for protection.

Organizing Money, Keys, Information
You can organize your money for easy identification. One system is to fold ones in half, fives length-wise, tens twice, and twenties three times. That way you will know by feel what you are taking out of your wallet.

Coins are easy to differentiate because of their size and the ribs on the edges of the coins. Quarters and dimes, of course, both have ribbed edges, and pennies and nickels have smooth edges. You can feel the difference in the sizes of each of them.

Organizing your keys on a key-chain is helpful. They can be kept in order, identified by size and texture or you can develop a system of labeling them.

A microcassette recorder allows you to tape messages, phone numbers, or keep anything that you want to remember handy. Talking clocks or watches, and talking calculators can be found at most electronic appliance centers or department stores. Telephones with enlarged keypads, and clocks with large or lighted numbers can assist those with low vision.

Check the resources section at the end of this section for companies that sell these and other helpful items.

Appliances
Labeling or marking the appliances and devices in your home adds to your independence. For example, marking the dials or number pads on your washer and dryer, microwave oven and stove will make it easier for you to access them yourself. General Electric Company has a Braille template available for the keypads of GE brand microwave ovens. In most locales, utility companies will come to your house, free of charge, and mark your oven, microwave and thermostat with raised dots.

You can label items yourself using a puff paint, such as one called "High Marks," available in craft stores. The paint comes out as a liquid and then dries as a hard, raised dot.

The phone company can provide phones with very large print numbers on an enlarged keypad. Using universal speed dialing, you can program phone numbers that you use all the time. Directory assistance is also free if you are unable to use a phone book.

Cell phones are very useful especially in case of an emergency when it may be hard to locate a phone booth. In many areas there are special rates for people with disabilities. Most banks offer automatic bill payments through your checking or savings accounts.

Personal Hygiene
Here are some hints you might find helpful regarding personal hygiene and grooming.

One way to get toothpaste neatly on to a toothbrush is to place your finger beside the brush so you can feel how much paste is coming out and where. Or, you may prefer having your personal tube of paste to squirt directly into your mouth instead of on the brush. Creative solutions like these sometimes make all the difference.

Make-up and Clothing
It's advisable to have a sighted partner at first when learning to apply make-up by feel, so you can be given feedback and color suggestions if needed.

Clothing can be labeled discretely as to color in order to make sure pieces don't clash when worn together. Some people use French knots sewn into the collar of a shirt or blouse or the waistband of a skirt or pair of slacks for identification. For example, one knot could indicate green; two, yellow, and so on. Textures of the clothes can help in identification as well. Some people find it helpful to hang their clothes together in outfits.

You can use Braille labels on temperature resistant Teflon tape to indicate the colors and organize clothes with pants, dresses, and blouses in specific areas of the closet. Another method is to use safety pins, either to code for colors, or to differentiate between two items that feel similar, or are identical except for color.

Taking note of the placement of clothing labels and seams helps keep items right-side-out and positioned correctly. Socks can be pinned in pairs before they are washed so they won't get separated or mixed.

Meals
It may feel awkward, at first, to eat in front of someone else after you've recently lost your vision, but this feeling passes with time and practice. Here are some tips to help make it easier.

Slide your hand lightly over the table to find objects, so that you don't knock over a glass or put your hands in food. With your little fingers leading the way, you can very delicately survey the table's surface and its contents.

Your friends and family can describe the location of the food in quadrants on your plate, for example, "The peas are at the left top of your plate, the mashed potatoes are at the right top, the meat is at the lower right and the applesauce is at the lower left." Or, they can use the clock method: "The peas are at 11 o'clock, the mashed potatoes are at two, the meat is at five, and the applesauce is at seven."

You may prefer just being able to explore by simply tasting and testing. You may want to cut your salad in a grid pattern so the pieces will be small enough.

When you're pouring milk or any cold liquid, you may want to put your finger over the edge of the glass so that you can feel the level of the liquid. You will feel the steam from a hot liquid as it comes closer to your fingers before actually touching them. There is a battery operated device available called a "Say-When," that fits over the edge of a mug and makes a sound when the cup is full. This device is especially helpful if you have a loss of sensitivity in your fingers.

Your sense of smell is important in identifying food - milk versus orange juice, or salt versus pepper, for example. Items in similar packaging can be distinguished by marking them with tape or rubber bands. Measuring cups and spoons that stack into themselves are really helpful. It's very easy to tell which is a fourth of a cup, a third, a half, etc.

When cutting vegetables, hold the vegetable with your free hand, and keep your fingers curled toward your palm to avoid accidental encounters with the knife. While baking, oven mitts provide more protection and dexterity than pot-holders.

Shopping
When shopping, ask for a Courtesy Clerk. They can help you identify items in grocery or clothing stores. Door-to-door delivery services may be available and some are provided free of charge.

Sighted Guides
Most people who have lost their sight will initially depend on other people to be their "sighted guides." A sighted guide should always remember to ask before offering assistance, instead of assuming that a blind person automatically needs help.

Instead of pulling, pushing, or steering, the guide should offer their arm and allow the person to hold on above the elbow and follow with confidence. The guide should keep their arm relaxed by their side and should stop or slow before steps and curbs and give verbal cues such as: "We're coming to some steps. We're about to go through a narrow door, which will open out and to the right."

Chair backs, seats or table tops can be tapped to provide audible cues to their location. When giving directions, clear instructions such as "to your right" or "one block north" should be used, instead of generalities such as "over there" or "this way."


Orientation and Mobility
Orientation and mobility, (or O&M for short), are terms you will hear a lot. They mean, simply, the skills needed to move about safely and get where you intend to go. O&M training is very important. Whether you eventually use a cane or a guide dog, you will need to have a basic knowledge of your neighborhood, learn to be a navigator and determine how to get to your destination. In the process, you will also need to know how to listen for traffic flow to determine when it is safe to cross a street.

Using a Cane
A white cane is the primary mobility aid used by blind or visually impaired people. Training in the use of a cane should begin as soon as possible in order to provide independence in mobility and confidence in travel outside your home.

Rhythmically touching the tip of the cane side to side in front of you allows you to locate obstacles in your path and walk safely down a street. You need to know where you are in your environment.

Sometimes other people's descriptions of a place will assist you in orienting yourself. Sounds and smells provide valuable information (for instance: you can usually tell when you're near a coffee shop or bakery by the wonderful smells; you'll know you are approaching an intersection by the sound of traffic).

Crossing streets and using public transportation represent the last and often most challenging phases of independent travel training.

Using a Guide Dog
Many people enjoy using a guide dog as an alternative to the white cane. Traveling with a guide dog differs from using a cane in that the dog navigates around obstacles, stops for stairs and other changes in elevation, and even avoids overhead obstacles.

Although they work as a team, the person is in charge, not the dog. The person needs to know where to go and how to get there, and gives instructions to the dog. The dogs are trained to disobey a command if safety is in question.

Guide dogs make great companions, but require responsible care and feeding. The guide dog is not a pet; it's a working animal and thrives on a variety of routes to stay motivated.

There are a few differences between using a cane and using a dog. Dog users enjoy the partnership of the working relationship, as well as the companionship a dog provides. Cane users like the fact that a cane can be put in a corner or folded up when not being used. They never have to feed, groom, play with, or (especially when in bad weather), take out their canes to relieve.

Cane users like the fact that a cane gives access to information about the environment, such as the location of trash cans, mailboxes etc. Dog users like the fact that a dog guides them around these types of obstacles, so that it's often faster and easier to get where they're going.

Once the light turns green, cane and guide dog users listen for traffic flow and determine when it is safe to cross the street. Dog users like having the added safeguard of knowing that once a command to go forward is given, the dog will refuse to obey unless or until it is safe.


Resources for People With Vision Loss
Rehabilitation services offer training in independent living skills (e.g. cooking, organizing clothes, etc.), orientation and mobility training (learning to move about safely and getting where you intend to go), as well as Braille, computer, and vocational training.

The individual programs may vary. There are in-residence, in-home or day programs. There are both state agencies and private ones.

For more information about the rehab centers in your area contact: National Rehabilitation Information Center: (800-346-2742); 8455 Coleville Road, Suite 935, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

The Hadley School for the Blind offers many correspondence courses in daily living skills, Braille, computer programs, academic subjects, and music as well as courses for families of newly blind adults and for parents of blind children. The Hadley School For the Blind (800-323-4238); 700 Elm St., Winnetka, IL 60093.

Local independent living centers provide peer support, advocacy, benefits counseling, and other accessibility services for those who are blind or disabled. For information about independent living centers in your area contact: National Council of Independent Living: (703-525-3406); 1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209, Arlington, VA 22201.

Once you have competently mastered the use of the cane, and have become an independent traveler, you may wish to consider applying for a guide dog.

Founded in 1942, Guide Dogs For The Blind operates training centers near San Francisco, Calif. and Portland, Ore. We provide a 28-day in-residence training program, and use the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Labrador/ Golden cross, and German Shepherd dogs.

To find out more, contact: Guide Dogs for the Blind: (800-295-4050); PO Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915-1200 or visit our web site at www.guidedogs.com.

"A Guide to Guide Dog Schools," presents detailed information about the other guide dog schools in the United States. It's published by Disabled on the Go. It is available either through Braille and talking book libraries on cassette. To purchase a print copy, contact authors Ed and Toni Eames (209-224-0544); 3376 North Wishon Ave., Fresno, CA 93704.

Many current and classic books are available on tape, in large print, and in Braille, or on computer disk free to people who are legally blind. Special cassette players are provided. The books and cassettes are sent by mail. Contact: National Library Service, Division for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: (202-707-5100); 1291 Taylor St. NW, Washington, DC 20542.

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic provides textbooks and professional journals as well as novels on cassette or disk, and will record books on request. Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic: (800-221-4792); 20 Roszel Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540.

Radio Reading Services provide daily audio newspaper readings and programming. National Radio Reading Service: (800-280-5325); 1200 Wharton St. Suite 140, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

The Descriptive Video Service (DVS) offers videocassettes of popular movies with audio description added (800-333-1203).

The following are companies or organizations which supply useful adaptive equipment or products such as: writing aids, Braille and large print books, tape recorders, talking and Braille clocks and watches, health and cooking aids, appliances, etc.

For catalogues contact:

To find out if you are eligible for Social Security Supplemental Insurance and/ or Social Security Disability Insurance contact: The Social Security Administration (800-772-1213); 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235.

For information on special tax benefits for those who are legally blind contact: The Internal Revenue Service (800-829-1040).

There are a wide variety of services available to veterans, including: rehabilitation centers and out-patient clinics, orientation and mobility training, ophthalmology and optometry, counseling, medical care, education, family programs, community resources, technology devices, travel and sensory aids, and prosthetics.

Contact the Veterans Administration, Blind Rehab Services (202-273-8481) 810 Vermont Ave. Northwest Washington D.C. 20420.

For educational information contact: Office of Special Education Programs, Division of the Blind and Visually Impaired (202-205-5507); 600 Independence SW, Room 3086, Washington, DC 20202-2570.

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) can be reached at (703-823-9690); 4600 Duke St. Suite 430, Alexandria, VA 22314.

To apply for a state I.D. card in place of a driver's license, as well as a disability parking placard, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles.

Contact the Department of Health and Human Services or Social Services in your state and county to find out if you are eligible for medicaid health benefits, in-home supportive services (an assistant to help with housekeeping, shopping etc.), and paratransit services.

The following national consumer organizations have local chapters and many divisions:

A resource site on the Internet: http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/ blind.htm.

The Americans With Disabilities Act hotline: (800-514-0301).


Training a Dog to be a Guide
The Guide Dog training program is designed to maximize a dog's potential for success. Each dog in a "string" (a group of about 25-30 dogs that begin their formal training at the same time) is taken through the systematic training program, with the end goal being that all of the dogs in the string become ready for class placement simultaneously to begin training with people who are blind. Just like people, however, dogs don't all learn at the same rate.

The average length of formal guidework training is four to five months, but can last as long as six to nine months.

In addition, a dog's class placement doesn't depend solely on the dog's capabilities. Each dog is paired with a blind person only when a suitable match with a student in class can be made. Class assignment occurs when the instructor feels that not only is the dog's work exemplary, but that it has the personality and physical qualities that would make a compatible match with a particular student as well.

Pattern Training
Certain dogs begin their formal guidework training using a method known as "pattern training." This type of training is specifically designed for dogs that may be timid, unsure or unfocused.

In pattern training, the dogs are patterned to give a specific response. Initially, the instructor walks the dog (without the harness) through several guide workouts to show how it should respond to various commands and situations. By having the dog react to commands and situations in exactly the same way each time, the dog becomes patterned in its responses.

Eventually, when the dog does begin wearing a harness during its workouts, it will continue to respond the same way - guiding as it did when first introduced to the commands and situations. This may sound fairly simple to do, but it takes a great deal of concentration on the instructor's part to simulate guidework for the dog when it is not being asked to guide. Each response and move the dog makes must follow an exact pattern every time.

Once a dog reaches a certain level of ability and confidence, pattern training is phased out. Pattern-trained dogs that are ready for class show no difference in the quality of their work from those dogs that have received regular guidework training. Pattern training has proved to be very successful for dogs that would have had difficulty adjusting to our traditional training program.

Systematic Guidework Training
Traditional guidework training follows a very systematic approach: basic concepts, commands and skills are taught first, laying the foundation for more difficult training situations down the line.

At the outset of their training, the dogs are all given pre-training physical exams (including x-rays and eye checks), and are neutered/spayed. They are introduced to, and socialized with, other dogs in the kennel's community dog run. They begin to adjust to the kennel schedule for feeding, etc.

Instructor assistants (IAs) take them for relaxing walks on the campus and play with them. The dogs receive daily care, grooming and handling. Their initial training workouts with instructors begin with simple walks on leash.

During the next step in their training, the dogs are introduced to wearing the harness and begin preliminary obedience training. Their workouts take place on campus, where they are trained to respond to fundamental guidework commands such as "Forward," "Halt," "Hopp Up" and "Steady." The dogs are also introduced to the campus obstacle course, which they begin to navigate while on leash.

Once comfortable with those rudimentary guidework basics, the dogs begin training in harness on quiet, residential sidewalks. There, they learn additional guidework commands - "Right," "Left," "Straight" - and are introduced to more advanced concepts like stopping for curbs and overhead obstructions. (Guide Dogs are trained to stop for overhead objects such as tree branches that a person might run into but that a dog could easily pass under.) The dogs' obstacle course and obedience training progresses on campus, and they are familiarized with escalators at a shopping mall.

As sidewalk training progresses, the dogs are introduced to all curb types (square curbs, rounded curbs, wheelchair ramps, etc.) and are exposed to heavier traffic conditions. They receive 15-20 workouts in guidework basics while the trainer is under blindfold.

About this time, very specific traffic conditioning training begins, and obedience training progresses to an advanced level. The dogs undergo mid-training health evaluations. Formal escalator training (boarding, riding and exiting) begins, and the dogs are introduced to the "intelligent disobedience" response. Intelligent disobedience means that if the dog is given a command to go forward and it is unsafe to do so (for example: if a car is dangerously approaching, or there is an obstruction in the path, etc.), the dog will disobey the command.

From this point on in the training cycle, guidework training becomes more challenging. The dogs now work in moderate pedestrian traffic, up and down stairs, on elevators, escalators, and a variety of floor surfaces. Their formal traffic training is completed. The dogs work routes in downtown city environments and on city buses. Obedience and obstacle course work on campus are at advanced levels. They begin training on residential streets without sidewalks and on rural, country roads.

The guidework routes at this point are the most difficult and challenging levels of work environments: heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, wide street crossings, and hectic, bustling atmospheres. The dogs are introduced to subway platform edges and work on light rail transit systems. Advanced obedience training continues. Guidework training is nearly complete.

Final testing in guidework and obedience is performed while the instructors are under blindfold. The dogs are also given final physical examinations at this time.

"Class ready" dogs are available to be paired with people who are blind or visually impaired once proper matches have been determined.

However, the dogs can be reassigned or passed back for more training at any given time. Class ready dogs may continue in training for several months waiting to be matched with students who require dogs with particular abilities and qualities. Dogs may be dropped from the program up to the day of graduation and even after going to the graduate's home for a variety of reasons, including: health, temperament or safety in guiding.

Once the dogs have been paired with blind handlers, the duos spend up to a month in Guide Dogs' in-residence training program learning to work together as teams. The class training progression is similar to the dogs' guidework training progression: teams learn to safely navigate quiet, residential areas and progress to bustling urban centers. Together, they are exposed to a variety of situations, areas and environments - pedestrian and vehicle traffic, overhead obstacles, obedience training, etc.

A public graduation ceremony marks the completion of class training. The dogs' puppy raisers are invited to formally present their former charges to the dogs' new handlers.

Once the teams return to their homes after graduation, the real work of guiding begins for the dogs. They are with their new partners all hours of the day and night, and guide them in all of their daily travel activities.


Leaders of the Pack
The following article appeared in the Spring 1999 issue of "Guide Dog News." It focuses on what it is like to be a Guide Dog Instructor.

A light frost lay on the ground as Instructor Jim Dugan made his way out to the kennels. Bundled against the cold, he was still feeling an inner warmth from his morning cup of coffee. He raised the latch on the kennel gate with an echoing clang. In response, he was greeted with happy barks. The dogs were obviously feeling frisky this morning, all dancing and cavorting, their breath like white smoke in the still air. They were happy to see him, eager to get going. And, Jim realized, he was happy to be training them.

His charges, eight dogs currently in their second month of training, are at a stage where Jim is teaching them the fundamentals of becoming a guide.

"It's a lot of trial and error for the dogs," he explained. "My job is to get them relaxed so they can respond comfortably to commands. I allow them to make decisions on their own so they build confidence in themselves."

Being a Guide Dog instructor involves a lot more than just training dogs. The job cycle includes: dog training, class training (where the dogs are matched with their blind partners and learn to work as teams), graduation and follow-up. Instructors usually take some vacation time after graduation, and then travel on follow-up visits to graduates in the field. They then return to campus, are assigned a new group of dogs, and begin the cycle once again.

The job requires extensive people skills - tact, professionalism, humor, flexibility, and the ability to teach others. It challenges the body, the mind, and the emotions.

Physical Challenges
Every part of the job has its unique challenges. Instructor Emily Scott explained some of the physical challenges Guide Dog instructors encounter:

"When you're training dogs every day, dealing with the weather is a big factor," she said. "And it's a challenge to keep your body in shape. The first part of dog training is the hardest on the body, and if you've been through a cycle of class, vacation and follow-up, your tendency is to let yourself go. It's really important to stay in shape by using weights and doing some form of aerobic exercise so your body will be strong enough to return to dog training."

Unlike Jim, Emily is at the other end of the job cycle. She's preparing for a trip to Arizona to visit graduates on follow-up, physically demanding in itself due to ten long days spent on the road. But that's part of what keeps being an instructor an exciting career choice. Emily said, "The job is wonderful because of the variety. It doesn't get monotonous or become routine."

Emotional Aspects
A petite black Lab looks up lovingly at Instructor Kathy O'Connor in response to her words of praise. Kathy's dogs are being readied for a class of new students that arrive in just two weeks. She is at the point in the training cycle where she soon will have to let go of her attachment to the dogs she has spent months growing to love.

"For me, personally, the day that the dogs are matched with the students is the day that you try to detach emotionally from the dogs. You start to see the team before you see the individual dog," she said. "That's the hardest day and also the best day. From then on, it's much easier for me to deal with the loss - and you do feel loss because you've put so much into the training of these dogs. But now you have a new project: help this team become successful; help this team complete 28 days and go home with a good foundation."

Kathy says that the consolation to saying goodbye is witnessing the tremendous impact a Guide Dog has on its new partner.

"My first couple of times going to class, there were quite a few tears - there are still tears," she said. "Then I started to experience the fun of class and the exhilaration of seeing the bond between the dog and the student build - that's special and that's what I look forward to. That's what has driven me and that's what has inspired me.

"Even though there's a lot of emotion involved with the dogs and letting go and moving on to the next group," she continued, "the reward - there's nothing really to compare it to. You gotta' go on - you gotta' know that you're going to fall in love with another little black Labrador Retriever who's going to be fun and hard to work with and smart and challenging... and that's what keeps you going."

Fellow Instructor Todd Jurek feels the same way. "When I first started here, it used to be very difficult for me to let go," he said. "After a few years you get more professional and it doesn't bother you as much. You definitely bond with some more than others. You always remember the dogs you had to work the hardest with."

Tears of loss, tears of pride - there's a lot of emotion that goes along with being an instructor, as Emily's experiences illustrate:

"After graduation, I spend my first two days off just vegetating - watching videos and TV just to unwind," she said. "But I also check my voice mail all the time. I want to hear from the graduates. I want to know how their dogs are doing. You get so attached to people when they're in class. My last class gave me a poem and a picture -I know I'll look at that in years to come and always remember them. Class is just the best!"

Despite the emotional roller coaster, Emily wouldn't have it any other way.

"While I'm training a dog, I'm always thinking, 'Who do I see paired with a dog like this?' The best part of the job for me is taking dogs to a certain level and then watching them just blossom when they're paired with a student," she said. "I love it when they far surpass all my expectations. Seeing the person put all their trust in the dog, and the dog respond to them by taking responsibility, gives an instructor a huge sense of pride and accomplishment. There's no other job like it."

Mental Exertion
"This is not just a 9-to-5 job," Emily said. "You have to be dedicated and flexible. Things can change on a daily basis and you just have to roll with it. We are continually changing and improving our training - there are new things to learn every time I go into class. I find it easier to be positive toward change - it really helps if you don't get rigid."

Class sometimes amounts to 80 hours of work in as little as 6 days. "You live, eat, and breathe the dorm," she continued. "Sometimes my only contact with what's going on in the outside world is what I hear from the students. It's hard to leave your family to spend nights in the dorm, but it gives you a chance to get to know the students on a level aside from training. Class can be hard sometimes. It's more mental exertion than physical for the instructors. "

She explains why: "For many of our students, leaving friends, family and home to spend a month in training is a daunting proposition." If students are stressed, worried, or anxious, that has a direct impact on an instructor's mindset, and vice versa. "If I can be supportive, honest and up-front from the outset, I can help them. I'm not the kind of person to smooth things over and make it seem as though everything is all right if it isn't. I think it's better to work things out in a respectful way."

Emily also believes that, in addition to a positive attitude, communication and humor are two crucial elements in alleviating some of the mental strain that can take place during class training.

"I think it's really important to get input from students --especially our retrain students," she said. "Some of them have been using Guide Dogs since before I was born! They have things to teach me! And I like helping my students to laugh - if they're laughing, it means they feel comfortable, and if they're comfortable, they'll learn."

Teamwork
Guide Dogs and their blind partners aren't the only teams at Guide Dogs. Todd and Kathy are both team leaders in regards to their working relationships with other Training Department staff. They take responsibility for, lead, and organize their respective "teams" - groups of 4-6 people consisting of instructors, apprentices and instructor assistants - as they prepare a string of starting with 25-50 dogs for class. Team leaders, in turn, are guided by the knowledge and experience of class supervisors who work with them from early dog training right on through to graduation. Supervisors ensure teams are communicating and that there's continuity in all phases of training.

"There isn't one person here who does it by themselves," Kathy said. "We all have a group of people who are our partners. There's a lot of work to do when we're training dogs and we need each other."

Commitment
"A career as an instructor is truly a commitment - it's not just playing with dogs," Jim explained. "Yes, it's wonderful, even incredible, but it's hard to train a Guide Dog. Our standards as a school are incredibly high. Dogs just don't pop out of the womb knowing how to be guides. Instructors invest many years of their lives learning to train them."

Kathy agreed. "There are some days you feel that your job is just a big struggle and other days when you feel that it's magical, but mostly it's just hard work. If you're able to come to work in the morning and get out there and dig in, it's clear to everyone who works with you," she said.

"The instructors that I admire the most are the ones who clearly love what they're doing and who show a lot of ingenuity and creativity in the way they work with students. They have fun in the process. I appreciate their ability to be inspiring and motivational because it is hard.

"Passion, inspiration, dedication, and a spirit that says, 'This is what I'm going to do with my life and I'm going to do the best I can at it,' are traits that make a good Guide Dog instructor. I hope that people can get that kind of inspiration from me."

What background does someone need in order to consider a career in guide dog training?
If a person has had professional experience working with animals or people, they will better their chances of being accepted into the apprenticeship program to become a Guide Dog Instructor. Here are examples of Instructors' backgrounds:


Learning About Blindness: Parenting
The following article appeared in the Summer 1997 issue of "Guide Dog News." It focuses on what it is like to be a blind or visually impaired parent.

"I can do just about anything a sighted person can do; I just do it differently!" This statement is echoed by many who are blind or visually impaired and highlights the creativity, innovation, determination and independent attitude with which they address daily living. For some who are sighted, it is hard to imagine how various tasks are accomplished. Parents may wonder, for example, how someone who is blind copes with raising a sighted child.

Deborah Kendrick has been blind since early childhood. A former teacher of visually impaired children and adults, she is the author of "Jobs to Be Proud Of: Profiles of Workers who are Blind or Visually Impaired." She is a columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer, and has written articles for Woman's Day, Parenting and other publications as a freelance writer. She resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her three children and Black Labrador Retriever guide "Clarice." She related her experiences in raising her children in an article she wrote for Dialogue, a general-interest magazine for people who are blind. The following includes excerpts from that article.

The system
You may have heard the adage, "A place for everything, and everything in its place!" Aside from being a time and energy saver, this statement is a rule to live by for people who are blind. Deborah writes, "In the changing table, sleepers live in one drawer, outfits in another, undershirts and socks in a third. Those quick-to-vanish little baby socks are safety-pinned in pairs on their way to the laundry basket and back again. Each outfit is folded as a unit (pants folded around shirt) to assure that baby is color-coordinated."

The same organization continues in the kitchen. "Baby spoon, feeding dish, bibs, training cup and Cheerios all have very definite locations when not in use. While this same system is beneficial to any parent, it is particularly wise for a blind parent who can't take in the entire kitchen at a glance when baby is screaming for her apple juice!" she explains.

Toys, books, clothes and supplies are placed back in their assigned spaces every morning and again at day's end. "Children respond well to structure," Deborah continues, "and by organizing toys for your own convenience, you are also creating the structured environment your child needs."

Feeding baby
Deborah found that breast feeding her children was easy compared to fussing with bottles and formulas. When bottles are used however,she has found placing a finger alongside the nipple helps direct it to the baby's mouth. "Spoon-feeding is another adventure altogether," she relates. "Pediatricians will recommend that this procedure begin anywhere from three to six months. As a blind parent, it was much easier for me to wait until my babies could sit independently (about six months) before introducing this initially sticky business. When the baby can sit upright in the high chair, you are left with both hands free, which makes the task much simpler.

"With two of my children, I stood behind the high chair placing my left hand under the baby's chin and feeding with the right. At the time, this seemed the neatest, most logical way to do it (wielding the spoon in the same direction as to feed myself), but I now do it differently. I pull a chair up to face the baby, gently touch her chin with one hand (for aim) and feed with the other. I also keep a wash cloth or napkin close at hand to keep our hands clean."

Safety
"Many blind parents are, in fact, far more conscientious in this area than their sighted peers," Deborah explains. "When you can't look from one room to the next to determine in an instant what baby is doing, necessity dictates that caution take a high priority. During their infancy, I never turned from any of my children for even a second while they lay on a changing table or were propped in a corner of the sofa. Because 'seeing' translates as 'hands on' for me, my hand was constantly on the baby when the child was not secured by a crib, playpen, or safety belt."

She continues, "As baby becomes mobile, other tactics come into play. Again, organization and cleanliness are keys to success. Beyond the obvious measures taken by all parents (covering electrical outlets, putting childproof latches on doors and drawers containing dangers, and placing all hazardous substances completely out of reach), a blind parent needs to know the complete contents of areas where baby plays. Vacuuming daily, straightening the play area repeatedly and, yes, sometimes crawling around on hands and knees to see the room from baby's perspective are all important steps to preventing disasters.

"A physically defined space makes life easier, too. Rather than allowing my daughter to roam freely throughout four interconnecting rooms on our first floor, I establish temporary boundaries for varying periods of time. When I'm in the kitchen, I close the doors to keep her in the same room with me.

A six-piece collapsible 'play yard' allows me to set up temporary boundaries at a moment's notice - to block baby's admission to the stairway, a particular room, or even to divide the living room in half for awhile. For the most part, just knowing your own baby enables you to recognize her movements by listening, but limiting her roaming territory can make the job easier and safer."

Teaching
"With simple picture books, I stamp words in Braille on clear dymo tape and affix it to the page," Deborah explains. "By having someone who can see place my Braille label for 'bear' directly on some portion of that picture, I can teach my baby the names of objects beyond those three dimensional ones I can 'see' for myself."

While some adaptive parenting techniques may differ from those that Deborah found useful, their use has enabled thousands of blind parents successfully raise children who are sighted. As Deborah concludes, "The essential elements of baby care, after all - bathing and diapering and cuddling and rocking and singing and rejoicing in this precious little being - have nothing at all to do with eyesight."


From the Pros: Who's In Charge?
The following article appeared in the Summer 1998 issue of "Guide Dog News." It focuses on some of the fundamentals of dog training.

By Anne Workman
Guide Dogs for the Blind Breeding Stock Coordinator

Just like their wolf ancestors, dogs are pack animals. They depend on members of their packs for survival. Their instinctive pack behaviors are necessary to successfully hunt, defend valuable resources, and produce offspring to ensure the pack's longevity. Every pack has a pecking order or hierarchy, and each dog has a very clear idea of its position in the pack's hierarchical ladder.

When problems occur with training and behavior in the home, it often helps to do some repair work at a very basic level and look at the problem from the dog's perspective. The most basic place to start is to examine how your dog views his rank in your family "pack." Dogs that view themselves with a higher rank status than their family members will feel entitled to take the privileges of pack leaders. If your pack doesn't have a clear, consistent leader, your dog may think he must take over in order for his pack to survive!

Below are the basic privileges that a pack leader controls. If pack leadership has become your dog's responsibility instead of yours, you can begin to change your dog's behaviors by applying the following problem modifications:

Food - The pack leader gets to eat first and lower members must wait until he's finished. He can also demand food from other pack members.
Modification: Make it a point to feed your dog after you have eaten, not on his demand. Get him to offer you a behavior, like sitting, before giving him his food dish.

Sleeping Arrangements - The pack leader gets to sleep in the highest, driest, most comfortable spot. He also has the right to move other members from their sleeping spots whenever he feels like it.
Modification: Don't let your dog on your bed or furniture. Occasionally move his bed and even sit in it!

Territory - The pack leader gets to be the first to explore new territory. He also has the right to patrol his territory and prevent intruders from entering.
Modification: Have your dog wait at doorways while you go through first. If he is in your way, have him move, don't step around him. You can even deny him access to parts of your house.

Possessions - The pack leader gets to decide what he plays with and can take toys away from other pack members.
Modification: Keep most of his toys in an out-of-reach spot. Don't give him free access to all of his toys at once.

Grooming and Attention - The pack leader can initiate and end attention and grooming sessions.
Modification: Groom and pet your dog on your terms, not his. Occasionally ignore him when he demands attention.

Playing and Games - The pack leader always wins at strength games (like tug-of-war).
Modification: Initiate play as often or more than your dog does. Make sure you can win at games like tug-of-war. Playing fetch and retrieval games gets your dog working cooperatively with you, not using his strength against you.

Being a pack leader does not mean you have to be big and aggressive. Nor does it mean that there has to be a battle of wills, after which you are the victor. A pack leader is clear, consistent and level-headed. Leadership is a state of mind. It is the basis for mutual respect and provides the building blocks for communication between you and your dog.

 

Face to Face: Morgan Watkins and "Fantom"
The following article appeared in the Spring 1996 issue of "Guide Dog News." It is the personal story of a Guide Dogs for the Blind graduate and his guide.

Morgan Watkins created the University of Texas Microcomputer Technologies Department, and developed a research team of more than 80 employees. In 1994, he designed and now manages the 2.2 million dollar Student Microcomputer Facility (SMURF) which contains over 200 machines, an electronic teaching classroom, and full access for the blind and physically handicapped. SMURF takes up the entire second floor of UT's library. He conceptualized a laboratory management system that is currently under consideration for licensing with a major computer company.

He co-authored "The Educator's Guide to HyperCard and HyperTalk," a popular graduate school textbook now in its second edition and fifth printing. He writes humorous insights about the computer industry for MacWeek magazine as a regular guest columnist, and received the City of Austin Disabled Employee of the Year award in October 1995.

Morgan lives with his wife Dee Dee and 8-year-old son Richard in Austin, Texas. Upon meeting him, one is impressed by the gentle humor that peppers every conversation. He seems at home with himself, clear about his life and his goals, and thoroughly in love with his Guide Dog, "Fantom."

At the young age of 11, G. Morgan Watkins was told that he would eventually go blind. The statement had a profound effect on his approach to life. From that moment he decided that his personal goal would be to always stay one step ahead of his disease, preparing for the changes in his life before they happened.

Retinitis pigmentosa showed itself first in the form of night blindness but had little effect on his day vision through most of his youth. He learned to read, drive, and carry on a normal life along with his peers. But at the age of 23, he realized it was time to hang up his car keys.

He began using a cane at night when he was 17, and full-time by the age of 26. By the time he was 30, he had lost the ability to read print altogether. Over the last 10 years, the remaining vision has been blurred by advancing cataracts and the natural degeneration from his retinal disease.

Morgan claims the greatest factor in obtaining a Guide Dog was noise. "After 15 years of the constant tap-tap-tapping, I had had enough."

Morgan is an adept cane user and travels a fair amount; however, he just didn't care for some of the limitations that come with a cane. Even though the cane was extremely inexpensive and required next to no care, "I was tired of hitting every pole that was ever erected on a street," he said.

"Each trash can greeted me with a loud bang. The thought of a dog, one that could steer me around obstacles, was very appealing. And I was tired of conversations starting with people telling me about their blind relatives. There is more to me than blindness."

Getting a Guide Dog was more of a business decision than anything. "I really didn't think of a dog as a potential friend or companion. I knew that I could like a dog. I'd had a pet dog 30 years ago, but I was most interested in the dog as a tool for travel."

He relates, "We were walking in the San Francisco business district during training when I realized I had undergone an amazing metamorphosis. I was walking completely differently than I had been for the last decade and a half. I suddenly rediscovered how comfortable I could be while traveling.

"I've listened to the various materials and videos about Guide Dogs and often hear about how these wonderful creatures become companions. It is true, more than I could have believed, but it is almost selling the whole relationship short to leave it at that. As odd as it may sound, I look at 'Fantom' as an extension of myself. When we are working, we become one. He sees and leads, I direct and praise. It feels really good.

"Being blind does present challenges that sighted folks never encounter. But that doesn't matter in the real world. You either compete on equivalent ground or you don't get to play the game.

"Blindness cannot be ignored - the rest of the world depends on vision. Compensating for lost abilities and making it look easy is of paramount importance. A well-trained Guide Dog fills part of this bill.

"People frequently ask if 'Fantom' is in training, assuming that I can see what we are doing. What an incredible compliment for me, 'Fantom' and Guide Dogs. 'Fantom' and I are so good at our job that people no longer see me as a handicapped person. I am not ashamed of my blindness, but it really doesn't help me if people focus on it. How you appear to your professional peers should not be tied to gender, race or disability. Know me for my work. Even when they discover that I am a blind handler, the focus remains on the ease with which we move. This is good for me as a person and as a professional."

 

Face to Face: Doug Edwards and "Dell"
The following article appeared in the Fall 1996 issue of "Guide Dog News." It is the personal story of a Guide Dogs for the Blind graduate and his guide.

"I am the kind of person who strives for perfection in everything I do. 'Dell' is the perfect dog for me. He's very conscientious about his work. And in addition to the guidework he learned at the San Rafael school, I've taught him to find the local mailbox, my bus stop, the elevator and countless other things through repetition. He's an intelligent dog." - Doug Edwards

Erland (Doug) Edwards was born in Harlem at the height of its Renaissance to a father who was an ex-professional boxer and a mother who made certain he was exposed to the best in African-American culture. The city was alive with entertainment, and segregation only made it more possible for him to come into contact with those African-Americans who were shaping the art scene.

The Big Band sounds of Count Basie and Duke Ellington spilled out into the streets from nightclub doorways where he and his friends would stand listening. But it would be many years before Doug would realize the impact these experiences would have on the rest of his life.

In 1947, the 17-year-old drummer joined the Army and was sent to Korea, Japan, and eventually Europe. Six years later, leaving his boots and his drumsticks behind, Doug accepted a job with a Dutch airline company allowing him to travel throughout Europe and the Caribbean.

In 1963, he settled in California, married and had a son. Throughout the years he accepted a variety of jobs including work as a movie projectionist and once helping to rehabilitate former prison inmates. But it was a volunteer job that spoke to the musician in his soul and opened the door to his current career as "Jazzmaster."

"I've always enjoyed music," Doug relates. "I taught myself to read scores and play the flute and vibes, but I was not a professional musician. I considered myself a passive jazz fan. In 1978, I joined a jazz society and volunteered for KPOO radio in San Francisco. I had a program called The Audible Art Gallery and began featuring the music of area artists. Realizing there was so much talent out there that was never heard because radio stations focused all their attention on a few big stars, I became a 'jazz activist,' devoted to providing resident artists such a venue."

Oftentimes he would broadcast live from local clubs or would record events for later broadcast. He soon became well-known for his commitment to the music community.

In 1980, KPFA radio in Berkeley asked him to come on board. This was an important step, as it increased his reach beyond the immediate Bay Area to include most of Northern California. The Jazz Party was born - live studio jam sessions with musicians who were just coming off their gigs at 2 a.m. and were still eager to play.

Doug's current program, Ear Thyme - Home Grown Aural Herbs, airs every Saturday at 11 p.m. He is a frequent master of ceremonies for jazz festivals throughout Northern California, and reviews nightclub performances of major national and international musicians, including Wynton and Branford Marsallis, Max Roach and others. He is also the marketing director for Jazz Now magazine in Oakland.

"I love my show because I enjoy being around musicians who have a passion for what they do," Doug said. "That's also what I enjoyed about Guide Dogs - everyone from staff to students was so enthusiastic. We were all energized by the program."

Life began to change for Doug in 1989 when he was diagnosed with glaucoma. As his sight deteriorated he learned to use a cane and came to Guide Dogs for training in 1994. With "Dell," his German Shepherd, he found it much easier to travel to work at night using public transit.

This past November, "Dell" passed the ultimate test. A fire broke out in Doug's apartment. Past screaming neighbors and shouting firefighters, through smoke, heat and commotion, "Dell" helped lead Doug down three flights of stairs to safety.

"He was cool and calm and totally focused the whole time," Doug said. "I now call him 'Lord Dell' as in: Oh lord, 'Dell,' get me out of this!"

The fire destroyed more than the usual personal belongings. It consumed irreplaceable recordings of performances by local musicians, and his lifetime collection of albums and compact disks. The jazz community responded to the news by throwing a benefit concert in his honor.

Doug was overwhelmed by the support he received from musicians, friends and Guide Dog staff. In September, the Peninsula Humane Society will pay tribute to "Dell" by honoring him with a Canine Hero Certificate in a ceremony aboard a San Francisco ferryboat.

Doug credits the community support for helping him get through this stressful time. "Lord Dell" and "The Doug of Edwards" will continue to be one of the Bay Area's favorite duos for times to come.

 

Face to Face: Cara Dunne and "Hayley"
The following article appeared in the Summer 1997 issue of "Guide Dog News." It is the personal story of a Guide Dogs for the Blind graduate and her guide.

"Time is wasted if we don't do anything with it." - Cara Dunne

This story is about teamwork. We talk about teamwork a lot at Guide Dogs for the Blind. It's not sufficient to train a dog to be a guide and expect it to work like a mobility machine with just anybody. Both members of the team have to combine their skills - the dog leading and the person directing - in order for them to be successful.

Cara Dunne of Los Angeles and her guide "Hayley" have been teammates for two and a half years. The black Lab has helped her navigate around the UCLA campus where she received her graduate degree in law this spring (earlier, she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard).

But Cara's story doesn't end there. The word "teamwork" is her modus operandi. Not only does she use a guide for walking, but also for skiing, cycling and winning medals in competitions - no, not a dog, but a human guide. She has been a member of the U. S. Disabled Ski Team for six years and has won ten world championships in guided downhill skiing.

She relied on a sighted guide skiing nearby to give her the information she needed to traverse the slopes in Innsbruck, Austria, but her skill in skiing is what won her the silver medals.

Cara is an accomplished cyclist as well. At speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour, she and teammate Scott Evans battled other tandem cyclists to win silver and bronze medals at the Paralympic Games at Stone Mountain Velodrome in Atlanta, Ga., last fall.

The sighted pilots of the tandems are strong cyclists, but cannot be Olympic racers. The U.S. paralympic cycling team includes 25 blind cyclists who compete with athletes from France, Italy, Australia and other countries.

Her stunning achievements are as impressive as the hardships she has pulled herself through. As a 10-month-old infant, one of her eyes had to be removed due to cancer. When she was 3, it became necessary to remove the remaining eye, but her doctor was hesitant for fear the disfigurement in one so young would keep her from leading a good life. At 22, the cancer reappeared, and that has been the real challenge.

Cara has proven that attitude is everything. Perhaps because of her illnesses, she lives life to the fullest, believing "time is wasted if we don't do anything with it."

"She has an incredible ability to work with what she has rather than dwell on what she has lost," said her father, Mike Dunne, who, together with her mother Mary are Cara's biggest fans.

As Cara and Scott's agent, Mike is currently soliciting sponsors for them to compete in the summer Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia in the year 2000. Cara and her family have been the subject of countless media interviews, in Sports Illustrated and other magazines, and on local and national television shows. They were recently interviewed for a 20/20 segment on the ABC network.

Her story is compelling and she hopes it will motivate others to follow their dreams.

 

Face to Face: Joan Patche and "Jemmy"
The following article appeared in the Summer 1997 issue of "Guide Dog News." It is the personal story of a Guide Dogs for the Blind graduate and her guide.

"I think it's important for parents to nurture a positive attitude, a sense of independence, an involvement in what's going on in the world, and above all else, a love for life." - Joan Patche

Joan Patche gives "Jemmy" a hug as the Golden wiggles and wags and gives her a lick in return. It's obvious they've already bonded even though they've only known each other for three weeks.

"She's great!" Joan exclaimed. "I've always had great dogs!" A Guide Dog user for 24 years, she smiles as she relates that this one will be her fifth. "I can appreciate the cane as a useful tool, but frankly, I was never quite comfortable with it. When I tried my first dog, I was like a kid who'd just been given the biggest ice cream sundae in the world. It's still exciting to me. That freedom - it's just a neat way to travel."

Joan was born prematurely and received too much oxygen which permanently damaged her sight. She has prosthetic eyes now and often wears glasses painted with bright yellow smiley faces. The smiles are mirrored on the faces of all she passes.

Joan's family is interesting in that two of her three children and also her husband are visually impaired. Her husband, Paul, has aniridia which simply means he was born with no irises. His eyes are always dilated and he is sensitive to light. He knows he would be safer using a cane, but has not had any formal mobility training as yet.

The couple knew of Paul's disease but were unaware that it is hereditary. Their first son, Christopher, 12, was born with normal vision, but their second, Paul, 11, inherited not only his father's name but his eye disease as well. Robin, 7, also has the condition.

Although all three have the same eye disease, it effects them at different levels. They each experience a loss of focus in certain areas of their visual fields and it can vary from moment to moment. They are at high risk of developing glaucoma or cataracts.

Robin is "mainstreamed" in regular public school classes. She can read large print, but must put her face very close to the page when she writes. She's very outgoing and when her classmates question or taunt her, she has no trouble in coming up with responses: "Yes, my eyes wiggle, but it means I can see faster," or, "I'm sorry I bumped into you, but it's not because I'm stupid; I just don't see well." Young Paul, on the other hand, is more sensitive to teasing and it affected him emotionally as well as academically.

"We finally switched him to the California School for the Blind," Joan said. "It's hard to send your child off to a boarding school, but it was the right decision in this case. He also has dyslexia, so his problems are more complex. We're thrilled that he has Sister Ann Gelles as his teacher!" (Sister Ann is a Guide Dog graduate and member of the Board of Directors.) Although he has some useful travel vision, he is learning Braille and how to use a cane.

Joan remembers back to her own childhood. One of seven children, her parents did not have the time to learn Braille, although she believes it is an important way for parents to communicate with their children who are blind.

"Mine used magnetic letters on the refrigerator to leave me messages," she said, "and as a result, I learned how to leave them printed messages because I knew what the letters were supposed to look like. Although I was totally blind, they taught me to ride a bike and took me tobogganing and on summer vacations. They encouraged me to take reasonable risks and to challenge myself. I think that's really important for any child."

 

Blind student triumphs over adversity, discovers shades of life
Featured in "The Twin Cities Times," April 14, 1999. Written by Gabe Page.

Lauren sings in a children's chorus and is learning to play Beethoven's "Moonlight" piano sonata. She wants to be a writer and a singer when she grows up.

Lauren Brennan is blind, but not incapable. Like every other 8th grader at Hall Middle School, she goes from class to class everyday and participates in the same activities as the other students.

Brennan was born blind, so her disability is itself not an obstacle but a condition. The obstacle is trying to function in a visually oriented world, or more specifically trying to learn in an educational system that relies heavily on visual teaching techniques. Two tools arm her against this adversity: technology, and the compassion of her teachers and peers.

By participating in the mainstream program, Brennan proves that blindness is more of a time consuming problem than it is a limiting disability. With the aid of a talking software called Jaws, which announces the words as she types them, she is able to do her assignments on a regular computer. When she is done with an assignment, she prints it out and then puts it into a Braille typewriter to put a heading on it by which she can later identify it.

With Jaws she can also surf the Internet. Instead of using the mouse to make selections, though, she has to make every command with keystrokes. She also has a Braille printer that she can hook up to the computer. Her teachers take assignments and scan them into the computer and then print them out in Braille so that she can read them. In addition to the regular classes in the curriculum, Brennan takes a few special education classes like orientation and mobility and spends a lot of extra time learning how to use her special software.

Next year Brennan will go on to Redwood High School and according to Pat Morgan, who is one of Brennan's teachers, administrators from Hall and Redwood are currently working together to insure that the transition is smooth. Morgan said there are many considerations that must be made for her, like adequate space for her computer equipment and materials. For example, a single regular textbook might expand into 25 or 30 volumes when translated into Braille, Morgan said.

Brennan said she loves to read and write and that language arts is her favorite subject. Her other interests include singing and playing the piano. Currently she sings in a children's chorus and is learning to play Beethoven's "Moonlight" piano sonata. Brennan said she wants to be a writer and a singer when she grows up.

Last year she moved to Corte Madera from Massachusetts. As an eighth-grader at Hall she found she was required to take social studies, which she said she was not too excited about. Brennan said she now finds social studies very interesting, largely due to Susan Boley, who teaches the class.

Boley said that before she came to the school the teachers and students underwent training to learn how to accommodate a visually impaired student.

Boley said that having Brennan in the class has been "very interesting and exciting" and has helped her to realize how intensely visual is her teaching method.

Among other things, the students learned to sign on and off when they are working with her in a group so that she knows who is around her. Boley said the other students are very open and inclusive and that they have since taken the initiative in making Brennan feel comfortable.

Brennan cited Boley as her favorite teacher at Hall. "If you get Ms. Boley you're in good hands," she said.

"She believes in me and since I've moved here my self-confidence has greatly increased."

Boley reciprocates the affection. "I help her do whatever she wants to do," Boley said. "And I have absolutely no doubt that she is going to continue to do whatever she wants to do in life.

"If she wants to be a corporate executive for some Fortune 500 company, she will."

For the mean time, Brennan said her main goal is to become completely independent of special education when she goes to Redwood next year. After that, the sky's the limit.

 

Raising a Guide Dog pup: What a joy!
Featured in "Hood River News," November 5, 1997.

By NICOLE SPEDICK
Editor's note: Nicole Spedick is a 13-year-old student at Hood River Middle School who raises guide dog puppies. More information about Guide Dog puppy raising may be obtained by calling 800-295-4050.

If you want to talk about famous people and the attention they receive from the public, Marie is right up there among the best of them.

Everywhere she goes people say she's beautiful, everyone always wants to pet her, the subject of our conversations never strays from her, and the strangers come up out of nowhere and inquire as to the gorgeous dog in aisle seven.

Dog? That's right; four-footed, tail-wagging, and yellow Marie is no ordinary dog, though (no, she's not a Lassie-in-training) - she's a guide dog puppy.

A few of you out there may be wondering, what is a guide dog puppy? A guide dog Is a trained dog that is paired up with a person who is partially or entirely blind. This dog is then in charge of being that person's eyes, leading them everywhere they go, and most Importantly, being their friend.

Marie belongs to a nonprofit organization in San Rafael, Calif., that is devoted solely to providing guide dogs for people with visual Impairments. This organization, Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc., also has a new school in Boring, Ore.

When a blind person gets a dog, they are getting more than just any dog. They are getting many many hours of hard work, they are getting love that is more loyal than anything else on earth, and they are getting a partnership that Is worth about $35,000. Amazingly none of this money comes from the government. Guide Dogs for the Blind gets all their financial support from private donations.

Guide Dogs for the Blind was incorporated in 1942 and since then they have been using only the finest purebred dogs. Now they use four breeds for the guide work: yellow and black Labradors, golden retrievers, and German shepherds. Another breed they have been experimenting with is the golden retriever-lab mix.

When we, as puppy raisers, get our puppies they are cute little fuzz balls that are about eight weeks old. From then until the puppies are about 16 months old, we have them to love and to raise. We teach them six basic commands (sit, down, stay let's go, wait, stand), and we socialize them everywhere (or nearly everywhere) we go. When the blind person gets their dog, we want the dog to be familiar with every situation that it has to be in. When you see Marie about town, that's exactly what we're doing.

After our time to be with her is up, she will go back to Guide Dogs for the Blind training school in Boring. We will drop her off at the school, knowing that our life with her is over. The next four months while she is at the school will be spent in intense training, making her a Guide Dog.

The dogs go through seven phases while they are at college; the first three phases are introducing new guidework commands. Physical evaluations will also be made during the first few weeks. Phases four and five deal with more challenging environments, and escalator training. The last two phases, six and seven, are done In very challenging situations, and blindfold testing. After all this work, when they reach phase seven, they are finally ready to get a partner and change someone's life.

Once the dog has completed phase seven, the dog Is ready to begin training with their partner. Knowing how to be a guide and being someone's eyes are different things. Not only does the dog need to know how to guide someone, it needs to know how to work with that person, to adapt to their habits and styles. The dogs and their partners train together for one month, and after this time is up they should be ready to graduate.

Marie was the perfect dog for us. She is friendly sweet, smart, obedient, calm and an irresistibly cute dog. Her only problem is maybe she is too perfect.

Often I took her to my school and she would be so quiet and calm that frequently the entire class period would go by before some of the students would realize that she had even been there.

One time we were in church and she licked the leg of the person in front of us. The person froze as stiff as a board, and like an owl, swiveled her head around and looked at me, eyes narrow as slits. What I would give to know what she was thinking!

Through all of our time with Marie, we always tried to keep a clear mind on who she is, who she belongs to, and the life she's going to change. Then, when the time comes to give her up it is not as difficult.

One of the things that makes it easier to give up the dog after being with it for a year is knowing that you will get to see it graduate with its partner. Before the graduation you get to meet the person, and it really makes you feel good knowing that this person can now 'see.'

During the ceremony the raisers get to present their dogs to the blind person and we are handed the microphone to give a bit of a speech.

We are humans, too, and crying is not a stranger to these ceremonies. When I get up on the stage, it is hard for me to cry because I feel so proud of "my" puppy and because I am so excited for the future of the team.

If you think that I will not miss Marie, you are very wrong. There will be nights where I will reach over to her bed beside mine and feel the emptiness of it. I will mourn the loss, but yet a stronger feeling surpasses that of sadness, my feelings of joy and of love for Marie and her partner.

So, yes, it is hard to give them up, but it is the most wonderful experience in the entire world.

  

What blindness helped her see
Featured in "McCall's," December, 1994.

By Aerial Gilbert, as told to Dianne Hales

She was a nurse, a pilot, an artist - but when she lost her sight she learned she could be even more. How one woman turned a cruel trick of fate into triumph.

Just like most people, I had always taken my vision for granted. I relied on my eyes constantly: As a pediatric nurse I was always reading vital signs and looking at kids in the hospital to assess how sick they were. I made jewelry, working on intricate designs in fine metals. Because my husband was interested in flying, I got my pilot's license. And I loved reading, and looking at works of art.

Then, without warning, I lost my sight. In March 1988, when I was 34 years old, I came home from working the night shift at a hospital in Marin County, north of San Francisco, and my eyes felt irritated. I put in some over-the-counter eye-drops I'd bought at a store. As soon as-I felt the pain, I knew something was terribly wrong; I found out later that the drops had been adulterated with lye. I was that one-in-ten-million person who becomes a random victim of tampering.

For four months I shut down. I was depressed and scared. I didn't feel like getting out of bed. I'd spend days just listening to music. Then one morning I woke up and thought, "This is going to be one long, boring life. If I don't learn how to function independently, I might as well be dead."

My family and friends felt really bad for me, and felt obligated to make them feel better. It was hardest for my mother - all she wanted was to take care of me, although she understood that I had to figure out how to do things for myself.

It was hard on my husband too. He wanted things to stay the same, and they couldn't. We split up about four years after my accident. I'm not resentful; it just happened, and we're still friends.

Learning to live again
What I wanted most was to get my independence back--but I had become a toddler in a 34-year-old body. I had to learn everything--how to feed myself, how to dress myself, how to walk without bumping into things - all over again. People ask me how l did it, and I say, "The same way you eat an elephant: one bite at a time."

The first skill I had to learn - and the hardest - was walking with a cane. I felt like an alien on the planet. I can't tell you how many times I was hit in the face by a low tree branch or tripped by a tiny hole in the pavement. I learned to wear a hat with a brim so I'd have a nanosecond of warning before walking into something. At the end of each day I was exhausted from the effort of what I had to do to get through it.

In the fall of 1988, I began a six-month residential program at the Orientation Center for the Blind in Albany, east of San Francisco. At first the cafeteria seemed miles away, because it took me so long to make my way there with a cane.

In time I learned to hear the difference between the sound of my cane bouncing off a wall or echoing into an open doorway. I was constantly interpreting every shred of information I could get from my other senses. And by the end of the program I was able to take a bus or subway from the center to a nearby town and back. It wasn't easy or stress-free, but I could do it.

Traveling by myself was a major step, but I also had to acquire the skills I needed to live on my own.

In cooking classes I learned to listen for the sound of water boiling and to keep my fingers out of the way when I used a knife. I'm probably safer in the kitchen or with an iron than a sighted person because I'm concentrating 100 percent every moment.

You have to when you're blind. If you daydream, you get instant reminders - usually painful - to pay attention. You also have to be very organized. Everything from lipstick to spices has to be labeled in Braille and always has to go back in the same place. My clothes and shoes have Braille labels so I can be sure that what I'm wearing matches.

Love at first bark
After I graduated I knew that the key to being truly independent would be getting a guide dog. Meeting Webster, my first dog, in June 1989 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, Calif., was the most exciting day of my life. We had an instant bond. By the time we left the center, we were a team.

After four years Webster developed degenerative disk disease and went to live with the family who'd raised him as a puppy. I never thought I could love another dog as much as I loved Webster, but my second dog, P.J., is extraordinary. Our first morning together, I woke up with his head draped across my neck, and I knew we belonged together.

Soon after I got Webster, I asked myself the hardest question: "What am I going to do when I grow up again?" To prove that I could be reliable, I got a job developing X-rays at the hospital where I'd worked as a nurse. After a year I switched to medical transcribing, using my computer with voice output - which tells what's on the screen - to type up the notes doctors had dictated about patients. I worked at home -which was convenient, but isolating.

For my "people fix," I began volunteering at Guide Dogs for the Blind. I was the first blind tour guide at the center, and I especially loved giving tours for schoolchildren. To give kids a sense of what it's like to be blind, I'd have them sit down and take off one shoe, then try to put it back on with their eyes closed.

They'd say, "I remember where the laces are," or "I can use my fingers to get it on." I'd explain that you do a lot of remembering and using your fingers when you're blind.

Last summer I started an exciting paid job as coordinator of volunteers at Guide Dogs. There are 245 volunteers and all sorts of programs, including hundreds of field trips and visitor tours every month. I can't imagine a more perfect occupation for me. I feel like a real role model, especially for the blind. As a totally independent blind person, I live the mission of this organization every day.

There's only one difference
Most of my sighted friends have remained close, but some couldn't even bring themselves to use the word "see" in front of me. I'd tell blindness jokes just to help them relax. I remember one friend saying, "I can't believe it. You're no different!" I said, "What did you expect? The only difference is I can't see."

Some of my deepest friendships today are with other blind people. We're at ease with one another, and there are special things we like to do, like take our dogs for a walk together or go to a perfume counter to smell the scents.

I wish more people would realize that the blind are just like everyone else, except we do things a little differently. I still go rowing on San Francisco Bay; my friends row alongside to guide me. I ride a tandem mountain bike. I go hiking. I roller-skate by holding on to a friend's hand. I grow vegetables and flowers with wonderful scents in my garden. I also have a boyfriend, a very special man who has accepted me as I am.

He loves telling me what he sees, and he has a descriptive ability that goes beyond that of anyone I've ever known. He likes to read and to share what he reads with me. I love listening to him because he has such a wonderful voice.

I still have bad days, like anyone else. There isn't a waking moment when I'm not aware of being blind. You never, ever get used to blindness. At times someone will be describing something to me, and I'll suddenly miss seeing the things I know are out there. I've also had to let go of worrying about how l look. I turned 40 this year and I thought, "God, I haven't seen myself in a mirror for six years!"

But I've added new things to my life too. I've taken guitar lessons; I'm learning to play the piano. And I've learned to "see" things with my ears that I didn't before. When someone describes a scene, I form an image in my mind. It may sound odd, but I'm still a very visual person.

I used to be very shy and retiring, but I've become much more open and gregarious. I've made it back to being a fully independent grown-up, and I'm more self-confident than I ever was before.

My life today really pleases me. I have a great career and wonderful friends. I'm active and athletic. I still enjoy the things I love. And I've learned something important: You don't need vision to see what matters most in life.

Dianne Hales is a freelance writer who frequently contributes to McCALL's and other national magazines.

 

Bibliography and Internet Resources

General dogs

Dog training

Guide dogs

Stories about Guide Dogs

Autobiographies

Blindness

Internet Links
Blindness:

Diseases-and-Disorders/Eye:

Dogs, Guide Dogs and Puppy Raising

 

Home Page

Produced by Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc © 1999 - Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc


A Nonprofit Charitable Organization
PO Box 151200 San Rafael CA 94915