I loved this video! It’s so interesting how much it has changed in recent years . It seems that you need to be a proficient and confident cane user as part of the process . A lot of guide dog owners I’ve met over the years haven’t been confident in their cane skills so I’m a little concerned about that . I also want to learn more about your cane - I know there are differences of opinion on length , but what’s different about yours?
I think the requirement is a good thing, as fundamentally cane skills are about travel skills, which cross over to having a guide dog. So they're something you need to learn. As long as Guide Dogs support people with getting those skills, it's not necessarily a bad thing to hold off on giving out a dog until that point. But the correct training needs to be in place. My cane is a lot longer and lighter, the handle is different, and the tip is metal. So for the most part I'm not using a constant contact cane technique.
I loved this video! It’s so interesting how much it has changed in recent years . It seems that you need to be a proficient and confident cane user as part of the process . A lot of guide dog owners I’ve met over the years haven’t been confident in their cane skills so I’m a little concerned about that . I also want to learn more about your cane - I know there are differences of opinion on length , but what’s different about yours?
I think the requirement is a good thing, as fundamentally cane skills are about travel skills, which cross over to having a guide dog. So they're something you need to learn. As long as Guide Dogs support people with getting those skills, it's not necessarily a bad thing to hold off on giving out a dog until that point. But the correct training needs to be in place. My cane is a lot longer and lighter, the handle is different, and the tip is metal. So for the most part I'm not using a constant contact cane technique.