Tag Archives: guide dogs

Kevin Morris reading his poem ‘To my dog Trigger, who lay on my book’.

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While drinking in my favourite local pub, The Railway Bell (http://www.rampubcompany.co.uk/visit-pubs/railway-bell), I left my rucksack, which contained a copy of my book ‘Lost in the Labyrinth of my mind’ (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-labyrinth-my-mind-Morris-ebook/dp/B01AF5EPVY) on the floor. My guide dog Trigger made himself comfortable on both book and rucksack, creasing ‘Lost’s pages, which led to the composition of this poem.

The poem can be found in Refractions: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Refractions-K-MORRIS-ebook/dp/B01L5UC2H2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1488112246&sr=1-1&keywords=refractions+k+morris

Variety is the spice of life

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One of the advantages of being blind, is that it enables me to live in a world composed of many and varied surprises. To take one example, when opening a can I am never quite sure whether it’s contents will delight my taste buds with Baxters vegetable soup (please note that other brands are available)! Or custard …! It is, I often think fortunate that my guide dog, Trigger eats a complete dried food, otherwise who knows what I might be enjoying the next time that can opener goes to work …
Today I popped into my local supermarket and purchased (amongst other items) 2 boxes of microwavable porridge and 1 box of Earl Grey tea bags (again other varieties of tea are, of course available)! On reaching home I found that I had 3 cardboard boxes and was faced with trying to ascertain what each contained. By placing the boxes together I discovered 2 where of the exact same size while the third was of different dimmentions. Given that I had bought 2 packs of porridge I therefore correctly concluded that the odd one out in my interesting collection of boxes must, of necessity be the tea. Had I purchased a greater variety of packages I would, almost certainly have required sighted assistance to determine what each contained.
Things are easier for visually impaired people than was previously the case. For example all medication now comes with braille labelling, which as a user of this medium is extremely helpful to me. Again most bleach now comes with a braille label clearly identifying it as such, although many other poisonous products, for example toilet cleaner do not.
There are solutions to enable visually impaired people to label products, for example a hand held device allows those with sight difficulties to record a short note on a plastic card identifying products which can then be affixed via an elastic band or string. However this solution relies on sighted assistance to identify the item in the first instance thereby enabling the VI individual to label it.
A hand held scanner has been developed allowing blind people to identify products and I am considering purchasing one. In the meantime I remain thankful that my guide dog eats dry rather than tinned food …!

Public Property

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Being blind and a guide dog owner, the following post struck a chord with me (http://viscourse.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/public-property.html). In it, Deborah, a visually impaired guide dog owner, describes how a lady interrupted her conversation with a friend in order to ask whether she could pet Deborah’s guide dog. When Deborah said “no” the interrupter left in a huff, which to me is remarkable given that she had rudely interposed in a conversation in order to gratify her desire to pet Deborah’s (working) guide dog.
I, like Deborah find that unthinking people regard visually impaired individuals as public property. The worst instance I can recall of this occurred some time ago. I was crossing a busy road when a gentleman began stroking my guide dog, Trigger in the midst of stationary vehicles! On other occasions people have asked me deeply personal questions regarding my relationship status. Such enquiries would not have been addressed to a non-disabled person, yet those posing them think it is acceptable to ask whether I have dated disabled or non-disabled women.
I recognise the importance of educating people and am usually happy to answer questions provided they are sensitively phrased and put in a respectful manner. I am also delighted for people to say hello to Trigger but only when they ask politely and by so doing they don’t put my safety and that of Trigger in danger.
Noone, whether disabled or non-disabled should be considered as public property.

Kevin

Relaxing

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Yesterday (Saturday 10 December) I had been concentrating on my writing for a protracted period. I had gone into my living room in order to take a break from the creative process. My mind was, however still busily turning over ideas and I was not, in truth in a state of relaxation. Then, suddenly I heard a snorting noise and my guide dog, Trigger presented me with a rope toy he had received as a present from a colleague. I began tugging. Trigger, his tail waving madly pulled in the opposite direction and emited that playful growl which I know so well. My brain rested and I was conscious only of the pleasure both Trigger and I where deriving from the game. A sense of wellbeing flooded my body and I smiled as a consequence of the sheer joy of the deep connection between my dog and I.
My experience yesterday reminded me of a short poem I penned some months back, entitled “Dog and Ball”:

“My head full
Of dull
Thought.
Then the ball you caught
And waving your tail
Did derail
My introspection.
How can I suffer dejection
When I recollect your playful snort
And the ball you caught?”
(https://newauthoronline.com/2016/06/20/dog-and-ball/).

The Dangers Posed by Electric Cars to Blind People

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The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (the UK charity which trains assistance dogs for visually impaired people) is campaigning to raise the issue of the danger posed by electric cars to those with sight loss.

Electric vehicles make little noise which make them particularly dangerous to people who are visually impaired and rely on their hearing to get around safely.

To watch the video please follow this link:

http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/supportus/campaigns/#.V7AUojVMTIU

Heaven preserve us from self-appointed “experts”

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Yesterday evening I went out for a drink with an old friend. As always in these situations I had with me my guide dog Trigger. On my friend going to the bar to get some much needed liquid refreshment, a gentleman on the table adjacent to mine said words to the effect of,
“Can I feed your dog?”
“No thank you, he gets two meals a day and feeding him encourages begging”, I replied.
“But he’s hungry”, came the response.
“He’s always hungry, that is the nature of dogs”, I said starting to feel exasperated.
“He’s obviously hungry”, my new acquaintance persisted.

At this point my friend returned with the drinks and the conversation with the man on the adjacent table ceased and, shortly afterwards he and his companions left.

While the above incident certainly didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the evening, I was left with a feeling of exasperation as regards self-appointed experts who, in point of fact have absolutely zero knowledge on the subjects they pontificate on. I follow the advice of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) in providing my dog, Trigger with 2 meals a day, together with dog treats on a controlled basis. Trigger is a lab/retriever cross and as anyone who owns or has owned this breed will know they do have a tendency to behave like walking dustbins. One can give a lab a generous helping of food and a minute later he will be looking for more, its just the nature of labs!
This morning Trigger had a severe attack of the runs which now (thankfully) seem to have cleared up. While I have no way of knowing it seems rather a coincidence that this should happen the morning after a fellow pub goer implied Trigger is underfed. I cant help wondering if something wholly inappropriate as regards dog food found it’s way into the stomach of my four legged friend. Be that as it may, I should not be subjected to the no doubt well meaning but wholly ill informed comments of self-appointed experts.

(For a helpful post on how to approach a guide dog please see, http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/microsites/sponsor-a-puppy/blogs/2015/april/ever-wondered-how-to-approach-a-guide-dog-and-their-owner#.V1LTIL5MTIU).

Kevin

Uber driver fined for refusing to take a working guide dog

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Its encouraging to see that the Uber driver in this case was heavily fined for refusing to take a guide dog thereby flouting the law. More power to Jade’s elbow (Jade being the guide dog owner involved). As a guide dog owner I have on numerous occasions experienced discrimination by private hire drivers (I have never used Uber) and I am all in favour of heavily fining those who refuse to comply with their legal obligations by refusing to convey guide dog owners together with their working dogs. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3556274/Uber-driver-fined-1550-refusing-accept-blind-woman-guide-dog.html).

An interruption

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As many of you will know, I gave my first reading at Poetry Unplugged (hosted by the Poetry Café), on Tuesday 22 March. All of the audience where respectful of their fellow attendees, with the exception of one who caused a disturbance. The below poem is about that reprehensible individual!

—

It is late.
I stand up to read
And hear the rattle of a plate!
Who could be so rude
As to intrude
In to my first reading?!
‘Tis one of the audience who are feeding!

You my four legged friend
Can not pretend
It wasn’t you
Who
Your appetite
Did sate
When you ate
A cake!

Surely Trigger
Your stomach grows bigger.
You must have no soul
For you gobbled a cake, whole!

“Mobility Matters: Stepping Out In Faith” – Book Review

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A review of “Mobility Matters: Stepping Out In Faith ” (http://doublevisionblog.com/2016/02/24/book-review-mobility-matters-stepping-out-in-faith/).
As a visually impaired guide dog owner, I was interested to read this review of a book regarding one lady’s experience of mobility training, using a long white cane. Prior to getting my first guide dog, Drew I used a long white cane and have happy memories of it getting stuck in cracks between the pavement or bent into the shape of a banana following a close encounter with a lamp post or tree (oh happy days)!
Yesterday I fell into conversation with a colleague who asked how visually impaired people, who are not guide dog users cope as regards mobility. I was surprised by the question as the majority of those who are partially sighted or blind do not, in fact use guide dogs but utilise (as in the case of the above) a long white cane. In my view its vital that guide dog owners should possess the capacity to use a cane as the dog may become ill or, on rare occasions it may not be possible (or advisable) to use their four legged friend. For example several months ago my present guide dog, Trigger had several benign lumps removed which meant he was not able to work for 10 days. During this period I worked from home and utilised my white cane when out and about.

Kevin