Why do some people use canes and others use guide dogs?
For some, a long cane is an effective way to probe the physical environment and move around safely. Other people find that a guide dog better suits their day-to-day travel needs. The choice is a personal one which involves careful consideration of lifestyle and travel factors. Using a long white cane allows someone who is blind to locate steps, curbs, streets, driveways, doorways, bicycles, elevators, escalators, people, chairs, tables, desks, or any other object or place. The cane is long enough to be about two steps ahead of the person’s feet, and so the walker finds objects with the cane before hitting them. There are canes of all sizes, including very small ones for children and long ones for tall people. Some blind people like to use a guide dog to get around. These dogs are especially trained to move around obstacles, go through doorways, and stop at curbs and stairs. When the blind person hears that it is safe to cross the street, he or she will tell the dog to go ahead. And whe
