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November is a transitional month, no matter where you live. The temperature of the air changes, as does the terrain under foot. This affects how you travel, and if you have low or no vision you are already travelling with a mobility aid, whether it be a cane or guide dog. Everyone chooses between the two at some point in their lives, and in this November episode of Living Blind we are tackling the age-old question, To Dog, or not to dog?

Host Naomi Hazlett is joined by first time dog owner Samantha Moore, and certified orientation and mobility instructor Anita Laurnitus. Sam is the Events lead at  Equal Voice, a Multi-partisan organization which advocates for women and gender diversity in Canadian Politics. She got her first guide dog, a golden yellow Labrador retriever named Rockette, in March of 2022.

Anita is a certified orientation and mobility instructor with the Toronto District School Board. She previously worked as an O and M instructor and volunteer coordinator here at Balance, from 2007 to 2022.

Come along with the panel for a fun, free flowing chat, as Sam takes us on a journey of the first year having Rockette in both her personal and professional life, the pros and cons of canes and dogs, and what ultimately influenced her decision to get a dog after so many years. Anita expounds on Sam\\u2019s experience from her vantage point, and explains how she conducts O&M training for clients who travel with canes VS. those with dogs.

Sam talks about the application process, from choosing a school and filling out the paperwork, matching the right dog for you and your lifestyle, and evaluating the honeymoon phase to determine if the assigned dog is the one for you. For Sam and others like her, this also entailed going through the whole process during the pandemic, so what challenges did that present to clients, the schools, O&M instructors A la Anita, and the dogs themselves. Sam also talks about Rockette\\u2019s upbringing in prison, as part of the Prison Puppy Program.

For more information on choosing a guide dog school, check out a list of schools available in Canada and the United States.

Follow Samantha and Anita on LinkedIn, and Rockette on Instagram.

What did you think of this episode? Get in touch with the podcast by joining our Listeners Facebook group, or by sending us an email at LivingBlindPodcast@BalanceFBA.org.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and twitter, by searching Balance For Blind Adults.

The show notes and transcription for this episode can be found at BalanceFBA.org/Podcast.

Donate to BALANCE: BalanceFBA.org