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VIDBE-Q Volume 63 Issue 4
majority of clients who complete the program continue on to get a dog guide. Clients
who attend Leader Dog for Orientation & Mobility also have the option of coming back
for a second week of Orientation & Mobility if it is needed. Leader dog also provides a
one week camp during the summer for teens aged 16 and 17 which provides
opportunities for the teens to try new sports, activities, orientation and mobility skills,
and learn how to use the Victor Reader Trek GPS device.
While I had my share of nerves as the start of my internship approached I quickly
got over them as I began my internship. My time as an intern at Leader Dog in their
Orientation & Mobility program provided a wealth of knowledge and some opportunities
that I may not have gotten at another placement. Having a new client each week
provided opportunities to work with a vast variety of personalities and ages as well as a
variety of visual impairments. I was able to teach the same skills every week with
different approaches to the teaching depending on the client's vision, needs, and
learning style. This week-long model of teaching provided some challenges as well. For
myself, the main challenge was getting to know the client and building the needed
rapport to work with them for the week. With such a short time to teach the skills needed
to travel independently a good rapport with the client is essential for building trust and
needs to be developed quickly.
In addition to the typical orientation and mobility skills, the program at Leader
Dog teaches a few techniques that are used when traveling with a dog guide in order to
prepare the client for a dog guide. This inclusion of pre-dog guide preparation for the
clients is part of what made the internship at Leader Dog so unique. Clients who are
intending to get a dog guide are given instruction in curb to curb travel and the basic