[nagdu] owner training was hi

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Tue Feb 3 13:36:05 UTC 2009


I want to add something to Julie's caveats on owner training, the biggy
for me.  Even after one has picked a dog, it can turn out that the dog is
not suited to be a guide.  It may find the work too stressful, or not fun,
once it gets hard.  The same thing happens with school-trained dogs, but a
fair number of the unsuitable dogs have been dropped out by the time they
get to the student.  It's not me that's spent months working with a lovely
dog, only to figure out that it will be happier as a pet.
Of course, dogs can still quit after they've started their real work as
guides, but if they've made it through the first few months of training, I
think one has a better chance that the dog will go on with it.
Hope this makes sense; I'm not sure I've said it very well.
Tracy

> Yes and yes.
>
> Please refer to the messages from Mardi recently.  she is in the process
> of
> finding a dog to train.  Not every dog is going to make a good guide dog
> candidate.  sometimes you have to evaluate quite a few before the right
> one
> comes along.  There are transportation expenses, veterinary in depth
> evaluations for each dog you decide to train, equipment, incidental
> training
> costs etc.  It adds up.  I probably looked at 30 dogs before settling on
> my
> final choice this last time.  I spent almost $500 just to go look at dogs.
>
> The training time varies depending on the readiness of the dog and the
> abilities of the handler.  At a minimum you can expect to be training
> daily
> for four months.  I start with younger dogs that need more basic obedience
> and they take longer.  If you start with a puppy it could take two years.
> Whatever age dog you start with you can expect to spend a minimum of 30
> minutes training every day.  In addition to that time you will also need
> to
> spend time exercising the dog, grooming and providing basic care.
>
> Obviously when you begin this process the dog is not a guide dog. It
> cannot
> go everywhere you go.  If you work or have other obligations arrangements
> will have to be made for the care of the dog, until it's training is
> adequate to accompany you.
>
> Anyhow, that is the very short version of time and money and owner
> training.
> I'm happy to talk more about it if you have more questions.
> Julie
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "kl" <FuzzyPurpleCouch at neo.rr.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 7:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>
>
>> Does it take a lot of time. Doe it cost a lot. I would love to talk to
>> you
>> about it.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Julie J.
>> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 7:32 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>>
>> It's Tami that has the owner trained poodle in Oregon.
>>
>> Are you interested in owner training?  There are several people on this
>> list
>>
>> who have owner trained our guide dogs, including me. I'd be happy to
>> talk
>> to
>>
>> you about it.  Or you can search the list archives.  There's quite a bit
>> of
>> info there.
>>
>> Julie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "kl" <FuzzyPurpleCouch at neo.rr.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 8:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>>
>>
>>> The person who has the owner trained poodle and who lives in orgon.
>>> Will
>>> you
>>> e/mail me off list.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Tamara Smith-Kinney
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 5:06 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>>>
>>> Kl,
>>>
>>> Hi, and welcome!  I live in Oregon and am working with my owner-trained
>>> poodle guide Mitzi.  Or learning to work with her, to be more accurate.
>>> Our
>>> team building progress has been spotty due to life stuff, so I'm still
>>> a
>>> complete dunce quite a bit of the time.  Sigh.  I was worried there for
>>> awhile that the disruption in our work and in my progress as a guide
>>> dog
>>> user would ruin her and waste all the time and effort we both put in so
>>> that
>>> she would be ready to put up with my bumbling efforts to change roles,
>>> but
>>> she's doing quite well.  Whew!
>>>
>>> Anyway, sorry to hear about your voc rehab problems.  I've been there,
>>> too,
>>> only I had to live in their housing across the state from where I lived
>>> at
>>> the time to get some living skills training....  So that was where I
>>> discovered how incredibly awful people who work with the blind (the
>>> help
>>> us,
>>> of course!) can be.  I hope you are able to get what you need for your
>>> vocation even though you don't have case with your state's agency.
>>>
>>> Tami Smith-Kinney
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of kl
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:47 AM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>>>
>>> Hi I am in ohio. I have had some problems with my rehab counselor. I
>>> no
>>> longer have a case open with thim.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Ron Davidson
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 6:21 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] hi
>>>
>>> Julie is right every state has rehabilitation services that include O&M
>>> training. If you are considering a dog most schools require you have
>>> mastered your O&M skills and can travel safely by cane before
>>> proceeding
>>> to
>>> get a guide dog. You will always from time to time use your cane and
>>> some
>>> of
>>>
>>> the cane skills coincide with dog handling skills and techniques. What
>>> state
>>>
>>> are you from?
>>>
>>>
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