[nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

Tamara Smith-Kinney tamara.8024 at comcast.net
Tue Feb 17 19:33:37 UTC 2009


Allison,

Neat!  Having sighted people around who really understand the ins and outs
of using a dog to help find new routes must be incredibly helpful.  When we
lived over near Portland central, it was easy to figure out how to get
wherever we needed to go because we had good ol' city sidewalks to follow,
with regular blocks to use in navigation.  Out here near the edge of
civilization, it's all much trickier, and I have discovered that asking how
to get across the street does not always produce a helpful answer.  /smile/
My roommate has been around me and Mitzi enough that he's really starting to
get it, but he's a driver and just doesn't think in terms of walking routes.
/smile/  Poor guy saw me and Mitzi navigating one particularly iffy
intersection and had trauma for a couple of weeks thinking my dog was out to
do me in.  I finally figured out what his issue was and could explain the
difference between her responsibility and mine in such a situation, then
outline the options at that intersection (none friendly; ugh!).  I also told
him the techniques we both use to maximize our safety there.  He mulled it
over and humphed a bit but seemed to feel better about things.  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Allison Nastoff
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 2:17 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

Hi Julie,
My parents accompanied me almost every day during my training.  
This was partly due to the fact that the dog trainer came from 
Madison, and was unfamiliar with the area.  My parents helped 
direct the trainer to training sites.  But the Occupaws training 
program also viewed training for a guide dog as a family affair.  
The trainer encouraged my parents to come so that they could 
observe the training techniques, and would know how to assist me 
after he left.  For one lesson, the trainer blindfolded my 
parents, and had them walk with one of the dogs that was still in 
harness training but had not been matched with a blind person 
yet, to give them a sense of what walking with a guide dog feels 
like.
Of course, if there was a serious problem, my parents are not 
experts, and we would still contact the trainer if we needed to.  
But the fact that my parents know the basics of guide dog 
techniques has provided a wonderful support system.
I really liked this training approach because when problems 
arise, my parents and I have been able to resolve them on our 
own, and when I began my second semester of college, my parents 
were able to use the techniques they witnessed to direct Gilbert 
and me through my new routes rather than having to contact the 
trainer.  I would definitely reccomend this approach to other 
people, especially first time guide dog users.  My parents have 
not hindered my independence.  Adjusting to a guide dog, and 
college simultaneously was overwhelming, and knowing that my 
parents knew some of the techniques, and could help me made the 
experience a lot less stressful.
Allison and Gilbert

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Julie J." <jlcrane at alltel.net
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 07:31:28 -0600
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

>Allison,

>Thanks for sharing!  It's very interesting.  Can you talk more 
about the
>role your parents had in the process?  It's unusual for other 
people to be a
>part of the training/placement process.  As I understand it, this 
is one of
>the reasons that most of the programs have the blind person 
travel to their
>facility.  I love reading about new approaches and training 
models.

>Julie


>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Allison Nastoff" <anastoff at wi.rr.com
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users"
><nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 7:13 PM
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training


>> Dear Julie,
>> I would be glad to tell you a little about my training.  It was 
a
>> wonderful experience, and I would reccomend that anyone who 
wants to get
>> trained for a guide dog in their home environment to look for 
programs in
>> your state, or check out Occupaws if you live in Wisconsin.  My 
training
>> with Gilbert lasted three weeks.  The first day, the trainer 
came to my
>> house, met my parents, and taught me the basics: how to groom 
him, how to
>> give corrections, how to care for him.  Then, I was left with 
the dog for
>> the rest of the day to bond with him.  Every day after that, the 
trainer
>> met at my house where we did the discipline routine, and then we 
would go
>> somewhere to work.  Usually we worked at Carroll University's 
campus, the
>> college that I now attend, but we also practiced walking on the 
country
>> roads by my house, as well as other situations like the mall 
where we
>> practiced using an escelator, night routes, and restaurants to 
practice
>> getting him under tables.  The day usually lasted from 9:00 in 
the morning
>> until about 3:30 in the afternoon, with a break for lunch.  
Either my mom
>> or dad would also accompany me every day during training so that 
they
>> could help me once the trainer left.
>> This kind of training was perfect for me because rather than 
learning
>> routes in an unfamiliar area and then applying what I learned 
back home, I
>> got to learn routes that I would actually use in college.  
Besides that,
>> my training was individualized to my particular needs.
>> Again, I would definitely reccomend that people look for similar 
programs
>> where they live.  If anyone has questions for me, feel free to 
ask.  I
>> love talking about my experience, and bragging about Gilbert.  
(laugh)
>> Allison and Gilbert

>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Julie J." <jlcrane at alltel.net
>>>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>Date sent: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 07:29:50 -0600
>>>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

>>>Allison,

>>>Welcome!  I'm Julie, the moderator.

>>>I am very interested in hearing more about your experience at
>> OccuPaws.
>>>Could you tell us about the training?
>>>Again, Welcome!
>>>Julie

>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Allison Nastoff" <anastoff at wi.rr.com
>>>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users"
>>><nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 8:30 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training


>>>> Hi Mardi,
>>>> If you live in Wiscosin, there is a guide dog training program
>> called
>>>> Occupaws, which also does home training.  I got my first guide
>> dog, a
>>>> yellow lab named Gilbert from Occupaws six months ago.  For
>> medical
>>>> reasons, I was also unable to be away from home by myself for
>> four weeks.
>>>> I have been very happy with Gilbert, and I received wonderful
>> training
>>>> right on my college campus.  Whereever you live, I strongly
>> encourage you
>>>> to look into home training programs.  They are out there, and
>> they make
>>>> much more sense for some people.  By the way, I am also a new
>> member of
>>>> this list.
>>>> Allison and Gilbert

>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>From: Haben Girma <habnkid at aol.com
>>>>>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>>>> Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>Date sent: Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:54:31 -0800
>>>>>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

>>>>>Hi Mardi,

>>>>>I wonder where you live? Perhaps up north like Alaska where
>>>> huskies are
>>>>>so common? You mentioned that you could not get a program trained
>>>> dog
>>>>>because you could not leave your home and business for 4 weeks.
>>>> There
>>>>>are schools like Fidelco that do in-home training.  By the way, I
>>>> just
>>>>>joined this list.

>>>>>Cheers,
>>>>>Haben

>>>>>Mardi Hadfield wrote:
>>>>>> Hi every one,  I have had many different breeds of dogs as pets,
>>>> But all of
>>>>>> my guide dogs have been Huskies.  I tried a border collie, and
>>>> he would have
>>>>>> been a good guide,but he was an abused dog before I got him and
>>>> he could not
>>>>>> handle being out in public.  Wanagi is a shepherd / husky cross
>>>> and she was
>>>>>> coming along very nicely with her training, when the weather
>>>> changed to cold
>>>>>> and rainy and I discovered that she had a hip problem.  I think
>>>> she would
>>>>>> have made an excellent guide if she did not have that problem.
>>>> I should have
>>>>>> had her  xrayed, but the vet said she moved fine so I thought
>>>> she was OK.  I
>>>>>> will not make that mistake again.  Tracy said it, not all dogs
>>>> make it as
>>>>>> guides.  I kept Wanagi as we did bond, right from the start.
>>>> She is still
>>>>>> very special to me.  I hate that I have to retire Nala.  As much
>>>> as I loved
>>>>>> Lily, my first guide, Nala is a much better guide and she really
>>>> loves her
>>>>>> job.  I have continued to work her only because she does not
>>>> want to retire
>>>>>> yet.  But I know that when the weather here gets hot, she will
>>>> not be able to
>>>>>> work.  I am going to try out a german shepherd tomorrow.  I hope
>>>> this dog will
>>>>>> work out.  If I were able to walk and use a guide dog, there
>>>> would have been
>>>>>> several dogs that I tried out that would have worked.  Finding a
>>>> dog that can
>>>>>> keep up to my pace with the wheel chair and remain in the right
>>>> position
>>>>>> next to the chair, is not easy.  I am spoiled,as Nala was
>>>> perfect from the
>>>>>> very beginning, when I got her.She learned very fast and really
>>>> enjoyed
>>>>>> working.  The first time I took her on the bus, she went up on
>>>> the lift ,just
>>>>>> like she had been doing it all her life.  In the time period of
>>>> 4 months,she
>>>>>> was a finished, trustworthy guide dog.  This time is not so
>>>> easy, as I just
>>>>>> can't seem to find a dog that even wants to work, let alone keep
>>>> up with me
>>>>>> and stay in the correct position.Things would be much simpler if
>>>> I could get
>>>>>> a program trained dog,but I just can't be away from my home and
>>>> other
>>>>>> animals and my business for 4 weeks.  So I will keep looking for
>>>> that so far
>>>>>> allusive dog.  I know that I will find it , I just hope it is
>>>> soon.  I love
>>>>>> Huskies and for me they make a good guides, but I am open to
>>>> other breeds,
>>>>>> if that dog can do the job for me.   Have a great day,  Mardi
>>>> and
>>>>>> Nala,semi-retired
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/habnkid%40
>>>> aol.com





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