[nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

Tue Feb 17 22:08:16 UTC 2009

Hi Hope.  I live in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, 
and Occupaws is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.  Occupaws is 
a relatively new program: I was only the second person to receive 
a dog from Occupaws, the founder being the first.  Two other 
students have graduated from Occupaws after me, but since 
Occupaws wants to cater to the needs of individuals, the founder 
wants to keep the program small, serving only people in 
Wisconsin, and placing three or four dogs a year.  I am very 
happy with the training and support I received from Occupaws.  If 
you would like to find out more details about Occupaws, you can 
visit their website: www dot occupaws dot org.  (Sorry, I am 
writing this email on a braille notetaker, and I don't know how 
to write periods in the middle of web addresses without them 
being translated to dd after the braille email is converted to 
computer braille.  If anyone knows a secret please let me know).  
If you have any more questions feel free to let me know.
Allison and Gilbert
Ps.  That's really neat that your mother studied dolphin behavior 
and communication! Does she get to work with dolphins on a 
routine basis? What kinds of things does she do with them?

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Hope Paulos" <hope.paulos at maine.edu
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:35:20 -0500
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

>Hello Alison.  Where are you located? I've never heard of 
"Occupaws".  My
>parents also attended several training sessions with my Fidelco 
dog, Beignet
>(Fidelco is in Bloomfield, Ct.).  My Mom has studied dolphin 
behavior and
>communication so is quite familiar withthe training techniques 
Fidelco uses
>(I.E.: clicker training, etc).  I'd be interested in hearing more 
about
>Occupaws.
>Hope and Fidelco's Beignet
>----- 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 16, 2009 7:39 PM
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

>> Hi Allison,
>> What kind of train do you do.  What school did you get your dog 
from.  Can
>> you
>> tell me more.

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On Behalf
>> Of Allison Nastoff
>> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 5:17 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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