[nagdu] Monty's graduation

Sat Nov 7 19:01:51 UTC 2009

thanks!  I can't wait to hear all about your new dog.

I found when I brought Monty home the thing that helped Belle the most was 
to just spend a bit of time with her alone each day.  Sometimes it's just 
petting or playing and sometimes I take her for a walk.  she has no interest 
in guiding, but she really enjoys getting out.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Monty's graduation

> Julie,
>    Congratulations to Monte and you! I can imagine how exciting this is 
> for the two of you, especially you!
>    Having not worked a dog in more than a year and a half - and with so 
> many around me getting new dogs - I am anxiously awaiting my new pup in 
> January! I must admit I have mixed emotions, though,as I am hoping my 
> Louiza will adapt well!
>
>    Best wishes to Monte and you as you embark upon your new journeys 
> together!
>
> Peace!
> Marion
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: <gdsdtrainingonly at yahoogroups.com>; 
> <bviclickertraining at yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 12:44 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Monty's graduation
>
>
>> Hello all!
>>
>> I wanted to write to update everyone on our progress.  As most of you 
>> know I have owner trained Monty.  Owner training is a gamble and I had no 
>> guarantees of ending up with a working guide at the end of it.  it is 
>> what I love though, and for now that is reason enough for me to owner 
>> train my guides.
>>
>> I got Monty August 14 of last year.  I have worked with him almost every 
>> day for the past 15 months on everything he would need to know to work as 
>> a guide dog.   Most owner trainers, and programs for that matter, move a 
>> lot faster through guide dog training than I do.   That is for several 
>> reasons, my preference to go slowly, Monty's age, his slow maturation and 
>> my new job taking up more of my time.
>>
>> On October 7 he started going to work with me.  I considered this past 
>> month to be a parallel to what most of you experience when you go to a 
>> guide program.  The dog is fully trained, but there is still a lot to be 
>> worked out.  My experience with Monty has been similar, I think.
>>
>> He is working out splendidly!  I really couldn't be happier with his 
>> work. He has settled in nicely to my work environment.  I work in the 
>> courthouse in the criminal justice section, so sometimes things can be a 
>> tad out of the ordinary. *smile*  He is learningwhere the various offices 
>> are that I most often visit and is showing those to me reliably.  He is 
>> quiet and well mannered, for the most part.  He still likes to visit with 
>> people who come into my office but we are working on it and is most 
>> definitely not out of control.
>>
>> His outdoor work is absolutely wonderful.  this morning he saved me from 
>> a rather spectacular fall on the very slick brick street.  He slowed down 
>> and pulled lightly after that and showed extra caution, but was not upset 
>> or flustered by my lack of gracefulness.
>>
>> Although I have still not totally finished up his traffic training, he 
>> shows more traffic awareness than any other dog I have ever had.  He is 
>> very aware of traffic and acts accordingly even though his training in 
>> this department isn't complete.  I think when I do finally finish up his 
>> traffic training it will be more for my peace of mind than his education.
>>
>> He remembers every place we have ever been and points them all out to me. 
>> He does this with a pause and a look back at me as if to ask, "Are we 
>> going this way today?"  He's happy to follow whatever direction I give 
>> him.   He's also showing aptitude at reversing routs although I haven't 
>> explored the depth of his skill in this area.
>>
>> This weekend has a lot of things to celebrate.  I am going to graduate 
>> Monty to full guide dog status.  There are a few things we still need to 
>> work on, but he is doing all of the core behaviors a guide dog needs to 
>> be able to do and he is doing them reliably.   This weekend is also 5 
>> years since I got Belle and 4 years since I started working with her as a 
>> fully trained guide dog.   Also to my and my vet's best guess Monty is 
>> now two years old.  So I'll dub the first weekend in November as his 
>> "official" birthday.
>>
>> It has been too long since I've had a fully trained guide at my side. 
>> The past month has reminded me why the 14 before that were all worth it. 
>> I know most of you will probably think that is a crazy long amount of 
>> time and work to have no guarantee of ending up with a working guide. 
>> that's okay, maybe you're right.  For me, though, it is the scenery on 
>> the road less traveled that brings me joy.
>>
>> Thanks for reading!
>> Julie
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/swampfox1833%40verizon.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40windstream.net
> 