[nagdu] GDF Questions

[Wayne Merritt]

I remember being at The Seeign Eye and my instructor purposely pulled
harder or very little in order to get a "feel": for how much of a pull
I wanted and how fast I was able/willing to walk. I would rather have
the dog pulling slightly in front of me, so that if the dog ever
suddenly dstopped, I would have some warning that something was up.

Wayne

On 10/30/09, Angie Matney <angie.matney at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Gary,
>
> One thing to keep in mind is that most schools will consider the amount of
> pull you want when they match you with a dog. Also, when I was at GDB
> getting my first dog, I had Juno walks from two different instructors on
> campus before I got my dog. These walks felt very different. This is not to
> say that the school's philosophy of using the harness shouldn't be a
> consideration; I just mean that part of the differences in Juno walks can
> sometimes be attributed to the individual instructors.
>
> Best,
>
> Angie
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary" <rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 11:32 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] GDF Questions
>
>
>> Hello Albert:
>>
>> How are you. I am on the guide dog list as well and have applied at
>> gdf. I am curious what you thought of the schools programs? This is
>> your first dog? It will be mine as well. Taking that in mind, how did
>> you find the training program? Was it reasonably easy to learn what you
>> needed to learn to work with your new dog? Did the bonding process go
>> smoothly for you?
>>
>> With regard to the schools guiding philosophy, how do they teach you to
>> use the harness? I have done two Juno walks (using a harness without the
>>>dog) with two different schools and they had very different styles. One
>> had the dog slightly ahead of me so that my arm was forward at about a
>> 45 degree angle (or maybe slightly less). They also had quite a bit of
>> pull/tension  on the
>> harness by the dog. The other school I have done this walk with had my
>> arm down more by my side, say around the place where the seem of your
>> pants would be with very little tension on the harness.
>>
>> I have decided I like the second way much better so want to be sure
>> that the school I go to does not do it the way my first walker did.
>>
>> What does gdf do?
>>
>> Thanks very much for anything you are willing to share with me. I am
>> waiting for a poodle so I have applied at three schools.
>>
>> Feel free to apply off line at g.steeves at shaw.ca if you would prefer.
>>
>>
>> have a great day.
>> Gary
>>
>>
>>
>> Gary Steeves, BSW, RSW
>> 204 - 1110 West 10th Ave
>> Vancouver, BC  V6H 1J1
>> Work: 778-452-6504
>> Cell: 604-764-0777
>> Email: g.steeves at shaw.ca
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/angie.matney%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/wcmerritt%40gmail.com
>


-- 
My blog:
http://wayneism.blogspot.com
My websites:
www.wayneism.com
www.whitecaneday.org