[nagdu] owner training

Sat Apr 3 21:55:50 UTC 2010

I find it amazing that people can train their own guide dogs. I've never 
been taught about that, ever, except for when I've read stuff on this list. 
I never thought people could train their own dogs for service work. It all 
fascinates me.

On that note the reason I wouldn't even try to train my own dog to become a 
guide dog is (1) because I have no vision and (2) I think there would be too 
much commitment and way too much hard work for me. I like the idea or 
organisation-trained guide dogs because I can work with that particular 
training program which has already been put in place from when the dog was a 
pup. So all it takes is for me to use the same program to teach him new 
stuff, like finding a new location and so on. It makes it a lot easier for 
me, and at least I have an instructor to help me keep on track! (smile)

But for those that have owner-trained dogs, good luck with them. I hope they 
don't wear you down too much! Peace out.

Michelle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Pawpower Pack" <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2010 12:51 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] owner training

> Jessica,
>
> I agree with Julie in that the selection process is the hardest part
> of owner training.  Not only do you have to look at many dogs, but
> once you find a suitable pup you need to spend money on tests in order
> to make sure the dog is physically sound.  For me this involved a trip
> to the regular vet for him to check things like heart and lung
> function, joint health, etc.  Then I take my dogs to a canine
> ophthalmologist and he checks to make sure the dog's eyes are healthy
> and that the dog can see.
>
> Once you've gone through the selection process alone, you've already
> laid out a pretty significant amount of time and money.  Keeping in
> mind that this dog could wash out at any time and that you have more
> hard work ahead.
>
> My current dog, Laveau, is a female Doberman mix.  I got her when she
> was around one year old.  I had every intension of obtaining my next
> dog from a breeder and had already talked to many.  On the day I met
> Laveau, I went to the shelter more to satisfy a friend than anything.
> Again, I looked at lots and lots of dogs.
>
> Laveau is very unusual because she had already been trained in
> foundation behaviors-- sit, down, stay, loose leash walking.  She had
> been at the shelter for five weeks and was about to be euthanized.  I
> did a great many tests with her and even then I was uncertain.  Not
> because she did anything "wrong" my uncertainty stemmed from me
> worrying that she'd not like guide work or otherwise not want to do
> the work.  I got her in mid June of 2008 and we finished proofing the
> last of her traffic skills in February of 2009.  So that was about
> eight months.  Keep in mind we were a bit ahead of the game because
> she already had her basic obedience.
>
> Between the months of June and February I had no life.  I spent money
> on nothing but the dog.  Equipment, more vet check ups, obedience
> classes to socialize her with other dogs, on transportation to expose
> her to buses, streetcars and the like.  I also spent all of my free
> time working out training plans, reading about others training plans,
> documenting our experiences in training and actually training her.  At
> first she didn't go anywhere with me and we spent time working within
> six or eight blocks of our home.  Then she started accompanying me
> into places where pets were allowed.  Sidewalk cafes, pet shops,
> hardware stores, strip malls, etc.
> Every morning before I left for work, I walked Laveau and did training
> work with her.  I am lucky because my husband worked from home and
> stayed with her during the day.  After I got home from a long day of
> work, no sitting on my butt watching tv or surfing the web.  More
> walks, more training.  The weekends were our time to explore new
> places.  I went to sidewalk cafes and taught her how to lay quietly
> under tables.  I sat at bus stops and taught her how to position
> herself.  We spent time at the park learning to work around small
> children and dogs.  I had no life outside of this dog and dog training.
>
> Eventually she was able to come to work with me and started going
> places where pets aren't allowed.  We took and passed the CGC (Canine
> Good Citizen) test which doesn't have anything to do with guide or
> service dog skills but it says that the dog is socialized enough to be
> around dogs and people, and can carry out simple foundation behaviors.
>
> So here we are, almost two years later, and I don't regret a moment of
> it.  She's a fantastic dog and she does great work.  However owner
> training is a lot of work, and it took a great deal of dedication on
> both our parts.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
> "It's wildly irritating to have invented something as revolutionary as
> sarcasm, only to have it abused by amateurs." -- Christopher Moore
> pawpower4me at gmail.com
>
> Windows Live Only: Brisomania at hotmail.com
> AIM: Brissysgirl Yahoo: lillebriss
>
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