[nagdu] Guide dogs of the Desert?

[GARY STEEVES]

Hi Justin:

Yes, I believe that GDD has recently, or is in the process of, moving it's school facilities to the place you mentione (white water I think). I had applied at that school because I was looking for a poodle and had been accepted for a possible match in the fall but  another school I applied at came through with a graduating poodle sooner. So don't get put off by their published waiting list. I was told 2 years or more and my class would have been just barely a year for their more rare breeds.

My class at Guide Dogs Canada starts on May 3rd. (man that is getting close  and I'm getting anxious :)

In my research about GDD I heard really good things about their head trainer. I also liked that it is a very small school. The only down side is due to funding short falls the client has to pay for their own transportation to the school. After that everything is covered as per other schools.

I believe the school that had the funding issues was called Guiding Eyes located in Phoenix. In my research I did not find anything negative about GDD. I was looking forward to going there partly for the good trainer, breeds I was looking for (poodle or lab poodle cross) and it is located in  the same time zone as me since I live in Vancouver British Columbia Canada. If you go to their website (just google guide dogs of the desert) you should get some good information. they mostly do labs I think.

If you would like to contact me off list please feel free.

thanks
Gary
  

----- Original Message -----
From: Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 9:43 am
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dogs of the Desert?
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Justin,
> 
> I have heard of a GDD in Palm Springs, since that is where 
> Mitzi's breeder
> has donated poodles.  I have heard of poodle guide users 
> fromt here who had
> good things to say about the school.
> 
> Don't know if it is the same GDD in White Water...  Can't 
> remember where
> that is and too lazy to look it up.  I think there is 
> another school of the
> same name in another state that has a very bad reputation, but 
> I'm pretty
> sure the 2 aren't affiliated and, well, mostly I'm just confused 
> on which is
> which.  /smile/  I have heard good things from a few 
> graduates of the Palm
> Springs area school, though.
> 
> Tami Smith-Kinney
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On Behalf
> Of Justin Ekis
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 7:38 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Guide dogs of the Desert?
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> GDB is still my primary focus for getting a dog, in fact I have 
> just joined
> the GDBLounge list. However, I have just heard of a school very 
> near me
> called Guide Dogs of the Desert. It's in White Water California, 
> which is
> only about 40 miles from where I live. I'm curious if anyone on 
> this list
> has been there or knows anything about it. I've talked to two 
> people who say
> that they have a better reputation now than they used to and 
> that they have
> improved. I'm not sure what that means.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Justin
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