[nagdu] was Matching, now Owner Training

[Angie Giltinan]

Speaking of Owner trained dogs, is there a Mail list for people who are 
interested in persuing such topics?
Thanks
Angie and Essence, and Caleb the cat
----- 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: Friday, April 23, 2010 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] was Matching, now Owner Training


> Jewel,
> Owner trainers don't just pick dogs at random.  the process is a great 
> deal more involved and time consuming.  An owner trainer may look at a 
> hundred dogs from breeders, shelters, and rescue organizations without 
> finding a suitable dog.  If the owner trainer is lucky, they will have 
> someone who knows their needs and who knows dogs assist them in 
> temperament testing the dog.  Before said testing begins, time is  spent 
> making lists of possible breed choices, learning as much as  possible 
> about health problems and temperament issues of said breed/s.
> We don't just randomly pick dogs because they come up to us and "pick  us" 
> or because we like them or think they're cute or because we have  an 
> instant bond.
>
> The guide dog programs spend a great deal of time on matching and  owner 
> trainers spend probably just as much time, if not more, on the  same.  We 
> need to do it differently, but in order to minimize the  potential of 
> washing a dog out, most of us will spend more time during  the matching 
> process.
> Finally, I have yet to meet a "self-trained dog."  By definition, a 
> "Self-Trained Dog" would be one which had already trained itself.  I 
> assure you that none of my owner trained dogs have been able to do that.
> Goddess knows I'd love a self-trained dog.  On those rainy Sunday 
> mornings it could take itself outside and work on traffic training or 
> curb to curb turns while I lay in bed and drink coffee and eat Beignets.
> People who train their own assistance dogs are typically called owner 
> trainers and our dogs are owner trained-- being that they are being,  or 
> were trained, by the owner.
>
>
>
>
> 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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