[nagdu] a couple questions

[Cindy Ray]

I think there is good in all the schools. The training is on the baseline 
the same but there are definite differences. Some feel TSE doesn't give 
support following the training; that has not been my experience except that 
sometimes it isn't as quick to come forth because of the fact that there are 
less grads in the area I live far as I can tell. I have had my problems with 
the school and have expressed my feelings about them. I think over the years 
this will happen in almost any environment.

Each school will, I think, suit different personalities. GDB, for instance, 
invites getting to know and spending time with puppy raisers of one's dogs. 
TSE does not, so if you want that, you would not go to TSE. TSE's training 
time frame is four weeks first stay and three for each additional one. If 
you want two weeks, this might not be the program for you. I, like another 
poster, have seen Leader Dogs that didn't appear to be working out in their 
teams so well, but why is it really? I think you might be able to find that 
from almost any school. Applying to TSE was easy; I've not applied to any 
other school. Most of the schools belong to a federation of guide dog 
schools, not naming that right probably, and so much of the training has 
been standardized. I think that the bottom line will be that from the 
information you receive, both from grads and from the schools themselves, 
you will need to decide where you believe you fit the best and then go with 
it.

Cindy