[nagdu] a couple questions

Mon Dec 6 15:10:20 UTC 2010

Jordan: I am sorry for your experiences with The Seeign Eye. If I can
say so, you are one of the very few people that I've heard that has
had any complaints about them. Sure there were those that might have
complained during class about an instructor or how things were being
run, but you're one of the few graduates I've heard complain about
them. For those thinking about Seeing Eye, let me again point out that
Jordan is an individual who has had bad experiences with Seeing Eye.
Not to diminish his experiences. I have had nothing but good things to
say about the school as others have. They have been attentive, have
called me when a trainer was in my area, and have done their best to
customize my training to meet my individual needs. Even going to a
farm to let my dog see horses, when I was doing active horseback
riding. I'm told that this was a first for them, or at least going to
this particular farm was. Anyway, I may not agree with everything they
do, just as I dont' agree with everything that the NFB does, but
Seeing Eye have been doing it longer than anyone else in the U.S. and
they've gotten quite good at it over the last 80 some odd years. I
know that they're always there and that I can always call them if I
have an issue. I like the way they do business by not calling me all
the time or not constantly requesting medical updates on my dog, as
I've heard some schools do. Seeing Eye may not be perfect in
everything they do, but they treat their graduates as individuals and
adults. AS someone else said, you have to tell them about an issue
before they will come out. However, if they didn't come out right
away, then that's when self advocacy, calling the school repeatedly
until the issue is resolved, and perhaps even checking on lissts like
this come in handy.

Just my humble thoughts,
Wayne

On 12/6/10, Jordan Gallacher <jgallacher1987 at gmail.com> wrote:
> TSE never did that with me, and there are two trainers that would be able or
> have been in my area.    Also, the only thing I got out of them when I
> called them about issues was pretty much that can't be happening don't call
> us.
> Jordan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Nimer Jaber
> Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 12:07 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] a couple questions
>
> Jordan,
>
> Without starting a big debate, I just want to take the time to defend
> TSE a little bit:
> They have provided me with very timely support every time I requested
> it. I do have to call them to let them know that I'm having a problem,
> so they don't somehow guess that you might have a problem. Also, they
> make calls to graduates when they've got a trainer out in the field near
> me, just to make sure that I am doing OK and to make sure that I don't
> require anything. In fact, I think that the support grads receive was
> one of the biggest things I looked at when choosing a school and
> everyone I've talked to has ranked them very high in this area.
>
> Also, I know people are busy with their lives, and TSE seems to
> recognize this as well, which is why I think they're allowing grads who
> have been there before to complete training in a shorter period of time,
> and even complete a home training that takes place over two weeks or so.
> I felt that a day or two could have been cut out of their program, like
> the days spent walking around a path twice a day, the same path for
> three days or so at the beginning of class, although I do recognize that
> many need more time to get comfortable walking with their dogs before
> freelance begins. But TSE tries their best to individualize classes, or
> at least in the class I was in with our class leader and the instructor
> I was with especially. I got a lot of work on campuses, in large city
> environments such as New York, in shopping malls and hospitals, and even
> at the air port. I'm sorry that you did not receive the instruction you
> were hoping you would receive, and instead of giving up on the school I
> probably would've worked with them to improve their program, or at least
> give them some things that may make the program better with the
> evaluations at the end of the program.
>
> Note: I am not an employee of TSE, and my only affiliation with them is
> being a proud Seeing Eye dog handler. So I don't want anyone to think
> that by this email and any others that I am doing this because I was
> requested to do so by the school.
>
> Thanks
> Nimer J
>
> On 12/05/2010 11:53 PM, Jordan Gallacher wrote:
>> I personally would not go to The Seeing Eye.  There is virtually no
> support
>> after you leave with your dog.  I retired my first dog because of the
>> problems I was having, which became pretty serious, and I went to GDB.
> GDB
>> is a much better school than TSE.  Support is much better after leaving
> with
>> your dog, and the classes are only two or three weeks depending on which
>> campus you end up going to.  The training is not much different, but at
> GDB
>> you have more opportunity to work in areas that you are in the most.
>> Jordan
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Terra Syslo
>> Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 11:44 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nagdu] a couple questions
>>
>> Hi. I am in the process to start applying to guide dog schools, and I
> think
>> I have it narrowed down to 2 or 3 schools I'm looking at. Can anyone give
> me
>> some information as to your experiences with Leader Dogs for the Blind?
> I'm
>> also considering GDF and maybe Seeing Eye. Thanks for any info.
>>
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