[nagdu] Owner training your own dog

[The Pawpower Pack]

Hi Jeff,
Even before I trained my first guide dog I had a love for, and a great  
interest in, dog training.  I did some agility training and course- 
work with my first program guide, was apprenticed to an obedience  
trainer, as well as rescuing and rehabilitating abused and neglected  
dogs at my local, high-kill animal shelter.

I chose to owner train for several reasons.  I feed a prey-model raw  
diet, use a modified vaccination schedule and raise my dogs using the  
concepts of Natural Rearing.  Having a dog who was raised this way was  
very important to me, so that was one of the major reasons I chose to  
owner train.  That and I had a pretty bad experience with the program  
where I obtained my first two dogs.  I know there are other programs  
out there but I was pretty gun shy by the time it became apparent that  
in a short time my second program dog would need to retire, so I  
thought I'd give it a go.

To add to this picture is the fact that I am deafblind.  There are  
only two programs, which, to my knowledge will train a person who is  
deafblind and who uses ASL (American Sign Language) to communicate as  
I do.  These programs-- Guiding Eyes and Leader Dogs both have  
ownership policies which I personally would not tolerate.  So I am  
basically on my own unless I want to attend a program where I have to  
wait for ownership.  This isn't acceptable to me.

I learned to train guide dogs by asking other people, by reading lists  
like this one, and by asking service dog handlers who are also owner  
trainers detailed question.
I also learned by just getting out there and trying.  I made a lot of  
mistakes, and I learned from them.
Like I said above, I really enjoy training so even though it is hard  
work, I really like it.  What can I say; some people's hobby is  
hiking, some enjoy rock collecting, and I really enjoy dog training.   
Even when I'm not training my dog for tasks which mitigate my  
disabilities, we're training in agility or herding or whatever.
In addition to guide-work, my dog also needs to alert to sounds,  
retrieve dropped objects, manipulate objects and bring things from  
here to there as well as assist me when walking and with balance.  The  
ear disease which causes my deafness also causes me to have severe  
balance issues as well as vertigo.
Even if I got a dog from a program I'd still need to train it to do  
all of these things in addition to the guide work.  It makes more  
sense for me to just do it all.
My current guide is a Doberman and something-something mix.  I got her  
from the pound.  I wasn't planning to; I had already made contact with  
several natural rearing breeders and was in the process of trying to  
find a dog from them.  Nothing worked out, and after a long series of  
events which I won't relate here, I ended up with Laveau my Doberman  
and I'm happy with her.  We'll have been together for 3 years this  
coming June.
I also have an eight-year-old golden named Mill'E who does all the  
inside work; e.g. sound-alerts, retrieving objects etc.  This way  
Laveau can do all the guiding and balance stuff but she can be a dog  
and do the usual dog stuff at home while Mill'E takes over and helps  
me do things like cook meals, do laundry, and work in my herb room.
It's not the "normal" way most blind people do it but in the service  
dog world, it's not uncommon for folks who have multiple and profound  
disabilities to have more than one dog working within this type of set  
up.  This kind of multi-dog situation helps to prevent the burn-out of  
a single dog.  I need a dog to assist me in doing many things that  
most people who's only disability is blindness, can manage on their own.
I don't take them both together into public unless there is an extreme  
circumstance such as hurricane evacuation which requires me to do so.
Laveau has enough hearing dog training that she can alert me to, say,  
a fire alarm if we're out in public but she lets Mill'E do all the  
"heavy lifting" at home.
This email has turned into a novel so I'll shut up and find a spot in  
bed in amongst all the dogs!
:)
Rox and the Herbal HenchHounds:
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm  
not sure about the universe."-Albert Einstein
http://www.pawpowercreations.com
pawpower4me at gmail.com
AIM: Brissysgirl