[nagdu] seeing eye

[Jennifer L Finley]

How do you know when it is time for you to go to get your training ?  Do 
they call you?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ginger Kutsch" <gingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 5:29 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] seeing eye


> Dear Jennifer,
>
> You are correct. If you do not request a preference, you are more
> likely to be matched with a dog sooner. Here's an excerpt from
> The Seeing Eye's alumni 2008 summer newsletter that discusses how
> the "waiting list" works:
>
> Some applicants express a strong preference for breed, gender,
> color, or other characteristics of the dog. Adding these factors
> can seriously delay your class date. Let's use the example of
> buying a new car. If you walk into the showroom and request a
> custom paint job, a six-CD stereo, special wheels and a horn that
> plays your favorite song when you honk it, it becomes a custom
> order and you're going to have to wait much longer than the
> fellow who walks in and asks for a car from the lot. The same is
> true for an applicant who wants a specific breed, gender, size,
> and/or color of dog.
>
> The first and foremost concern of The Seeing Eye's training staff
> is the match -- matching you with the best dog for your specific
> needs. We start with about 40 dogs ready for each class, roughly
> 20 males and 20 females and roughly 10 of each of our four breeds
> {Labs, goldens, lab/golden mixes, and German shepherds}. That
> means there are 40 dogs for your trainer to consider as a
> possible match for you. If you want a specific sex, that number
> drops to 20. If you want a specific breed, it drops to 10.
> Requesting both a breed and gender limits the pool to 5. As these
> additional preferences are factored in, there is less and less
> chance that good matches for you will be available in an upcoming
> class. Your application may have to be deferred to a later and
> later class simply because there isn't an available match that
> also incorporates your specific preferences.
>
> Dogs are animals, not machines, and it's up to nature, not an
> assembly line, to determine whether a dog matches a person in
> terms of temperament, speed, energy, strength, personality, and
> all the other more essential characteristics we consider during
> the matching process. Throw in a few more characteristics such as
> gender and breed, and the chances of a match become even more
> limited.
>
> So, the true answer to the "waiting list" question is "it
> depends." It's possible that someone who says, "I'll take
> whatever The Seeing Eye feels is the best match," could wait as
> little as a month. At the other extreme, someone with specific
> personal preferences might find that it takes as long as five or
> six months. Above all, ensuring the quality of the match and the
> success of the team is our utmost priority. It is our obligation
> to take the greatest care in selecting the dog that best ensures
> the safety and success of the team. Both with and without
> personal preferences for breed, sex, or other characteristics,
> you have our commitment that we will do our very best to respond
> to your need and schedule you in a class as soon as possible.
>
>
>
>
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