[nagdu] guide dog schools home training.

[Julie J]

Stepper it's good to hear from you again!  I'm glad to hear of your 
continued health improvements.

I don't have any firsthand experience with home training through a program. 
I think many of them will do home training if you have had a dog from them 
before.  Some will do home training if you've had a guide dog from anywhere 
before.

My recommendation would be to look into GDF.  I've been very impressed with 
their willingness to customize training to fit the needs of handlers with a 
variety of disabilities.  That's based on what I've heard from individuals 
on this list, other lists, in person visits with GDF graduates and program 
representatives.

Best of luck!
Julie




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stepper" <stepper12 at cableone.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 12:07 AM
Subject: [nagdu] guide dog schools home training.


> Hello to all.
> Its been a while since I have been on here, however I now have a question 
> with the following.
> About home training from a guide dog school?
> Please write to me privately if you would care to share your experiences.
> Here are some of my questions I can think of.
>
> 1. Which schools offer training?
>
> 2. Will they do home training if you have limitations?
>
> 3. How long are they on site?
>
> 4. What is the criteria for how much time you spend a day with the 
> trainer?
> 5. How many times and how long do you walk?
>
> 6. How do they match up the dog without you being there?
>
> 7. What schools if any come to your home for a home visit even if your 
> desiring home training?
>
> 8. Does one school or another have a better track record for home training 
> then another?
>
> 9. Are there schools to avoid?
>
>
> 10. Do schools care if the most part of your walking is mostly 
> neighborhoods rather than downtown and heavy traffic areas?
>
> The reason for asking, is one reason is that several of your wrote to me 
> asking that I consider home training?
>
> The second thing was when I was at GDB the trainer said something about 
> it.
>
> I had never thought about it because I after reading about two or three 
> people on here doing home training were out most of the days. I couldn't 
> do that? I could do I believe several shorter runs with the ability to 
> rest in between.
>
> It has taken this long since the first week of April when I crashed and 
> burned at GDB to start getting back my strength and ability to walk an 
> hour every other day and to exercise an hour every other day as well.
>
> But I am thinking about it more and more. I didn't think I would, but I 
> am. Also I must say I am also thinking about companionship as well.
> With my wife working during the school year in the kitchen, I am alone 
> much of the time.
>
> But the school thing just was way over the top for me. It isn't like I 
> don't know what it is like to have a guide dog.
> I have had two guides for a total of 17 years. However, its been 15 years 
> since my last dog.
> I think if I could do most of this on my own time and ability schedule I 
> could and would pull it off.
> I have one really exciting item I want to share with the list.
> Those of you that know me will understand what a big deal this was my wife 
> and myself.
> The weekend before Memorial Day weekend, we had our Treasure Valley once a 
> year bike ride. There were 489 riders I believe. There was a 10, 25, and 
> 65 mile rides.
> I was able for the first time since 1983 able to ride on the back of a 
> tandem and did a 10 mile ride, and we did it in 1 hour with the chain 
> coming off twice, and stopping for water and a small snack half way out.
> My wife took photo's and is going to frame my number I wore on my back, my 
> photo's, and hang a purple and yellow pair of bike socks with NFB written 
> on them from the frame. I am going to hang it in my room.
> I did really well, in fact the gentleman that was piloting the bike said I 
> was pushing him.
> Just thought you might like to hear about this mile stone.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> Please, I need your input.
>
> I have placed my email address at the bottom of this posting, so you can 
> just link to it. I did this because I have no clue in how to read peoples 
> email addresses in the headings, so for those of you like me, its after my 
> name at the end of this.
>
> Stepper
>
> stepper at cableone.net
>
>
>
>
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