[nagdu] guide dog schools home training.

[Wayne Merritt]

HI Stepper. Good to hear you're getting bakc up and running, or
riding, again. I've never had home training myself but I know someone
that has had it before. I know The seeing Eye offers home training.
>From the fellow graduate I know, she had the training for 2 weeks, and
from her description that was more or less straight through. She said
the trainer did give her time to do some work, but that there were
also some days when they would work for several hours in a stretch. I
don't know what Seeing Eye's policy is on who receives home training,
except that you have to have a really good reasonf for needing it,
such as if you aren't able to go up a lot of stairs at once, or if you
have other medical conditions or kiddos at home. Couldn't hurt to
contact them and learn more: 800-539-4425.

Hth,
Wayne

On 6/7/10, Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Stepper,
>
> Hey!  Nothing to add about home training, although I am always interested in
> learning more about it for possible future reference.
>
> Congrats on getting back up and going.  Glad you enjoyed the bike trip and
> were able to do it!
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Stepper
> Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 10:07 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> 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
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/tamara.8024%40comcast
> .net
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/wcmerritt%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Follow me on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/wcmerritt
My websites:
www.wayneism.com
www.whitecaneday.org