[nagdu] Two-week program at guide dog schools

Jeanette Beal bealjk at gmail.com
Tue Mar 9 19:25:01 UTC 2010


Actually I found this:
"This training takes approximately two to three months" from this
section<http://This%20training%20takes%20approximately%20two%20to%20three%20months>of
their website (GDB).
Jeanette

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 2:22 PM, Jeanette Beal <bealjk at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Lyn -
> I believe this was discussed last year; GDB switched to a 2 or 3 week
> program with first-time handlers having the option of 2 weeks of training.
> Link to GDB site here<http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_adult_class>
> .
> I believe that 2 weeks may in fact be enough for some handlers, but the
> dogs are getting less training than before. I'm unclear as to how this works
> within California state law, I believe they're working to rectify that. I
> found this section<http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_dog_guide_phases>on the phases the dogs are being put through for training but nothing on
> their site confirming a shortening of the dog training process.
> Jeanette
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 12:35 PM, Linda Gwizdak <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>wrote:
>
>> Hi Jeanette,
>> That's nice you are helping that guy with his new dog.  Doesn't GDB still
>> offer the 28 day course?
>>
>> I went through GDA's two-week course back in 1990.  Sinse that time, I
>> heard that the California schools have to do at least 28 days.  How do the
>> schools get around this?
>>
>> My own experiences were fine with the two weeks and I did feel ready to
>> graduate. But, that's me.  Some teams aren't ready and need more time. At
>> The Seeing Eye, our class time frames are three and a half weeks for first
>> timers and two and a half weeks for "retreads" (retrainees).  If you're a
>> retread and you still need more time, the option is there for you to stay on
>> for the extra week.  I did this option when I had a dog switch after the 3rd
>> day of training.  It turned out that the dog I got had dog aggression
>> problems and I knew I couldn't use a dog with this problem. I'm around the
>> blind community and other guide dogs all the time.
>>
>> What I do is to bring medication for the full three and a half weeks in
>> case this should arise. It's a real pain when you don't have enough
>> medication and my Mom had to get more from the pharmacy and then mail it to
>> me at Seeing Eye.
>>
>> What experiences have others had with the two week program at GDB or other
>> schools?
>>
>> Lyn and Landon
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeanette Beal" <bealjk at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 5:50 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] always taking the dog was guide dogs
>>
>>
>>  Hi Linda -
>>> I'm so bad at replying to emails, even if I do read them :). Yay for
>>> finding
>>> more community members on the rainbow side of life! And yay for building
>>> community around you - that's super, intensely important. I just met a
>>> guy
>>> who seems nice who is a recent grad of the sped-up GDB program and I keep
>>> meaning to email him. Poor guy is overwhelmed with his 18 month old dog
>>> and
>>> I don't blame him.
>>> I'm hoping GDB gets over this accelerated track real soon and goes back
>>> to a
>>> longer training and longer class times option.
>>> In related news to this topic, I've taken Drum to the mall on
>>> super-crowded
>>> days and...he pees. Granted he's tried to pee on very ugly poly-chiffon
>>> or
>>> poly-blend pants (white) which I can't blame him for, but the two times
>>> this
>>> has happened it's been real embarassing and I've been cleaning pee off
>>> the
>>> floor of a store I go to regularly. Luckily the store has ugly clothes
>>> and
>>> I've stopped patroning it and the people who work there love dogs and
>>> think
>>> it's endearing (?) but either way, my temperamental beast is ...a beast.
>>> Jeanette
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:37 PM, Linda Gwizdak <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  Hey, Jeanette,
>>>> Long time no hear from! (grin!)
>>>>
>>>> Yeah, there are just some activities that having a dog with you is quite
>>>> problematic! I used to take my dog canuing - a long time ago with a very
>>>> calm yellow Lab.  She happily sat in the center of the boat.
>>>>
>>>> We do need to consider the impact of an activity on our dog's wellbeing.
>>>> Or
>>>> maybe, we just don't feel like bringing our dog. I will do this
>>>> sometimes so
>>>> my dog will be good at home alone for short periods of time.  I won't
>>>> bring
>>>> him to a bar - the rare times I go to one. It's too loud and dark and
>>>> people
>>>> wouldn't ever know he was there to avoid stepping on him.
>>>>
>>>> BTW, I've met a nice blind transwoman who lives in our county.  Been
>>>> getting her out of the house and into the blind community. She is losing
>>>> her
>>>> vision due to glaucoma and needs the support.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>>
>>>> Lyn and Landon
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeanette Beal" <bealjk at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 12:34 PM
>>>>
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] always taking the dog was guide dogs
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  I am so torn on this issue. While I got my dog for independence there
>>>> are
>>>>
>>>>> places where he's just not going to do well; roller derby, boating.
>>>>> Instead
>>>>> I leave him at home for the few hours I'll be gone. This causes some
>>>>> problems with arranging plans and sometimes AB people get frustrated
>>>>> but
>>>>> thems the breaks. I think in particular if someone is partially sighted
>>>>> (like myself) AB or sighted friends/partners forget just how important
>>>>> a
>>>>> guide dog is; they see the dog as a member of the family and of course
>>>>> "a
>>>>> working dog" whatever that ends up being interpreted as, but not as
>>>>> your
>>>>> eyes and ears on the road.
>>>>> I think I've left Drum at home a total of  4 times since I got him 2
>>>>> years
>>>>> ago and each time was more out of concern for his safety than mine.
>>>>> That's
>>>>> a
>>>>> harsh reality for me to type, but I have to take care of him too.
>>>>> And he would *die* if I ever made him go to Mardi Gras. Actually he'd
>>>>> probably pee on everything. He's a temperamental pee-er.
>>>>> Jeanette
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 2:39 PM, Linda Gwizdak <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>  Rox,
>>>>>
>>>>>> Does your dog also perform hearing dog tasks while you're out and
>>>>>> about?
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> think it is safeer for you to have your dog with you at all times.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Oh, didn't know about the doggie prade connected with Marti Gras. Wow!
>>>>>> And
>>>>>> the Super Bowl parade as well?  I saw that on the news.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Lyn and Landon
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "The Pawpower Pack" <
>>>>>> pawpower4me at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <
>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 6:30 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] always taking the dog was guide dogs
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Julie and Buddy are right; bringing, or not bringing the dog is a
>>>>>> very
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  personal choice.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am Deafblind with other "invisible" disabilities.  I always have a
>>>>>>> dog.
>>>>>>> If I can't take her some where, such as to a private home, then I
>>>>>>> don't
>>>>>>> go.
>>>>>>>  My dogs  have gone to all kinds of places and because I train my own
>>>>>>> dog it
>>>>>>> is easy for me to spend lots of time preparing for, and training my
>>>>>>> dog
>>>>>>> in,
>>>>>>> these types of environments.  I live in New Orleans and I was in the
>>>>>>> French
>>>>>>> quarter the morning of the Super bowl.  It was a zoo because it was
>>>>>>> also
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> Barkus parade-- the dog parade for Mardi Gras.  It was chaos. My dog
>>>>>>> just
>>>>>>> handled it as if it were any other day.  It is physically impossible
>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>> me
>>>>>>> to be independent without a dog or  another person by my side and
>>>>>>> since
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> like my dog better than I like most people, and since she does a
>>>>>>> better
>>>>>>> job
>>>>>>> for me than anyone else could, she always goes with me. I realize
>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>> choice puts me in the minority but it's just the way I have to do
>>>>>>> things
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> keep my independence and my sanity.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Rox
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Jeanette Beal
>>>>> MS.Ed Assistive Technology
>>>>> Independent Consultant
>>>>> Boston, MA 02115
>>>>> bealjk at gmail.com
>>>>> http://twitter.com/bealjk
>>>>> http://bealjk.tumblr.com/
>>>>>
>>>>> "Talent is an invention like phlogiston after the fact of fire" - Marge
>>>>> Piercy
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nagdu mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jeanette Beal
>>> MS.Ed Assistive Technology
>>> Independent Consultant
>>> Boston, MA 02115
>>> bealjk at gmail.com
>>> http://twitter.com/bealjk
>>> http://bealjk.tumblr.com/
>>>
>>> "Talent is an invention like phlogiston after the fact of fire" - Marge
>>> Piercy
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
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>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Jeanette Beal
> MS.Ed Assistive Technology
> Independent Consultant
> Boston, MA 02115
> bealjk at gmail.com
> http://twitter.com/bealjk
> http://bealjk.tumblr.com/
>
> "Talent is an invention like phlogiston after the fact of fire" - Marge
> Piercy
>
>
>


-- 
Jeanette Beal
MS.Ed Assistive Technology
Independent Consultant
Boston, MA 02115
bealjk at gmail.com
http://twitter.com/bealjk
http://bealjk.tumblr.com/

"Talent is an invention like phlogiston after the fact of fire" - Marge
Piercy



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