[nagdu] dog drop-out rate

[Tracy Carcione]

When we were discussing owner-training and how hard it can be to find a
suitable dog, I started wondering what the drop-out rate is at the
schools.  I had heard, way back 30 years ago at GDB, that it was 50
percent.  But I also think that part of the reason GDB dropped its
shepherd lines was that not enough dogs were making the cut.  The
investment was not paying off.  And I would think that, with scientific
breeding that has gone on for several generations, plus considerable
experience in training dogs, that the drop-out rate would be, well, a good
bit less than 50 percent.
But I just was looking at the GDB blog.  A couple years ago, they chose a
lab litter and followed it through to adulthood, and they just had a
wrap-up.  3 are guides; 2 are assistance dogs; and 2 are "career-changed".
 So, of 7 dogs, only 3 are guide dogs.  I was a bit surprised.
Has anyone heard any recent statistics about dog drop-out rates among the
big schools?  I'm quite curious.

I'm not picking on GDB or anything; it's just the one I've heard the most
about.
Tracy