[nagdu] grave problems with pilot dogs program

[Stepper]

Hello All.
Stepper here.
I know this was very long ago, in fact 1980, I was 32, and went to Pilot for my first dog.
He was a Yellow Lab named Hart.
Come to find out he was 15 months old when I got him, I had no idea of his age nor did I think about it until my wife read his stats when I got home.
This is the dog I walked across America with in 82 and 83.
He was like driving a Studabaker truck, with no power anything, but he was just right, how many dogs could stand up to the stress of more than 2500 miles in practice and training, and 3600 walking the edges of highways clear across the U.S?
I needed a strong, bullheaded don't sweat the small stuff,  nor the anything stuff as well.
second dog came from G.D.B.
This was 87 through 99.
She was 2 years old, and was like a furry sports car with power everything.
These schools are very different.
I would say that Pilot would compare to a small business.
Everything is right there, right now.
When you step out the door your only 7 or 8 blocks from core downtown Columbus.
Because of its compactness your aware of pretty much everything and everyone all the time.
That's not bad, its just how I remembered it.
I do remember that because of its small size the students couldn't help but talk to one another.
G.D.B. California is in my mind like a large corporation.
Its really spread out, lots of square footage, including a 7 acher campus.
You have to get on there bus and ride to downtown to start working off campus.
If you want to fort up, rooms are spread out, and it can feel pretty empty after classes.
I have been to the Oregon campus also.
Its not near as large as the California campus.
Unless there is really something wrong, and the guide dog community, especially this list would know about it big time.
It would be broadcast all over this list if so.
As some have said, the schools is pretty much what you make of it I believe for whatever that's worth.
I because of long term health reasons that have been a issue for about 10 years, and failing twice at both G.D.B. campuses because of health problems, is giving me a third chance with home training as soon as they find the right dog that they must do some specialty training for my needs.
It doesn't get better then that.