[nagdu] Guiding Eyes

Mon Jan 10 04:02:43 UTC 2011

  Does GEB use the blinders when teaching students with some vision.

On 1/9/2011 10:58 PM, Chasity Jackson wrote:
> I am partially sighted. You just need to learn to trust your dog and 
> not rely on your vision to second guess your dog. That's the most 
> important thing.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jordan Ortiz" 
> <ortizj32 at students.rowan.edu>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2011 9:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guiding Eyes
>
>
>>  Chasity:
>> The public transit question was in case students had to make their 
>> own way to the school for class.  Since GEB helps students get to the 
>> school the question was pointless. I was just covering everything. 
>> Thanks
>> Julie: Thank you for the info.
>>
>> Is anyone from GEB on list partially sighted?  My friend has 20/600, 
>> and wasn't sure if anyone could explain how it would work with the 
>> vision. I'm totally blind, so don't have any experience here.
>> Jordan
>>
>> On 1/9/2011 10:07 PM, Julie McGinnity wrote:
>>> Chasity pretty much covered it.  I just wanted to add a few things.  I
>>> have gotten my first dog from Guiding Eyes and plan to go nowhere else
>>> for my future dogs.
>>>
>>> About the training.  The dogs are also taught commands to go to the
>>> door, stairs, and curb.  At GEB the student and dog team are placed
>>> into many  different environments--small town, rurral setting, and big
>>> city to name a few.  One of the highlights of the class is going to
>>> New York City for a day and doing a rout there.  It's a really great
>>> experience!
>>>
>>> The follow up work is great.  The trainers are always eager to help
>>> and pretty quickly too.  The trainers I have worked with have always
>>> answered emails very quickly as well.
>>>
>>> I loved my experience at Guiding Eyes.  The class and trainers and
>>> staff become like a second family when your there.  Our class became
>>> very close, and most of us still keep in touch.  I would really
>>> recommend it.  If you or your friend wants any more info about the
>>> school, just let me know.  HTH
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/9/11, Chasity Jackson<chasityvanda at charter.net>  wrote:
>>>> Hello. See below each of your questions for my answers. I will try 
>>>> to answer
>>>> as best I can, as I have gotten both of my dogs from Guiding Eyes.
>>>>
>>>>>   Hi Everyone:
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a friend who is thinking about getting a dog guide, and she is
>>>>> considering guiding Eyes.  She has some questions, and we were 
>>>>> wondering
>>>>> if someone could give us some information.
>>>>>
>>>>> How long is the duration of a class?
>>>> 26 days for the first class...And when you go for another dog 
>>>> following your
>>>> first dog, you leave a week earlier than the first timers. So it's 
>>>> about a
>>>> week less any follow up time you go, as long as staff feel you and 
>>>> your dog
>>>> are properly trained together by that time.
>>>>
>>>>> what is their ownership policy?
>>>> After 2 years of being home with your dog, you can apply for 
>>>> Transfer of
>>>> Title.
>>>>> What are the class expenses?
>>>> You pay for your dog's essentials, such as heart worm preventative,
>>>> frontline, etc. If you want to buy grooming tools, such as toothbrush,
>>>> toothpaste, groom aid, etc. you can purchase those as well. All 
>>>> meals are
>>>> provided daily. If you want snacks from their vending machines, you 
>>>> will
>>>> need money for those. If you are out on a route with your dog and 
>>>> you happen
>>>> to be going to a store, and want to purchase something, you will 
>>>> need money
>>>> for that too. But you do not have to pay anything for your dog 
>>>> itself, and
>>>> unless there is something specific you want, you should not have daily
>>>> expenses. The phones cannot make long-distance calls, so you will 
>>>> need a
>>>> calling card or a cell phone. There is an 800 number to the school 
>>>> that your
>>>> friends and family can call. Also, they have volunteers run errands 
>>>> several
>>>> times per week. So if you need something from the store, you can put a
>>>> certain amount of money in an envelope and the volunteer will take 
>>>> your list
>>>> and your money and go shopping for you.
>>>>
>>>>> Do you pay your own way to the school?
>>>> No, all air fare is provided by the school, round trip.>
>>>>
>>>> How easy is it to get to by Public transit?
>>>> Not sure I understand this question.
>>>>
>>>>> What breeds to they use?
>>>> They mainly use labs...I have a Golden from there right now, but 
>>>> those are
>>>> rare. Shepherds are also rare. I think they might use some crosses, 
>>>> but I'm
>>>> not familiar with which ones, so I don't feel that I am in a 
>>>> position to
>>>> speak about that. You might want to call the school to inquire into 
>>>> these
>>>> questions further.
>>>>
>>>>> What commands and skills are the dogs taught?
>>>> When you do daily obedience, the dogs are taught: sit, stay, come, 
>>>> down,
>>>> etc. While working, they are taught forward, right, left, straight, 
>>>> hup up,
>>>> etc. They now teach the dogs that when you are approaching a door 
>>>> that opens
>>>> to your left, that you can say "Side," and the dog goes from your 
>>>> left side
>>>> to your right side and you can walk side by side out the door.
>>>>
>>>>> What is post class support like?
>>>> I have had great experiences with instructors being available when 
>>>> I called
>>>> the line for any questions...And if needed, follow up support is 
>>>> great too.
>>>> I highly recommend the school.
>>>>> Thanks for any help and info. We are both very formiliar with TSE, 
>>>>> and
>>>>> weren't sure about Guiding Eyes.
>>>>> Jordan, Viola, and puppy
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> 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/chasityvanda%40charter.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/kaybaycar%40gmail.com 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/chasityvanda%40charter.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/ortizj32%40students.rowan.edu 
>