[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

Mon Jan 31 17:55:40 UTC 2011

Jordan,

If the only way to effectively work with a new dog is to have an instructor 
right there with you, how do you get home with the dog?  From what I 
understand the instructors don't fly home with you.  Wouldn't it be better 
to have some experience working with the dog alone in a less stressful 
setting so you have that confidence that you can work independently before 
getting on an airplane?  I know I would.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jordan Gallacher" <jgallacher1987 at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

> Peter,
> Working with a new dog is totally different from a training program like
> LCB.  When working a new dog, it is impairitive that an instructor be 
> around
> at all times to make sure nothing happens or to alert you to what the dog 
> is
> doing if you have not figured it out.  If it is your first dog, it takes
> quite a bit of getting used to, and if it is a successor dog, well you 
> might
> pick up on things faster, but feedback from an instructor is the only way 
> to
> make sure you don't miss things about your dog.
> Jordan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Peter Donahue
> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 9:59 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>
> Hello Cindy and everyone,
>
>    But there are those who want such an opportunity. Some of us don't
> respond well to too much free time. This has been an issue for me since my
> high school days. The effects of confinement in a dormitory setting are
> still with me to this day. Being able to fill the down-time with
> opportunities to travel unaccompanied is important for some. Once I was 
> able
>
> to travel unaccompanied doing so alleviated many of the issues I had with
> confinement in a dorm and saved my mother from having to take me too and
> from school on weekends.
>
>    The right to do so needs to be protected. If you don't want to travel
> unaccompanied in your spare time fine. Work to protect the rights of those
> who do. you want the truth students in training should be required to 
> travel
>
> with their dogs totally unaccompanied prior to leaving the school to
> demonstrate they can work their dog in unfamiliar settings. Otherwise they
> don't go home with the dog. ----- Our centers require students to complete
> specific travel requirements before they graduate including the execution 
> of
>
> routes in to unfamilliar locations and environments. The same expectations
> should be held for students attending guide dog programs.
>
> Peter Donahue who wouldn't be a very good prison inmate especially in
> solitary confinement.
>
>
> Message ----- 
> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 9:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>
>
> Well, at TSE you don't leave the campus outside of during the classes, but 
> I
>
> think calling that "lock down" is a bit strong. I've worked in "lock down"
> wards at the V.A. To be honest with you about this, when I am getting a 
> dog,
>
> I don't want to go a bunch of extra places, and I found that I was pretty
> darned busy and ready for time to just chill. You do really have to take 
> the
>
> dogs' needs into consideration some as well. It's not like we are there 
> all
> that long. But I know there are doubtless plenty of opinions on this as
> well.
>
>
> On Jan 30, 2011, at 9:30 PM, Jordan Gallacher wrote:
>
>> Lock down?  Not at GDB.  We were on a pretty tight schedule when I was
>> there, and there was plenty of time to do what you wanted.  Students had
>> the
>> opportunity to go into town one weekend if they wanted to.
>> Jordan
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Peter Donahue
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 9:24 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>> Hello Steven and everyone,
>>
>>    This too has been tried. Suzanne Whalen, a past NAGDU President
>> attended
>>
>> several meetings of the US Council of Guide Dog Schools and raised these
>> concerns with them. Little has changed. The schools may have less
>> custodial-sounding literature but still keep their students in training 
>> in
>> lock-down during non-class hours. The things Cindy mentioned that have
>> change are steps in the right direction but still fall far short of what 
>> I
>> expect from a quality guide dog program.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 6:50 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>>
>> I think Cindy makes a valid point though, and possibly approaching the
>> association of dog guide schools ( name escapes me right now), may be the
>> better approach.  However, the greater challenge then lies in getting the
>> schools to all agreee, so whatever it would be would have to be generic
>> enough for all to agree which is probably going to be a tough sell.
>>
>> JMO,
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Peter Donahue
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 6:46 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>> Hello Cindy and everyone,
>>
>>    This is the same stuff we've said up here time and time again. We talk
>> about wanting guide dog programs to change their ways but that's as far 
>> as
>> it goes. Mean while those of us who want to see real change take place
>> become more frustrated, impatient, and these feelings are expressed on
>> here
>> in ways they shouldn't be. Others have said that it's time for less talk
>> and
>>
>> more action. Will 2011 be the year the discussions we've had concerning
>> these issues translate in to a course of action? I certainly hope so.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 6:36 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>>
>> Well, I think the gide dog issue is in the scheme of things smaller in
>> scope
>>
>> and should be handled by way of dealing with the schools and not with the
>> Congress. Technology is larger in scope and covers a wider variety of
>> issues
>>
>> and people IMO.
>>
>>
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