[nagdu] Guide dog Schools

Wayne Merritt wcmerritt at gmail.com
Tue Jul 12 18:28:07 UTC 2011


At The Seeing Eye, they recommend slowly introducing the dog to being
left alone, such as leaving for a few minutes, then for an hour, then
for several hours, and so forth. They definitely don't recommend to
walk out and leave them in a strange house the first time you leave
the dog alone. As you say though, each dog/team is different. The
first time I left my current guide at my parent's house, I had
forgotten about this gradual leaving the dog home thing. I went to
dinner with a friend and was gone for several hours. The next day, I
asked my folks how my doggy did, and was told that the dog had some
anxiety about being left at home. They did say that when they put her
leash on her that she was better, but when I heard about her anxiety,
I also made a mental note not to leave her alone for several hours the
first time she was in a new place. That was operator error on my part
and not her fault. Funny, that last statement brings to mind a phrase
I had heard some time ago from a service dog trainer which can be
applied to our guides. It went something like, "If something happens
an the dog misbehaves, more than likely it's your fault."

Wayne

On 7/12/11, PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
> I don't know the duration schools say for leaving a dog shortly after coming
> home, but I left my dog for an evening to go to an Indigo Girls concert. The
> dog was fine.
> I say this because you don't want to sell yourself short of fun stuff to do,
> and because our dogs will be fine. I was gone for a night.
> Also, it was one of those things where me not going would have been more
> upsetting then staying home with my dog.
> Also, if you do have to travel, your dog will adjust. That's what they do.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie McGinnity
> Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 3:21 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog Schools
>
> Hi Brianna.
>
> I went for my first dog when I was still in high school, so I was
> thinking about the same things you seem to be now.  I went to
> GEB(Guiding Eyes for the blind).  I had a great experience.  I worked
> well with the trainers, even though I was young and worried about
> everything.  Even if you would like a shorter program, I just would
> like to remind you that all schools recommend that you don't travel
> with your dog or leave your dog alone to take a trip for the first few
> months.  Also, a lot of your first Summer with that dog will be full
> of that dog.  You and your dog will be forming a bond, which is quite
> magical, but it does take time and energy.
>
> If you have any questions about Guide dogs, dog schools, or Guiding
> Eyes, feel free to email me off list.
>
> Now I have to get my own little dog out from under a bed!  :)
>
> On 7/11/11, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Which school of those do you think you would like?
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Julie McG
>  Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
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