[nagdu] School Applications

Thu Sep 8 15:45:54 UTC 2011

Yup. So I do like hearing from Pilot grads to learn more about their
interactions with that program and the dogs they get. In the guide dog
world at large, they seem to have a mixed reputation these days. In
another 4 or 5 years? Who knows! Also, since I don't have a medical
reason for a poodle, I may not even then be able to get one through a
program, depending on supply and demand. I'm also watching Guide Dog of
the Desert out here, since I guess you can get a poodle from them just
because you want one, if you're willing for the extra wait. The people
with a medical need for one will, naturally, take precedent. Still, it's
an interesting new avenue to consider... I honestly do want to
owner-train again, but one needs to have a lot of factors in place to do
that... So I like watching options evolve. Of course, another reason I'm
interested in Pilot is because they do produce some dobie guides. They
are my strong second choice, except at grooming time when I'm mournfully
emptying my wallet to pay the groomer. /smile/ Then of course, I am
reunited with my freshly shaved and cleaned and very happy poodle and
can't imagine why I would want anything but her! /smile/

I did finally meet a young giant schnauzer, watching him follow Mitzi
around -- after she poodle slapped him into submission. He was ten
months, still not neutered, so I guess she wanted to be sure he
understood the rules. He adored her for that, which totally cracked me
and everybody else up. The owner was well informed about the breed, so I
got a lot of good information. Then I noted that the pup was leaning
against me at a little above mid-thigh and still had another growth
spurt or two in him before he was done with skeletal growth and started
to fill out.,.. Oh, that's why everybody was going on about the size of
his feet. Yikes! Well, some poodle guides get pretty big, as do some
doodle guides... I love big, big dogs, frankly, but... Where do you put
all that when you're trying to ride the bus? There's a new doodle guide
user here with a big fella, so I need to break down and ask her. I can't
figure out what to do with my 55-pounder that's really satisfactory.
She's all legs. So when the bus or train is crowded, even in the Honored
Citizen (ha
!) section, I spend my ride time feeling troubled about all the poodle
leg I have to keep up with to keep them safe, while I"m pretty sure the
poodle with all the legs wishes I would just let her relax a bit and
just stop fussing.  /lol/ Unfortunately, when she settles down safely
and starts to relax, there go the legs! And then the nose and ... I
should have got it figured out by now, I really should have, but now
when I see a good example of any breed that might be considered as a
guide dog, my fist thought is how to fit it on the bus! /lol/

And I do enjoy watching the labbies at work. Especially the yellow ones,
since they're about the only dogs I can pick up manners and behaviors
and movements of, as well as the golden eyes because of the
contrast. /smile/ It's really easy to see why they are so numerous, and
why the goldens are and the mix of the two. They always seem to be just
so ... easy. Comparatively. /smile/ A yellow lab user who was quite
taken with Mitzi, jokingly offered to trade dogs not too long ago. I
found myself thinking that one over. The lab was younger than Mitzi and
about a zillion times less busy. Sweet personality, still some 'tude out
of harness, playful. Certainly a good guide still learning not to be too
strong for the handler, but obviously by now pretty easy and they work
together in an interesting way as a team that appears to work really
well. But compared to my adored and adorable poodle guide, just totally
laid back. Would I like a taste of the quiet life, I wondered? Nah...
When I'm ready for the quiet life, then I look forward to having such a
lab or that mellow -- in my view -- lab type. But for now, I'll stick
with the wild and crazy poodle life. /smile/

Besides, the poodle would drive my friend crazy in no time. Teehee.

Tami

On Wed, 2011-09-07 at 18:38 -0400, Larry D. Keeler wrote: 
> Of course, if you want a poodle Pilot is the place sence they actually breed 
> them there instead of waiting for donations.  However, I think that the 
> doodles are donated.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tami Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 5:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] School Applications
> 
> 
> > Gary,
> >
> > Turns out there are a bunch of people with dogs from Guide Dogs of the
> > Desert here in Oregon. Not all are poodles or doodles, but they do seem
> > to have some good poodle lines these days. Still a long wait for a
> > poodle, but the handlers with GDD dogs all seem really happy with their
> > experience. And with the trainer that seems to work with many grads in
> > this area. So it's fun getting to learn more about that program, which
> > is pretty small still. Except for GDB, it seems like I have learned a
> > whole lot about the programs east of the Mississippi, because that's
> > where so many of the guide dog users I know are from. Huh.
> >
> > Anyway, I don't know what the wait for GDD is with other breeds, but
> > they still say to plan for about a year for a poodle. Apparently,
> > though, you don't *have* to have a medical need for one; however, you
> > will have to wait longer, This from the poodle and doodle users around
> > here. Anyway, that's the scoop.
> >
> > Tami
> >
> > On Wed, 2011-09-07 at 12:38 -0700, GARY STEEVES wrote:
> >> Hi Meranda applied at 3 schools. I was looking for a poodle so was 
> >> limited in which schools could help. I got my paperwork into all the 
> >> schools in August or september and got Bogart in the following may. I 
> >> also had heard back from guide dogs of the desert and would have been 
> >> accepted into a fall class with them which would have been about a year 
> >> waiting. When applying for a poodle I had prepared myself for such long 
> >> waits so was happy with how quick it was.
> >>
> >> My suggestion is to look at which schools meet the majority of the needs 
> >> you have and what you find important and apply to them. It is always 
> >> good, if possible, to talk to grads from different programs to get their 
> >> feelings on the school as long as you remember that  everyone is 
> >> different so their impressions will vary as well.
> >>
> >> Gary
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
> >> Date: Monday, September 5, 2011 2:57 pm
> >> Subject: Re: [nagdu] School Applications
> >> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> >> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> >>
> >> > Hi Miranda.
> >> >
> >> > When I was applying to schools, I applied to more than
> >> > one.  I took
> >> > the one that accepted me the quickest.  I am a student and
> >> > was at the
> >> > time I went to get a guide dog, so I needed somewhere that could place
> >> > me in the Summer.  It all depends.  I got an interview
> >> > in a month and
> >> > a half or so, and then I went to  class 2 months after
> >> > that.  I think
> >> > it usually takes longer though.
> >> >
> >> > I did call to check on my application, so I know it's not
> >> > abnormal to
> >> > call and check on things.  It is also easy if you can email
> >> > someone in
> >> > admissions to ask them the status of your home interview--if it has
> >> > been planned yet...  I don't there would be anything wrong
> >> > with this.
> >> >
> >> > Good luck!
> >> >
> >> > On 9/5/11, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > > Well, all I can say is if they don't, call again. First of
> >> > all, I suspect
> >> > > that sometimes these things go slower because of vacations and
> >> > the like.
> >> > > Sometimes they send trainers and the trainers are also
> >> > training dogs and the
> >> > > like. I think it would nbe helpful if they would let us know
> >> > some kind of
> >> > > time line.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > nagdu mailing list
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> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/kaybaycar%40gmail.com>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > -- 
> >> > 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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> >> >
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> >
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