[nagdu] School Applications

Thu Sep 8 18:55:06 UTC 2011

Maybe that's why I never ran into anybody from GDD until I started
getting more connected with guide dog users around here. I think they
are a pretty new school, so still small; probably they just don't have
the resources for getting students to and from other parts of the
country more established schools do? Just a guess. Here, it seems to be
the same trainer for everybody, too, but that may just be the people I
know who know each other from working in class with that trainer? They
all talk about him like he's a friend of the family, and that goes for
some of the puppy raisers, too. So I'm picking up a lot just out of the
ether, which is kinda fun. Oddly, I know of almost know guide dog users
from the GDB Boring campus here in their backyard. A couple of trainers
have been around to chat with at some events, so that's fun. And I know
there GDB grads around, I just don't run into them enough to get to know
them. The grads from my own backyard I do know better are mostly on the
NAGDU list and live way across the country. I know there are NFB of
Oregon members with guide dogs from GDB from both campuses; I just don't
see them around. It seems strange, but there it is.

On Thu, 2011-09-08 at 12:44 -0400, Larry D. Keeler wrote: 
> Yah, but Pilot is getting more grads!  There are at least 2 of us in Ann 
> Arbor.  The other is a man with a golden.  When I looked into Guide Dogs of 
> the Desert, I got the impression they had poodles and doodles as well.  They 
> were one of the schools who couldn't fly me out there.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tami Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 11:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] School Applications
> 
> 
> > 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.
> >> >> > >
> >> >> > >
> >> >> > > _______________________________________________
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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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