[nagdu] bigger dogs wasSchool Applications

Tami Kinney tamara.8024 at comcast.net
Thu Sep 8 19:25:33 UTC 2011


Then there are those super tiny versions you can see -- or meet -- these
days. Very good for small spaces, and also very cute. Depending on the
size of the person, many of them seem not as comparatively small as they
really are. I did once get to observe a tiny lab with a woman about my
size -- 5 ft. 5 inches, so boringly average -- and wondered about the
ins and outs of using a guide dog that doesn't come up to your knees...
I'd had my first traffic check from Mitzi not that long before, so I had
realized on the spot the advantages of having a dog that can knock you
back a couple of steps with a body block without knocking your feet out
from under you. Else I woulda ended up under the car! So, above knee
high is a must! Also, I have the klutz factor happening. A dog small
enough to be only shin high would have its own issues by being tripped
over all the time. /lol/ Mitzi, if I'm having an iffy day with the
balance and orientation, can just maneuver me without my falling over
her in the process. Maybe a more graceful guide dog user wouldn't have
to worry about that? Well, she also can body block at stairs and
landings and the like; I do know at least one person who was badly hurt
because her dog wasn't tall enough to do that successfully. So, knee
high for me! Knee to mid-thigh, really.Now that my vision has drained
away enough that I can't be sure of seeing another guide dog even in
really bright sunlight, I'm nervous about the notion of hanging out with
users of very small guide dogs in case I trip over them. /lol/ I don't
worry that much, but I am the type of person who could manage to do
that, and it would just too embarrassing to be borne! 

Hm... When the breeder told me Mitzi was likely to reach about 50 pounds
and 22 to 24 inches, I was worried such a small delicate creature
wouldn't be able to stand up to the physical demands of guide dog
work... Ha! We've come to an arrangement regarding the strength of her
pull, but when she wants to , she could drag ten blind people all over
town a poodle speed without slowing down a bit. /loll/ Her pull seems to
be different from what others describe, but that could be just that I
don't have anything else to compare to. One of the days, I'm going to
have to arrange for a test walk with a demo dog just to find
out. /smile/

Tami

On Thu, 2011-09-08 at 13:04 -0400, Buddy Brannan wrote: 
> Sam, I think your dog is right about the right size. My first dog, Karl, was about the same, 65 pounds or so, long, and about 24.5 inches tall. He curled up into small spaces very nicely. Ironically, he was much better at it than was Chet, who is a lab and about five pounds lighter. Leno's smaller yet at 55 pounds, but Leno is a longer dog, seemingly, than Chet. Chet's a stocky dog with a small head, and Leno's a longer skinny lab with a big head. Leno's gotten quite good at curling up in the front of a car, which he absolutely did not want to do for the first while I had him. Now he has no problem with it. 
> 
> As to dog size, I really like having a smaller dog. They're easy to tuck under things. Not to say I'd turn my nose up at a bigger one, but you'd be surprised at these smaller dogs if you've never had one. Speaking to the generic you, not the specific you as in Sam. :-) Leno, for instance, is very strong and has a nice, defined pull. By "defined", I mean "anything from solid pull to yank your arm out of its socket pull". Though the "yank your arm out of its socket" variety is very, very rare. 
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
> 
> 
> 
> On Sep 8, 2011, at 12:05 PM, Sam Hogle wrote:
> 
> > I know what you mean Tami. At 67 pounds, people tell me Mason is on the small side for a male golden. However, as much as he likes to spread out, I don't see how I could handle traveling with anything bigger. Also, I held the leash of my friend's guide, an 83 pound black lab, once when his hands were full, and could not see how a person could have good control of a dog that tall. I guess it's because I'm short or something. Anyway, I think my small golden is just fine. We just have to get this shedding in the summer under control, I do envy poodle owners on that one. lol
> > On 9/8/2011 11:45 AM, Tami Kinney wrote:
> >> 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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> > 
> > 
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