[nagdu] Guide Dog Schools

minh ha minh.ha927 at gmail.com
Thu Oct 31 20:49:03 UTC 2013 

Hi Shickeytha,

I want to echo what Hannah said in her email. I am working with my
first guide, Viva from Guide Dogs for the Blind on their Oregon
campus. As a college student, financial and post-graduation support
were the two most critical aspects that I was looking for in a guide
dog school. I felt like GDB provided both of these and I really liked
their positive training methods as well as the respectful way they
treat their handlers. Regarding the breed of dog, I think that
ultimately needs to be your decision. Each individual has their
preference and people are going to tell you their choice is the best.
GDB only works with labs and golden retrievers. My girl is a lab and I
couldn't have asked for a better dog; she's extremely energetic and
playful, but she's an excellent worker once the harness goes on.

Minh

On 10/31/13, Chantel Cuddemi <jawsgirl87 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Welcome to the  list!
>
> I am working my first dog from Pilot Dogs, a standard poodle named Motley!
>
> We've been a team for a year and eight months.
>
> Good luck with what school you choose!
>
> Chantel and Motley.
>
> On 10/31/13, Hannah Chadwick <sparklylicious at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hey,
>> Welcome to the list.  I'm working my second guide, Spritz.  She
>> is from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  She is a black lab; I got her
>> over the summer.
>> Since I'm a college student and having had a previous dog that
>> was very high-maintenance, I knew I would need financial
>> assistance and after support.  Those were two of the major things
>> I looked for when I applied to schools.  The training methods
>> (positive vs negative) used in schools also mattered to me.  Of
>> course which may vary on an individual and team basis, but I've
>> come to realize that food rewards go a long way.  My first dog
>> was from Pilot because I wanted a poodle, but she retired after
>> almost a year.  My training experience at Pilot was good, but I
>> wasn't as experienced so I didn't have the necessary tools to
>> manage such a high-strung dog.  Please email me off-list if you
>> have further questions.  Good luck with the application process
>> and all that.
>> Best, Hannah and Spritz
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:08:20 -0400
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Schools
>>
>> No problem.  I understand that different people have different
>> experiences and perspectives, and I think it is important to
>> consider
>> both positive and negative.  Thanks.
>>
>> On 10/31/13, Mike <blinkin4342 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>  As a Fidelco client I completely disagree with the statement
>> that Fidelco
>>  has contract issues.  The issues are definitely personal and not
>> Fidelco's
>>  fault.
>>  I have had nothing but good experiences with Fidelco over the
>> last three
>>  years and I know a lot of people who feel the same way.  There
>> are a certain
>>  handful of folks on this list who have personal issues with
>> Fidelco and tend
>>  to be much louder than the people who have good experiences.
>>  You should definitely read the contract to make sure you are
>> aware of the
>>  rules.  That is the case with any guy dog school.  Just keep an
>> open mind.
>>  Every school has good and bad things.  Every school has someone
>> who loves
>>  them and hates them.  I'd recommend that you decide what breed
>> you want, see
>>  what school meets your needs the best, and go forward from
>> there.
>>
>>
>>  Mike
>>
>>  On Oct 31, 2013, at 12:18 PM, "Larry D.  Keeler"
>> <lkeeler at comcast.net
>>  wrote:
>>
>>  First, watch out for Fidelco! They have contract issues.  Before
>> you
>>  decide, make sure you read and understand the contract.  The
>> other thing,
>>  schools when possible do give you a choice.  Now always can they
>> accomidate
>>  but usually they can.  I went to Pilot because I wanted a
>> poodle.  They
>>  breed them down there.  However, I ended up qith a labradoodle
>> wich is
>>  almost as good! As for training at school or at home, I think it
>> would be
>>  more useful to train at hom.  But, if you know your
>> neighborhood, it
>>  doesn't matter as much.
>>  ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shickeytha Chandler"
>>  <shickeytha at gmail.com
>>  To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>  Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 11:44 AM
>>  Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dog Schools
>>
>>
>>  Hello all,
>>
>>  I am new to the list.  I currently travel with a cane, but am
>> very
>>  seriously considering getting a guide dog in the near future.  I
>> am
>>  doing research on guide dog schools to see which might be best
>> for me.
>>  I am considering Fidelco, Guiding Eyes and the Seeing Eye.  Does
>> anyone
>>  on this list have either particularly positive or especially
>> negative
>>  experiences with any of these schools? If so, I would be
>> interested to
>>  hear your feedback.  Also, I noticed that Fidelco does training
>> at your
>>  residence, whereas the other schools bring you to their campuses
>> for
>>  training.  I would like to hear perspectives about the
>> disadvantages
>>  and advantages of each of these methods of training.
>>
>>  Finally, I know that various types of dogs are trained as
>> guides,
>>  ranging from labs to German Shepherds.  I would like to know if
>> schools
>>  give you a choice as to what type of dog you are paired with.
>> Also, I
>>  would be interested to hear from anyone who has worked with dogs
>> of
>>  various kinds; I'd like to know your thoughts as to whether
>> there are
>>  distinct qualities that one breed possesses that another breed
>> does
>>  not generally possess.  Of course, I am sure all dogs are
>> unique, even
>>  within a breed type.
>>
>>  I know that is a lot of questions for one email.  Thanks in
>> advance for
>>  any insight that you can provide.
>>
>>  Shickeytha
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  nagdu mailing list
>>  nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>> info for
>>  nagdu:
>>
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lkeeler%40comc
>> ast.net
>>
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  nagdu mailing list
>>  nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>> info for
>>  nagdu:
>>
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blinkin4342%40
>> gmail.com
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  nagdu mailing list
>>  nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>> info for
>>  nagdu:
>>
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/shickeytha%40g
>> mail.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>> for nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/sparklylicious
>> %40gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jawsgirl87%40gmail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/minh.ha927%40gmail.com
>


-- 
"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence

More information about the NAGDU mailing list