[nagdu] German guide dog system

[Buddy Brannan]

Oh the irony. Being as how guide dogs originated in Germany, at least as we know them today, and at that time before the 2nd World War war-blinded vets with their guide dogs had similar access rights to public transport and so on, at least from what I read, that Germans “don’t get guide dogs” seems pretty ironic to me. 

Of course, when I was there about 19 years ago, I saw exactly one blind couple, but I was also not in one of the cities, like Marburg, where a lot of the blind folks apparently hang out. But then, too, it seemed to me that the general public had a somewhat different attitude towards me than what I experience here. I can’t explain it exactly though. 
> On Aug 21, 2014, at 9:28 PM, Julie McGinnity via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Lisa,
> 
> This is fascinating to know!  I was in Germany about 5 years ago, and
> I was told by a few different people that Germans just didn't get
> guide dogs.  Of course, I knew that some of them had to have guides,
> but you helped me understand why many don't.  I was a German major as
> an undergraduate, and I studied German for about 10 years, so your
> post was particularly interesting to me.
> 
> Lisa, please correct me if I am wrong, but from what I remember, the
> access laws are pretty similar to what they here.  You can have your
> dog on public transportation and in any other type of public
> establishment.  I remember though that our exchange program was with a
> gymnasium (private high school), and they would *not* allow me to be
> there with my dog.  I do want to go back to Germany someday and maybe
> even take my dog this time!  :)
> 
> On 8/21/14, Mária Orovčíková <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hello Lisa and all,
>> I live in Slovakia (Central Europe) and the guide dog training here is
>> pretty similar like in Germany in some ways.
>> Firstly, the health insurance, or better to say government organization pay
>> for guide dogs and other aids for us, blind people and people with other
>> disabilities.
>> As for training, we have two guide dog schools here in Slovakia, but we do
>> home training only which takes about two weeks. In case there are some
>> issues after training, we can always contact the trainer and ask for help.
>> The school I have my guide from organizes meetups for guide dog handlers
>> three times a year, where people waiting for their guide meet their
>> potential guide dog partners and see them during their training.
>> As for ownership, we get ful ownership once training is finished.
>> If you have some more questions, just feel free to ask.
>> With regards
>> Maria
>> Sent from iphone
>> 
>> Dňa 21.8.2014, o 5:12, debby phillips via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> napísal:
>> 
>>> Hi Lisa, thank you so much for sharing about the schools in Germany.  I'm
>>> so glad that you have been approved and that you and Taylor go into
>>> training soon.  I think working from home would be wonderful!    Debby
>>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Julie McG
> National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
> Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
> Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
> and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
> "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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