[nagdu] Guide dog schools

Thu Feb 6 09:29:27 UTC 2014

Julie, thank you for better articulating what I was trying to say. The
family atmosphere does not come from a level of helpfulness, but a
level of understanding, openness, and friendliness.
I don't think there's a correlation between the informal
professionalism of the GEB staff and the careless GEB dog users that
you have met. The staff are definitely sincere about keeping your dog
in check, and ensuring that your dog is in an appropriate posture
according to the situation. Now what people decide to do when they get
home is a different story, and can't be micromanaged. I too have met
and heard of GEB grads who are very lax with their dogs and don't
maintain their self-control. But I also have friends who live with TSE
grads who allow their dogs to get away with everything short of
murder. I don't blame the school for that, I blame the handler for not
utilizing what the school taught them.

On 2/6/14, Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Tracey,
>
> I agree with Ravin.  I have heard the same things about the Seeing
> Eye, though I would never say them myself since I have never attended
> there.  I know TSE turns out good dogs, and I have heard good things
> about the training staff.
>
> But yes, I felt like there was a family atmosphere at GEB.  On our
> time off, the trainers would come out and chat with us, work with us,
> or help to answer any questions we had.  It was clear that they were
> there to work with us and instruct us on how to use our dogs, but they
> never had an attitude of cold professionalism.  They were very
> friendly, open, and professional in an informal way.  Perhaps this
> treatment is not for everyone, but I loved it when I was there.
>
> That actually happened to me.  My dog jumped on my bed to lay next to
> me in the middle of the night, without me realizing it, and the
> trainer saw this in the morning.  I suppose my curtains weren't fully
> drawn...  I thought we were going to be in sooooo much trouble, but
> the trainer actually thought it was hysterical, and she realized I
> probably didn't realize what my dog had done.  Well, and she knew the
> dog in question...  How she got up there while on tie down, I still do
> not understand.  The point is that the trainers and staff get to know
> us as people as well as dog users, and they are very chill and
> encouraging.
>
> On 2/5/14, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>> Hi Raven.
>> I have experienced the same level of helpfulness at TSE and GDB.  I guess
>> I
>>
>> just don't call it by the same name.
>>
>> When I've been caught by a trainer doing something against the rules, he
>> or
>>
>> she has not exactly scolded me, but has pointed out why the rule is in
>> place.
>> I think that's better than ignoring the transgression.  It makes sure I
>> know
>>
>> the reason, but leaves the choice up to me.
>> Sorry, but I've met plenty of Guiding Eyes graduates who don't exercise
>> any
>>
>> discipline over their dogs at all, or so it seems to me.  I've also met
>> some
>>
>> who do, but, as usual, it's the slobs who stick out. Maybe I just run
>> into
>> more GEB users around New York, too.
>> Tracy
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Raven Tolliver" <ravend729 at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 11:23 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog schools
>>
>>
>>> Hi Tracy,
>>> As someone who attended GEB, I believe the family atmosphere that most
>>> students' experience has more to do with the level of attention and
>>> help they receive from everyone, not just their assigned instructor.
>>> The instructors, nurses, and kitchen staff were all willing to
>>> accommodate students' needs and requests. If anyone needed help, there
>>> was always someone available who could assist you or answer your
>>> questions. They treated us with the most care and compassion, you
>>> know, like family members.
>>> Also, the atmosphere during my class was very casual and laid-back.
>>> None of the staff were uptight about anything. They would eat meals
>>> with us, joke around with us, and they never talked to any of us as if
>>> we were below them.
>>> In addition, while GEB set boundaries for the dogs in dorm rooms, the
>>> instructors never jumped down anyone's throat for not sticking to
>>> those boundaries. For instance, a friend of mine allowed her dog up on
>>> her bed. An instructor visited her to talk about something and saw
>>> this, but the instructor did not scold her about it at all. Another
>>> time, my instructor walked back to my room with me to look at
>>> something. When we entered my room, my dog was freely roaming my room.
>>> Now, we had only been together for 2 weeks. He had left my cheese and
>>> crackers on the night table untouched, the food bin in the open closet
>>> untouched, and the plastic waste bin on the ground untouched. My
>>> instructor did not scold me about this at all. She only commented that
>>> I had a very good dog.
>>> So that familial atmosphere has nothing to do with the negative things
>>> you listed. It is about the way staff interact with students. Of
>>> course, we associate it with our own school because that's the
>>> experience we have to speak of. Not because our school is hovering
>>> over us like helicopter parents, or because other schools don't
>>> measure up, or because other schools are below ours.
>>>
>>> On 2/5/14, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>>>> I saw someone here with a Guiding Eyes dog trot out the old chestnut
>>>> about
>>>> how formal The Seeing Eye is.  I guess it was formal, 40 years ago, but
>>>> it
>>>> hasn't been so for quite a long time.  It's amazing how long that idea
>>>> is
>>>> sticking around.
>>>> To me, the atmosphere at TSE was like that at GDB, what I call friendly
>>>> but
>>>>
>>>> professional.
>>>> I often hear people talk about the "family atmosphere" of their school.
>>>> I'm
>>>>
>>>> never sure what that means.  Does it mean people who feel they can poke
>>>> into
>>>>
>>>> my personal business?  Does it mean people who gossip about everyone
>>>> else?
>>>> Does it mean we're us, and they're the big smelly them?
>>>> None of these things appeal to me.  I'm more comfortable with friendly
>>>> professional--we like each other, but mainly we're here to do a great
>>>> job
>>>> together.
>>>> Tracy
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Raven
>>>
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>>
>>
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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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-- 
Raven