[nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs

Shannon Dyer solsticesinger at gmail.com
Thu Feb 20 07:17:48 UTC 2014


I understand that everyone has their opinions and preferences. However, I feel the need to point out that all three of my dogs were under the age of two when I got them. Each was solid in his or her own way. I've never felt like I was part of an assembly line. GDF pays very close attention to the matching process. I never wondered about the maturity of any of my dogs. After all, you can have problems with a dog even once it is past two or three. It's a matter of what you're comfortable dealing with.

Shannon and the Acelet

> On Feb 20, 2014, at 12:15 AM, Raven Tolliver <ravend729 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> That's good to hear. They are doing right by their dogs and their
> graduates by hanging on till 2 years of age. Some of the schools that
> push the dogs through earlier are indulging in assembly line
> evaluation and training, in my opinion.
> 
>> On 2/19/14, Darla Rogers <djrogers0628 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Raven,
>> 
>>    GDA does not put out dogs much below two year either, so far as I
>> know because they do buck the trends and do what they feel works.
>> Darla & Huggable Huck
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 5:48 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>> 
>> Hi,
>> This kind of maturity is not a matter of how young a dog behaves, but has
>> more to do with a dog's work ethic, physical maturity and endurance, and
>> behavioral consistency. Adolescent dogs are not done growing mentally and
>> physically, and they do not demonstrate behavior consistently as older dogs
>> do. Not that certain adult dogs are not difficult or stubborn, but
>> adolescent dogs are difficult on a completely different level. They do not
>> generalize as well, and they definitely go through short periods of what
>> seems like forgetfulness.
>> Personally, I attended a guide dog program that gives out dogs ranging from
>> 2 to 3, and not any younger. I'm glad that they go against what seems to be
>> common with many US guide dog schools.
>> If I opt for a program-trained dog my next go round, I might not be so
>> picky
>> about my dog's age. With my experience in dog training, I will be far
>> better
>> able to handle a teenage dog. But as someone who had never cared for,
>> worked
>> with, or owned a dog before, I felt it was imperative to get an adult dog
>> for my first guide.
>> I've corresponded with the guide dog school of Sweden a couple times.
>> I think it's great that they only issue adult dogs. What's also nice about
>> that program is that they are a very small school, so the trainers are able
>> to keep the dogs in their homes for the duration of their training, rather
>> than putting the dogs up in kennels. The kennel environment is incredibly
>> stressful on a dog mentally and physically, and it deteriorates some of the
>> manners dogs are taught by their puppy-raisers.
>> 
>> 
>>> On 2/19/14, Sherry Gomes <sherriola at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I think the same could apply to labs. My current guide is a reissue,
>>> so she was three when we trained together. what a difference! I don't
>>> want my next guide to be 18 months old as so many are when graduating.
>>> Two years old is the youngest I'd want and I'd jump to have a reissue
>>> again. Though having said that, Bianca, who was about 2 when we
>>> trained and is 13 now is still young at heart and full of spirit and a
>> sort of happy puppy mentality.
>>> Olga,
>>> my working guide is 8 and has a very old soul. I'm sure she was always
>>> that way even when she was a baby.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tami Jarvis
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 12:01 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>>> 
>>> Ooh! Research! Poodles are said to mature later, both physically and
>>> mentally, and I did find that with mine. She really came into her own
>>> between 3 and 4. Then again, I've heard of a few people getting really
>>> young poodles that seem to work out well. Okay. Off to read. /smile/
>>> 
>>> Tami
>>> 
>>>> On 02/19/2014 10:22 AM, "Leye-Shprintse Öberg" wrote:
>>>> BS"D
>>>> 
>>>> Raven,
>>>> 
>>>> * "... I did some research and found a study on Seeing Eye dogs that
>>> concluded that goldens and GSds are more successful as guide dogs if
>>> they're formal guide training is longer than the standard 4 months.
>>> This is because these dogs mature around age 2, not 1.5 or 1.75 years,
>>> which is when many schools seem to be pushing dogs through. Here's the
>>> link to the abstract.
>>> http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1558787806000256  ..."
>>>> 
>>>> I think this is very interesting. I know that SRF:s
>>>> Ledarhundsverksamhet
>>> (Guide Dogs Sweden) took the decision that the dogs needed to be
>>> between the age of 2 and 3 years when they did the qualifying test
>>> some years ago. The dogs here generally get around seven months of
>>> training by a guide dog trainer. Anyhow, they think this has led to
>>> more stable partnerships; I've any statestics tough.
>>>> 
>>>> Kind regards,
>>>> Leye-Shprintse and Hera <3
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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/tami%40poodlemutt.
>>>> 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/sherriola%40gmail.c
>>> om
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/ravend729%40gmail.c
>>> om
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Raven
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/djrogers0628%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/ravend729%40gmail.com
> 
> 
> -- 
> Raven
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/solsticesinger%40gmail.com




More information about the NAGDU mailing list