[nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs

Fri Feb 21 18:21:11 UTC 2014

Hi,
I know it will definitely happen to me. It sort of already has. When I
started training dogs under a veterinary behaviorist, one of my first
students was a male Siberian husky. He was so sweet, laid-back, and
loving, he just reminded me of the Golden Guy. I totally called that
husky Kipling a few times.

On 2/21/14, Chantel Cuddemi <jawsgirl87 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> At Pilot Dogs, I received Motley at the age of 17 months.
>
> He's a poodle and, depending on the poodle, they mature faster than other
> breeds, from what I was told.
>
> Chantel and Motley.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of minh ha
> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 11:35 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>
> Nicole,
>
> I don't think this is true, if it is then it must be a very rare
> occurrence. When I received Viva, she was 20 months old and the other
> dogs in my class were around that age. I know people who have attended
> class recently and their dogs were also around the 20 month mark. I
> really do think it depends on the dog and how fast they mature.
>
> Minh
>
> On 2/20/14, Nicole Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>> From what I heard, GDB is now placing dogs at 17 months. I really hope
> that
>> they change this. If they don't, then I will probably ask if they have
>> any
>> older dogs when I go for my next dog.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
>> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 7:58 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>>
>> 15 months? Whoa! That is playing with fire.
>> When I made the assembly line reference, I was referring to the way guide
>> dogs themselves are evaluated and trained at certain schools. It is more
> an
>> assembly line for the dogs than the people. The matching process at any
>> place better be as meticulous as possible. I would expect that from the
>> worst schools.
>> I guess I am very sensitive to the age issue because I deal with
> adolescent
>> and adult dogs of multiple breeds on a regular basis. I've seen firsthand
>> the difference 6 months can make.
>> I am also passionate about this issue, because I am hearing what I call
>> horror stories about these young dogs being sent home with people.
> Resource
>> guarding, mouthiness, unnecessary retrieving, horrible leash manners, and
>> flat out refusal to work some days and then eagerness to work others.
>> Schools telling people their dogs will "grow out of it." Well, I sure
>> hope
>> so! It's just too bad they couldn't wait till the dog was well-refined
>> before they handed it over.
>> I'm not sure how new or traditional this is, schools putting out dogs so
>> young, but I know that in other countries, schools don't dream of issuing
>> adolescent dogs, and other assistance dog programs don't either, and for
>> a
>> multitude of good reasons. I think the economy might have something to do
>> with this. Just maybe? The earlier you put dogs out, the less money you
>> have
>> to spend providing for them, especially when you have a large breeding
>> stock, number of litters or gdits on the docket.
>> This is not to bash any school or to undermine the relationship or
>> stability
>> of any of the little ones working out there. However, the differences in
>> age
>> are quiet noticeable, and the consensus is out.
>> Some programs and trainers choose to ignore that, and they are doing a
>> number of dogs and handlers a great disservice. Not everyone, but a great
>> number, for sure.
>>
>> On 2/20/14, Daryl Marie <crazymusician at shaw.ca> wrote:
>>> oh, Jenny is a wiggler!  My husband has nicknamed her "wiggles".  I
>>> don't mind so much if she's out of harness and old friends come and
>>> say hi.  But when she meets new people, I always remind her "manners"
>>> and it seems to calm her down. it's cute!
>>>
>>> Daryl
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Deanna Lewis <DLewis at clovernook.org>
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 07:37:09 -0700 (MST)
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>>>
>>> Pascal was 19 months old when I received him in 2009, and he was one
>>> of the youngest dogs in our class. Most of the other dogs were about 22
>> months old.
>>> He has always been very mature, and very well behaved. He didn't want
>>> to lie down on floors or get underneath tables, for the first few
>>> months. And, he seemed to mature at lot once he hit 3 years old. He
>>> has never been one of those wiggly labs, you know the ones who get so
>>> excited their whole body wiggles! LOL One of my co-workers just got a
>>> dog that is only 15 months old. She is very puppy like!
>>> Deanna and Pascal
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherry
>>> Gomes
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 5:37 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Age of Qualifying Guide Dogs
>>>
>>> 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
>>>>
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>>>> c
>>>> om
>>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Raven
>>
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>> m
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> "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
>
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-- 
Raven