[nagdu] Owner Trained Versus Guide Dog School Program in order to get a guide dog

[Tami Jarvis]

Helga,

Not a silly question at all! The difference between the owner-trained 
dog and the program-trained dog once the training is completed is that 
the owner-trained dog is likely to be more customized to the handler. A 
program-trained dog can be customized to some degree once it goes home 
with its new handler, depending on the skill of the handler and the 
wishes of the program.

The differences in the process of ending up with a working guide are 
more profound. To get a program guide, you have to fill out a bunch of 
forms and jump through some hoops, wait to hear if and when you'll get 
the dog, then go get it. More or less. Most programs will provide 
transportation to their facility, room and board, and instruction in how 
to use a guide dog and to handle your new dog in particular. Most will 
send you home with a starter kit including grooming supplies, toys, 
working gear, and even dog food. Follow up may include vet expenses, as 
well as answers to questions or further training for you or your dog if 
you need it to develop into a strong working team. You will start out 
with an adult dog, raised specifically for the job, with a good set of 
house manners, good social etiquette and task training. That's a very 
generalized overview, of course. /smile/

To owner-train, you first have to find the right dog. This can take some 
time, a lot of research, more time, more research, and often evaluating 
a number of candidates before finding the right one. You may decide to 
start with a puppy, so you have total control of its rearing, which 
means you will be busy for about 2 years (depending on how fast your dog 
learns and matures). Or you can get an older pup, which has pros and 
cons. Getting your hands on a dog that is closer to adulthood will get 
you a guide dog faster, but you have to watch out for emotional baggage.

You will need to then train the dog, which means every day, building the 
skills for the job and the manners for public access. Some phases of 
training are relatively dangerous, so you need to be aware and figure 
out how to teach the dog to be safe without getting hurt in the process. 
You will be buying your own gear, kibble, grooming equipment, paying all 
vet expenses, stuff like that. At some point, you'll need to transition 
from trainer to handler, which can be interesting. All along the way, 
you need to be able to evaluate your dog for fitness and be ready to 
wash it out if necessary. You will need to learn the laws thoroughly and 
be ready and able to self-advocate.

The reasons people choose to owner-train instead of getting a guide from 
a program vary. For myself, I can think of various and sundry items on 
my list of reasons why, but when it comes down to it, I think I do it 
because I want to. Also, I love training and the challenges and chills 
and thrills and, well, all of it. /smile/

Again, that's a quick and dirty overview, very generalized.

Tami



On 07/22/2014 07:58 PM, Helga via nagdu wrote:
> Hi all! How are you all? I just wanted to ask you, what is the difference between a owner trained and a guide dog school program in order to get a guide dog? I’m just wondring since I’m plannin to get a guide dog next year! Sorry for asking this silly question!, which I’m suppose to know! the answer for! Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks and God bless!
> Helga Schreiber
>
> Fundraiser Coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Delta Iota chapter
> Member of National Federation of the Blind and Florida Association of Blind Students
> Member of The International Networkers Team (INT)
> Independent Entrepreneur of the Company 4Life Research
>
> Phone: (561) 706-5950
> Email: helga.schreiber26 at gmail.com
> Skype: helga.schreiber26
> 4Life Website: http://helgaschreiber.my4life.com/1/default.aspx
> INT Website: http://int4life.com/
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
>
>
>
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