[nagdu] Intro and Pondering a Second Guide

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Joe.
I just came back from TSE.  I got my now-retired dog there in 2006, though I 
don't remember enough details to say the differences.  Also, this time, my 
class was all retrains, so may have moved along differently than the mixed 
classes.  By class, I mean my group of 4 and our instructor.
There were 7 shepherds in the whole class of 21 people, so, if that's what 
you want, you've got a pretty good chance.
TSE took 2 days off the class length, and say there's less downtime.  We 
worked twice a day, morning and afternoon, and a half day on Saturday, with 
Sunday off.  We often had a lecture or more inside work in the evening.  For 
the first couple days, we all went to the downtown training center together 
and had a lecture and route.  After a couple days, they started running the 
shuttle, and we only had to be in the DTC a short time before or after our 
route.  There was none of the hanging out in the van that I remember from 
2006.

I think the amount of explaining one has to do about the dog must vary a lot 
by location.  I live in New Jersey and work in New York City, and I don't 
spend much time explaining.  Maybe people around here are used to guide 
dogs.  Maybe they're all minding their own business, and letting me mind 
mine.  Maybe I walk around like I have all the right in the world to be 
there, as I do.  I don't expect trouble, and mostly I don't get any. Or 
maybe I'm just in a rut, usually going the same places, so any explaining 
happened so long ago I've forgotten.  I still have taxi trouble 
occasionally, but usually nothing with restaurants or shops.
HTH.
Tracy