[nagdu] {Spam?} First week of training

Lisa dreamymarmot93 at yahoo.de
Sat Sep 13 15:10:14 UTC 2014


Wow, you guys are quick with your replies! :-)
Thanks so much for your encouraging words everybody!
I  certainly would speak to the school about the trainer. Problem is, he 
_owns_ the school.
But I've come to the conclusion that all his negativity doesn't prevent him 
from training the dogs very well. I already noticed how Taylor never gets 
distracted when he is in harness, no matter what happens. Alot of people 
start talking to him and looking at him because he seems to look as bright 
and joyful as he is but a tiny leash correction is enough to make him focus 
on work again. And he doesn't even know me for a whole week.

Larry, the harness is one that the trainer only uses for training. He says 
in the end I'm going to get another one. I'm sorry I can't describe it at 
this point. I will do so when I have mine.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "Lisa" <dreamymarmot93 at yahoo.de>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] {Spam?} First week of training


> Lisa,
>
> Lord have mercy, that man needs to find a new career.  Perhaps something 
> where he collects taxes or works in a prison would be better suited.  I'm 
> sorry you have to endure his negativity.
>
> Taylor sounds like an awesome dog though!  I'm so relieved he is happy and 
> energetic.  I don't really think a trainer can tell you when you are 
> bonding well to a dog.  I think it's more something you feel.  The trainer 
> could certainly tell you when you've worked a particular situation well, 
> though. Knowing what you're doing right is probably more helpful than 
> being told what's wrong.
>
> Only two more weeks, then you will be free of the negativity and can get 
> on with your life!  Best of luck!
>
> Julie
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Lisa via nagdu
> Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 9:38 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] {Spam?} First week of training
>
> Hello everyone!
>
> Well, the first week of my guide dog training is over and I thought I'd 
> tell
> you a bit about it. It's a rather long e-mail. But maybe you're interested
> anyway.
>
> The beginning was incredibly rough and stressful. My boyfriend and I had
> spent the whole Monday waiting excitedly for the arrival of the trainer 
> and
> Taylor. When they came in the evening, the trainer entered the apartment
> with Taylor on leash and told him to lie down immediately. I was not 
> allowed
> to say hello to him in any way. At this point I thought well, he must have
> his reasons so I waited.
> Then, after we talked a little while, he gave me the leash and said we
> should go for a short walk so Taylor could relieve himself. We went 
> outside
> and Taylor pulled so hard on the leash, which was not surprising for me
> because at this time, we still didn't have any contact with each other. I
> expected the trainer to advise me on how I should react best and stuff but
> all he did was criticize me for everything I did without giving me any
> suggestions of alternatives. It was terrible. I was so hurt and stressed 
> out
> after this. Then the trainer set up the crate and told me I wasn't allowed
> to take Taylor out of it. He left for the night and I was so disappointed. 
> I
> really thought I couldn't make it through these three weeks of training 
> with
> this horrible guy.
> The next day, he took Taylor on leash and kind of chased me through town 
> for
> three hours. He said he wanted to see how prepared I was for the 
> graduation
> at the end of the training. I had to go with my cane and he just followed 
> me
> and criticized me for numerous things.
> At the end of this day, Tuesday that is, I finally started a serious
> conversation with him. I told him I wouldn't understand why I wasn't 
> allowed
> to touch my future dog and all the other things. I was so exhausted and
> disappointed. He made a few attempts on explaining his behaviour but 
> nothing
> was really new to me. Like "the new environment is stressful for the dog"
> and "I have to know how prepared you are for the graduation". And I kept
> thinking: "Well, guy, I thought we would work for three weeks so I'd be
> prepared for the graduation afterwards." But I didn't give in and told him
> I'd need more structured announcements from him. Like when we start 
> training
> in the morning and in the afternoon and what we are going to do -- so far 
> he
> had just shown up at our place and started whatever he wanted to.
> I was desperate.
> But Wednesday morning, everything changed. Well, not everything. Not his 
> way
> of talking to me, which I still think is with a lack of respect and
> courtesy. But he started telling me how long our training session would be
> each morning and afternoon and what we were going to do. And finally, I 
> was
> allowed to take Taylor on leash with me through the apartment. So I 
> finally
> got in touch with the dog and everything looked alot brighter then. Okay,
> this is a good moment to tell you about Taylor.
> He is so full of joy and lust for living. He behaves like a puppy in the
> apartment -- stole stuffed animals, knocked over the milk pot and started
> licking the milk from the table.... But during the short period of time 
> that
> he is with us, he has learned so many things already. In the living-room 
> he
> is very relaxed and sleeping most of the time by now. The other rooms? 
> Well,
> we are working things out. ;-)
> And the day before yesterday, I worked him for the first time. So, I 
> walked
> with a guide for the very first time in my life. And surprisingly, it 
> worked
> brilliantly. I was so sure that it would take ages for me to trust the dog
> and get used to the feeling of walking without a cane in my hand. But it
> went so well! I keep thinking there has to come a big change next week or
> so, where I suddenly feel insecure because I just can't believe it.
> And since Taylor and I are working together during the training sessions,
> the trainer is much better to endure. Even though I'm kind of scared of 
> the
> next week and the week after that, because we will have to be at the 
> central
> station and take busses all the time then. And he is just so not the kind 
> of
> person that encourages and validates you, unfortunately.
> But Taylor is so great. In harness, he works with all that joy I mentioned
> before. You just notice with any step how  much he likes to work. And I
> think we bonded very well so far. I say "I think" because the trainer 
> never
> tells me things that are positive. So I have to think of what's positive
> myself instead.
> OK, that's my update so far.
> best wishes from Germany
> Lisa
>
>
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