[nagdu] Why I decided not to owner train.

[Marsha Drenth]

Vivianna, 
Are you specifically speaking to someone on this list? Although your points are good ones. I don't think any of the owner trainers on this list have sugar coded the process of owner training. We do have a lot of owner trainers on this list, but by no means, just because we are nagdu doesn't mean we won't accept questions about owner training. 
Just an observation? 

Marsha drenth  
email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com  
Sent with my IPhone  
Please note that this email communication has been sent using my iPhone. As such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to mitigate errors. Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as necessary. 

> On Sep 21, 2014, at 9:19 AM, Vivianna via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> OK, it seems to me that some folks seem to think owner training a dog to be a guide is the ting to do and, that’s great.  i’m all for it.  and, then, it seems to me that some folks are under the false impression that ownertraining a dog to be a guide is just something that anybody can pull off successfully.
> i have trained 3 of my own guides so, i speak from many years of experience.  this task is most definitely NOT for everybody.  
> you can’t just go and pick out a cute puppy, or a cool breed of young dog and expect it to be guide dog material.  you need to have flawless mobility skills, and, yes, that means using a white cane.  you need to have expert dog handling and training skills. and, you need to have the time and patience to go along with all of this.
> i want a dog that has the basics down already, i want a dog that has good house manners already.  i want a dog that knows what a harness is and how to pull into it already.  i want a dog that i can take home and mold further into the guide that i need.
> what if that cute dog or puppy that you chose is not guide material?  what will you do with the dog?  or, will you, because you now have bonded to the dog, just force it to be a sort of half-baked guide?  do you think this will be good for you or the dog?  do you think that taking a beloved family pet and sort of halfway training it so you can bring it around with you is the right thing?
> now, don’t get me wrong, the folks that i have seen post on here are not doing such a thing however, i have seen it happen.  and, not just once either.
> if a school, or, several schools, have turned down your application then, what makes you think that you have the abilities to owner train a successful guide?
> if, you never go anywhere independently, if you don’t go for walks, if you don’t have time, if you don’t know your city and neighborhood like the back of your hand, if you don’t have experience training dogs, if you don’t have the financial ability to care for a dog and take care of it’s medical bills, then do you really want to take on such a monumental challenge as owner training a dog that will be largely responsible for your safety?
> just my thoughts on the subject.
> 
> Vivianna
> 
> 
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