[nagdu] Why I decided not to owner train.

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Sun Sep 21 14:29:50 UTC 2014


Hi Vivianna.
I tend to agree.  I'd rather get a dog who already knows the basics, and has 
shown some aptitude for the work, that I can further mold to fit my specific 
situation.
I do think, though, that one needn't have a lot of experience training dogs 
before becoming an owner trainer, though I'm sure it helps.  The first owner 
trainer I knew did not have dog-training experience when he started.  He did 
have a background in psychology and behavior, and a logical, analytical 
mind, and these skills allowed him to figure out what ought to work, and, I 
expect, to analyze what wasn't working and adapt.
Tracy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vivianna via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2014 9:19 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Why I decided not to owner train.


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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