[nagdu] process of getting a guide dog from leader dog

[Debby Phillips]

Rox, although mostly I agree with you, I know for me having my 
first dogs with me as I went out and about gave me a lot more 
confidence.  When we first moved here in the winter of 2013, I 
learned a lot by walking with my cane, but I had just graduated 
from the Colorado Center a few months before, and I felt more 
confident about traveling around with my cane.  Plus I didn't 
want to be in a totally new neighborhood with a new dog.  So I 
did walk around a lot.

But I remember when I moved to Portland in 1992.  I came home 
from Seeing Eye with Nat.  I did not know my neighborhood at all.  
But I walked around and got lost and got found again all with my 
third dog Nat.  It actually helped us bond, I think.  But there 
has to be a certain confidence and determination to do that.  You 
have to be very motivated to get out by yourself.  If you're not, 
then forget about getting a dog.  Work toward finding that 
motivation within you.

I know a gentleman who has a dog from GEB.  He lives here in 
Spokane.  He was at my house recently for a meeting.  My husband 
commented afterward: "I kept waiting for that dog to bite him".  
The reason was that he just kept calling the dog's name and not 
giving him a command.  I'd have wanted to yell at him, "Shut up!" 
It would be like somebody saying, Debby, Debby, Debby? Debby! The 
guy adores the dog, but I think it's more like the dog has 
trained the guy.  Does the dog bring him happiness? Yeah, I 
suppose so.  But does the dog guide him? I don't think he does 
too much.  The guy uses Paratransit or a cab.  It's not my place 
to question GEB, but I just don't exactly understand what the dog 
does for him, other than provide companionship.  He's a nice dog, 
too.  I rode in a van with him and his dog for like five hours 
once, we were all scrunched together and he refused to take the 
dog's harness off, even though the dog would have been much more 
comfortable and taken up less space.  His reasoning? "My school 
wouldn't like it".  So I haven't exactly figured out why he has 
the dog, and what he does with the dog when he isn't taking 
Paratransit somewhere.  Perhaps someone could explain GEB's 
Special Meeds program to me, then I would understand a little 
more, perhaps.    Debby