[nagdu] Researching and applying to guide dog school

[David]

Amanda, all three schools required O&M training.  I took the Accelerated 
Mobility Program at Leader Dogs for the Blind (LDB) in Rochester, 
Michigan in 2013, which I thought was excellent.  I knew that my visual 
fields were dropping and my CME was acting up more frequently.  
Traveling was becoming more difficult and I knew that a guide dog was in 
my future.  I had traveled with a cane for 16 years at that point and I 
had read as many of the O&M training manuals as I could get my hands on, 
so getting topped up by professionals was a good thing.

I decided to stick with East Coast and Midwest schools, picking LDB, 
which I knew, Guide Dog Foundation (GDF) in Smithtown, NY, which I had 
visited, and The Seeing Eye (TSE) in Morristown, NJ, which I had also 
visited many years ago.  I was accepted at LDB and GDF.  Some months 
later, GDF called me on a Thursday and LDB called me on a Friday.  I 
pulled my application from TSE as soon as GDF called.  I had a very 
sleepless weekend trying to choose.  I had led AYH bicycle trips up to 
the cider mill in Rochester, Michigan in my 20s and felt very attached 
to Detroit and LDB, especially after the AMP training.  I had never 
heard anything negative about any of the three schools.  I ended up 
choosing GDF, mostly because of the shorter training period.  I felt 
that I would have gone stir crazy sitting around for 4 other handlers to 
return with my instructor from their walks.  The GDF program had two 
handlers per instructor. On the other hand, I have to say that the 
shorter training period was exhausting for this first time 75 year old, 
despite my being a pretty active guy.  I don't think we lost anything by 
the shorter training period, but it was intense.  Claire Rose and I 
bonded quickly and, I must say, permanently in the two week program.

We've been together 24/7 for 4 months now.  She works better and harder 
every day.  I'm still not sure whether I am continuing to train her, or 
she is training me.  At two years old she is still a pup and staying on 
top of her antics is a constant challenge.  She is an incredible traveler!

Sherry Gomes comments are excellent.  I have learned a lot about Claire 
Rose and her quirks from her puppy raiser.  Breed was also important to 
me as I have a negative response to the smell of German Shepherds.  
Don't get me wrong.  I know several very clean German Shepherds, but 
even with them there is something about the odor of the oil in their 
coats that I find offensive.  I wish it were otherwise as I admire them, 
their capacity for affection, their loyalty, and their skills greatly.

These comments, Amanda, are not recommendations.  They are just the 
story of my own journey.  I know folks who are very happy with their 
pups from several other schools and I don't believe that this is a 
competition, but finding a fit.  'Kind of like picking a college, or a 
longtime partner . (Which it is.)

Safe travels,

David and Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL

On 10/26/2015 6:16 PM, Amanda Cape via nagdu wrote:
> Hi David,
> Did the two schools that you were accepted to have different o and m requirements? How did you decide between them once you were accepted at both?
> Thanks,
>
> Amanda
>
>> On Oct 26, 2015, at 5:10 PM, David via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Questions that were important to me were:
>>
>> How many trainees are assigned to your primary instructor?
>> What is the length of the training?
>> What is the reputation of the school?  (You'll have to do some homework on this one.)
>> Can I talk to other handlers who have been trained at the school?
>> How are the puppy raisers chosen?
>> What training do puppy raisers receive?
>> Is there an age cut-off?  (Some schools have both upper and lower limits, but even some of those are flexible at the high end depending upon physical condition.)
>> Are visitors allowed during training?  If so, when?
>> What are the policies about leaving the school area during training?
>> Is transportation to and from the school provided?
>> Is home based follow-up available to help with any new situations?
>>
>> I applied to three schools at the same time, but cancelled one application after being accepted at both of the others so that they did not have to spend money to send someone to evaluate me at home.
>>
>> Wishing you all the best on your new journey, Amanda,
>>
>> David and Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL
>>
>>> On 10/26/2015 1:15 PM, Amanda Cape via nagdu wrote:
>>> Hello guide dog users,
>>> I am beginning to look at different guide dog schools and will be applying shortly. Is there a list of questions i should be asking them? I have some of my own but am curious as to how you decide which ones to apply to and choose. Have you applied to more than one school at a time? Thanks.
>>> Amanda