[NAGDU] time to think about which guide dog school to apply to

[Heather Bird]

Hi, Brenda. I cannot find your email address because Thunder Bird won't 
read me things in the from fields, and I wanted to send you a message 
off-list, if that is alright? Or, you can email me at 
heather.l.bird at gmail.com with off-list in the subject line.


On 5/22/2017 7:28 PM, Brenda via NAGDU wrote:
> Hi Lisa,
> I would have taken this off list, but I can't find your email address, 
> but I think this is post #3 for the day so its ok.
>
>
> wow - 3 transfers - that is worse than a nonstop.  I am near enough to 
> several airports so perhaps that number could be decreased if I went 
> that route.
>
> GDA sounds like a nice school.  I have surfed their website and might 
> just give them a call.
>
> Brenda
>
> On 5/22/2017 4:23 PM, Lisa Belville via NAGDU wrote:
>> Hi, Brenda.
>>
>> I bet that school in CA is GDA, Guide Dogs of Amaerica. I went there 
>> in June, 2015 for my third guide, my first from GDA.  I live in IL, 
>> and I actually had three flight transfers from St. Louis to L.A, and 
>> one of those was in first class, so you may not necessarily have to 
>> sit for hours on a single plane. <grin> And yes, they paid for the 
>> transportation to/from the school.
>>
>> They grant full ownership upon completion of training.  We sign the 
>> ownership contracts the day before graduation and are free to do as 
>> we wish with our dogs once that contract is signed. They're a smaller 
>> school with smaller class sizes and a very individualized approach.  
>> They're not particularly costodial as far as treatment during 
>> training and they provide excellent phone or on site follow up if you 
>> and the school feel it's warranted.  Otherwise, they're very 
>> unintrusive.
>>
>> Lisa
>>
>> Lisa Belville
>> missktlab1217 at frontier.com
>> I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and 
>> procrastinate all at once.
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brenda via NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <NAGDU at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Brenda" <bjnite at windstream.net>
>> Sent: Friday, May 19, 2017 11:36 AM
>> Subject: [NAGDU] time to think about which guide dog school to apply to
>>
>>
>>> Hello List,
>>>
>>> this week my pet dog Sadie passed over the rainbow bridge. She was 
>>> 15 years old and we had a wonderful life together. She is playing 
>>> with her cat sisters who have gone before her. I will miss her and 
>>> am still sad, but she is no longer suffering so I'm at peace.
>>>
>>> As my vision waned over the years, I became more and more interested 
>>> in getting a guide dog, but sadie who was an APL rescue didn't like 
>>> other dogs. I did get O&m training to maintain my independence and 
>>> have been using my skills and now I am ready to apply for a guide.
>>>
>>> I have been surfing the guide dog school websites and reading posts 
>>> from here and elsewhere about different guide dog schools and am now 
>>> trying to sort things out.
>>>
>>> Several schools at the top of my list do not grant full ownership. 
>>> This concerns me, but other than that I like the schools.  One 
>>> school that does grant ownership is in California.  I live in Ohio 
>>> and don't want to be on a plane for a long time.  that may be silly, 
>>> but I can't get over it.
>>>
>>> So...I would appreciate Listers input/opinions/guidance/thoughts on 
>>> my situation.
>>>
>>> the school I really like is Guiding eyes for the Blind.  They do not 
>>> grant ownership at all, but I have not heard/read anything negative 
>>> about them. I doubt they are in business to develop teams only to 
>>> take the dog away.
>>>
>>> My intent is not to debate ownership issues.  I want to learn 
>>> Listers' experiences with nonownership schools with the focus on GEB.
>>>
>>> Thanks for any input.
>>>
>>> Brenda
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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