[NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?

Tue Aug 21 15:25:33 UTC 2018

Tracy,
I really love the way you have worded this, and it really is true! It is like learning to dance, and of course you will make wrong moves along the way, and occasionally step on your new dance partner's feet. Heck, I step on my dog's feet at least once a day, I'm kind of a klutz!
I learned how to do things with my left foot at GDB when I got my first guide in 2009. But, upon coming home I eventually switched to my right foot. I have better balance when I probe with my right foot. So, when I trained with my second dog in 2015, I had to re-trach myself to use my left foot. I often forgot and slipped into old habits... But, my instructors were very understanding and helpful. They didn't beat me up if I did it incorrectly. You also sit down as a class to review your lecture materials, so you can review techniques and ask questions. And if you forget how to do something along your route, you can always stop and ask your instructor. 
Personally, I think that the 2 week class is a good length for retrains. I do feel like it is a bit short for someone who is a first-timer. I don't think I would personally feel comfortable if it were my first dog, I'd feel like there would be so much more that I'd need to work on before class finishes. But, at GDB it really seems to be working well. 
Having less downtime in class is also nice. In my 2009 class there were 12 first-timers and we had one instructor for 3 students. Lots of waiting around for your turn to do your route. In 2015, we had 6 in my class. I was paired with a first-timer and she and I worked with one master instructor and an apprentice instructor. So, when we each did our separate routes, it was like having 2 instructors for one student. I felt like I learned a lot more in that class. 
Hope this helps some.
Deanna and Mambo

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2018 1:08 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?

This is my theory, and I'll stick to it until I see good evidence to change it:
For first-timers, it's about learning how to work with a dog, and bonding with a particular dog, and it takes time and practice to learn a new skill.  It's like learning to dance; you may have a great teacher, but it still takes lots of repition to do it smoothly and to set new habbits.
For retrains, class is about learning to work with a new dog, and hopefully reshaping some bad habbits.  Otherwise, they could just drop off the dog and work with you over the phone, and wouldn't that be nice.  But it takes a while to learn to dance with a new partner, too, especially an inexperienced partner.  And, in my experience, it takes a while for the dog to get comfortable and come out of its shell.  For the first week or so, it usually has on its company manners, but then it starts showing more of its whole self, and often seeing how much it can get away with.  Or it starts to see that this is for real, and can get a bit stressed and start working differently.
The upshot is, it takes time to do some things, and there's a limit to how much can be cut off that time.
Tracy

> I love the two week classes, and now that I am employed, I could not 
> see doing anything longer.  Leader's Florida class is even shorter at 
> only 10 days, and that worked well for me for a bunch of reasons one 
> of which it was short and two I know Naples like the back of my hand.
> Jordan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tara Briggs via 
> NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:19 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Tara Briggs <thflute at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?
>
>  Hey Tracy! Sorry about the dictation mistake. I listen back but I 
> donâ€™t always catch them. I accidentally sent my friend a text 
> message with the mother of all swearwords in the middle of it. For 
> some crazy reason I completely missed it. We had a good laugh about 
> it. Anyway, if there are any GDB graduates on this list, what do you 
> think about the shorter training times? How short are they? I would love to hear your thoughts.
> Tara
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Aug 17, 2018, at 12:30 PM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Tara.
>> I've done the schedule you're doing at TSE twice, and it's been fine.  
>> A couple of my classmates had dog switches, so had to stay extra with 
>> the first-timers, but that's a great thing about the way TSE runs 
>> classes--retrains get out early, unless there's a problem.
>> I do think first-timers need more time to get accustomed to working a 
>> dog, as well as getting into good habits of work and care.  I think 
>> GDB is offering everyone very short classes, and I'm not sure that's 
>> a good thing.  But then it's been a long time since I was a 
>> first-timer, and maybe it's not as hard as I remember.
>> I think, overall, it's a good thing.  Most of us have active lives, 
>> and it can be hard to get away.
>>
>> I'm very amused that your message said "guy ducks" for Guide Dogs!
>> Dictation, I guess.
>> Tracy
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tara 
>> Briggs via NAGDU
>> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:15 PM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Tara Briggs
>> Subject: [NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?
>>
>> Hi all! I recently got the wonderful news that I will be going to get 
>> my new puppy on September 24. I will be going to the seeing eye. Back 
>> in 2009, I arrived on the Saturday and we got our dogs on Monday afternoon.
>> This time, I will be arriving on Monday and we will get our dogs on 
>> Wednesday morning. This arrival on a Monday means that our training 
>> at the Seeing Eye has been shortened by two days. I gather that other 
>> kind of schools have done a similar shortening of training. I think 
>> that guy ducks the blind has shortened their training by quite a bit 
>> although I donâ€™t know this for sure. Anyway, am I accurate in 
>> saying this is a growing trend among Guide dog training schools? If 
>> so, what are anyoneâ€™s thoughts or experiences? Thanks!
>> Tara
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
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>
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