[NAGDU] New GDB contract

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Sherry.
I haven't heard anything about the latest GDB contract.  What is in it
that you object to?
It must be distressing for you to find something so obnoxious you can't go
back, having been with them so long.
I was also with GDB for many years, but finally decided to switch for
several reasons, some of which were philosophical differences.
Tracy


> Even at my first class at GDB in 1975, we had lots of people with residual
> vision. This isn't anything new with GDB or any other school I suppose. I
> can't speak for any other organization, but I know GDB trains their dogs
> to
> be competent whatever the level of blindness the handler will have. The
> instructors work them under blindfold during the training, and they have
> to
> do complete routes under blindfold before they can state that the dog is
> class ready. Or that's how it was in 2014, the last time I went there. I
> don't intend to go back to GDB when Petunia retires for lots of reasons
> including physical ability for me and strong disagreement with their
> recent
> contract, a contract I would refuse to sign so wouldn't be able to
> graduate.
> But unless they've changed a lot, their dogs are definitely trained with
> instructors under blindfold. I know that sometimes they have students with
> low vision use sleep shades as well.
>
> Sherry