[NAGDU] Seeing Eye

Bonnie Mosen bonnie at mosen.org
Fri Mar 15 06:29:16 UTC 2024 

I believe they stopped having roomates around 1991. When I went back in 97, we had single rooms.
It's so much better.
Do any of the schools still have roomates?
Cheers
Bonnie and Eclipse

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sherry Gomes via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, March 15, 2024 11:00 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sherry Gomes <sherry.gomes at outlook.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye

Most of my classes at GDB were with roommates. Then I had a couple home trainings, and my last time there, I went in to class, but that was when they'd converted the two person rooms to singles. Then my guiding eyes training was at home. I am an introvert, but I didn't mind having roommates and became friends with all of them, though we all lost touch over the years. The first class was in 1975, I was not quite 18 and just graduated from high school. My roommate was 25, also a first timer. I was a pretty innocent and naïve kid, but she helped me deal with some things that happened and talked to me about things I wouldn't ask my folks. I also had apprentice trainers under blindfold for ten days in two of my classes. That was when GDB still did that. they don't now due to California labor laws. I would never want a roommate now, but though I miss the excitement and energy of a class environment, I will always have home training if I continue to have dogs after Shani retires.



-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 2:01 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye

I don’t know when they actually stopped having roommates, but the first two dogs I got I had a roommate. It was a pretty interesting experience! I was glad when they quit.
Cindy Lou Ray
Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 14, 2024, at 3:57 PM, Brent Franklin via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello Jessica,
> 
> Absolutely nothing wrong with being chatty.
> 
> This I admit is the first I've heard of having roommates, whenever 
> I've been in class I've not had to share rooms with anyone.
> 
> I'm thinking if you do have roommates, that a fair amount of thought 
> would go in to just who was sharing, otherwise training could be a 
> very long time for some people...
> 
> Cheers.
> 
> Brent.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jessica 
> Sears via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, 15 March 2024 5:04 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Jessica Sears
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Wow. Love it. In 1976 were they located at the same place? Was the 
> bldg laid out the same? Did you like having roommates? I think I 
> would've loved that part but I am chatty. I also love how they just 
> seem to respect us as independent blind people also. That is the vibe 
> I atleast received. So blessed I went and Jane was my instructor.
> Jess
> 
>> On Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 11:57 AM Joy via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Jessica,
>> 
>> My first class was in 1976. I didn't meet Mr. Frank. I did meet Mr. 
>> Crocus and Mr. Debeta. Of course, I also got to know Mr. Gary 
>> Mattoon. Please forgive my spelling in the names. Mr. Mattoon trained 
>> my second dog Zenith but Lucas Franc trained Zenith and I together.
>> Lucas used to call him Atoshi.
>> 
>> Mr. Roger Taylor my first trainer with Vicki (my first Vicki) was a 
>> story teller. Since my dad was also a story teller I was right at 
>> home. He was also a practical joker. He once swopped the harness of a
>> 1 hundred pound shepherd for a 40 pound shepherd during dinner. In 
>> those days, I can't remember if we still do this, we hung our dogs'
>> harness on the back of our chair during dinner when we first started 
>> using them because they were stiff and hadn't yet gotten enough 
>> softening by the saddle soap. Anyway, the man who used the larger 
>> shepherd was a very tall man from Louisiana and he has the wonderful 
>> slow southern accent. The woman who had been matched with the smaller 
>> shepherd, and my roommate, was a smaller woman from Canada. When we 
>> got up to leave after dinner and began to put on our dogs'
>> harnesses I can still hear Joe say "something sure is wrong here 
>> because there's no way this is gonna fit on my dog."
>> 
>> In those days everyone was called by their last names. It was to 
>> maintain an atmosphere of respect.
>> 
>> Once when I was walking down the street with Vicki a man came up to 
>> me and told me that he was with the police and  wondered if I had a 
>> license to operate my dog. I sputtered for a while and then asked "do you know Mr.
>> Roger Taylor?". The man started laughing.
>> 
>> There are some things which have changed and become more modern at 
>> The Seeing Eye, but, to me, the one thing that remains the same is 
>> the emphasis on quality of breeding and training of dogs. In my 
>> experience, if you come with an attitude that you want to learn how 
>> to work with your new partner and ask lots of questions you end up 
>> with a partner who will work with you for years. There are going to 
>> be some partnerships which don't work, but I believe that it is the 
>> minority of the partnership. Of course, that isn't much comfort if 
>> you are the one experiencing the issue at the time.
>> 
>> Also, in 2005 I collapsed with a burst aneurism in my brain and was 
>> in intensive care for a month and then in rehab for another month 
>> before I came home. My husband called The Seeing Eye and got advice 
>> as to what to do to help Belle adjust to the new situation. The 
>> support was incredible.  I was not aware of anything for about a 
>> month but my husband had the support that he needed. Once I began to 
>> recover The Seeing Eye was there to support Belle and I as we began 
>> to work together again.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jessica Sears via 
>> NAGDU
>> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 6:54 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users < 
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Jessica Sears <jlsears86 at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye
>> 
>> I am so fascinated by old Seeing Eye stories we are sharing. I would 
>> love to hear more from people on how things really have changed from 
>> early 80's to now. I wonder if anyone is here that met the real Morris?
>> Jess
>> 
>> On Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 12:49 AM Suzette May via NAGDU 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Everyone,
>>> 
>>> I went to The Seeing Eye in September/October of 2022 for my guide, 
>>> a large, long, male Sable German Shepherd named Boden.  I had Lukas 
>>> Franck as my instructor and Joan Markey was our class manager.
>>> Anyone remember the high school route? Well, Lukas was quite fond of 
>>> that one and I think I did that beast about 3 or 4 times. They 
>>> haven't had that as a route for years but we did it.  I think that 
>>> thing was uphill both ways.  It sure felt like it.
>>> 
>>> As far as retirements go,  I know Lukas retired at the end of September.
>>> Lee Johnson retired earlier in 2023, I think. I was sad to hear Jeff 
>>> McMullen retired. Joan Markey started at The Seeing Eye within a few 
>>> years of Lukas so that might happen in a year or two.
>>> 
>>> Nice to see all the different schools on here.  It's interesting 
>>> hearing everyones stories.
>>> 
>>> *Suzette May*
>>> *PS139.13 at gmail.com <PS139.13 at gmail.com>*
>>> *512-564-0152*
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Wed, Mar 13, 2024 at 1:00 PM Julie A. Orozco via NAGDU < 
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for all the comments about Seeing Eye. It is great to 
>>>> know I
>>> will
>>>> have an excellent class manager who will answer questions and 
>>>> listen to concerns. I'll tell a little more of my story below in 
>>>> case more reassurances are forth coming.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I retired my second dog in the fall of 2021 shortly before my 
>>>> daughter
>>> was
>>>> born. I did not complete the application process for my third dog 
>>>> for a while after that because well, motherhood. So I haven't 
>>>> worked a dog in almost 2 and a half years, which is the longest 
>>>> I've gone without the harness in my hand since 2008. I only had to 
>>>> wait like 5 months between
>>> my
>>>> first and second dogs.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> My life has changed completely in the last several years. I am a 
>>>> mom of a toddler now, and I feel like I need a unicorn of a dog. I 
>>>> live outside of Washington DC and take the metro a lot, walk a ton, 
>>>> and definitely deal with plenty of chaos and crowds. But I need a 
>>>> dog that will be gentle and forgiving of my toddler and tolerant of 
>>>> young children in general, since
>>> it
>>>> looks like we'll be taking her to day care on a daily basis.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I am so nervous. Not only do I feel like I'm looking for a dog that 
>>>> might not exist, but I also fear a mismatch. I know everyone has 
>>>> them, but I haven't had one yet. My first two dogs were great 
>>>> matches, and my second dog in particular was an amazing worker and 
>>>> could pretty much read my mind.
>>> So,
>>>> I'm not sure I can get that level of awesome in a dog again. The 
>>>> Seeing
>>> Eye
>>>> is a new school for me, and although I've seen great dogs come out 
>>>> of there, I'm still nervous. I will be spending three weeks away 
>>>> from my family to
>>> do
>>>> this, and I want that time to count.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> There is truly nothing like working a dog though. Even with the 
>>>> rideshare denials and the airline forms, I have to do it. I have to 
>>>> try and do my best to make it work. I do plan on asking lots of 
>>>> questions when I'm there,
>>> and
>>>> I'm not shy. So hopefully that will help.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I'm so glad there are so many happy Seeing Eye graduates on this list.
>>>> Hearing about your experiences is definitely helping. So thank you, 
>>>> and thanks for reading.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Julie
>>>> 
>>>> Julie A. Orozco J.D.
>>>> 
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