[NAGDU] Seeing Eye

Fri Mar 15 14:00:37 UTC 2024

Responding to the thread about the Seeing Eye tactile maps here. 

Yes, Vanessa, that’s the instructor who’s name I can’t spell 😄
The tactile maps by the elevators are definitely new as they are plastic/resin. As a lover of tactile maps, I really enjoyed exploring them too but there was something special about running my fingers over those wooden maps, knowing how they’d been made and that literally thousands of handlers had done so over the years. 

Speaking of interesting tactile things at guide dog schools, I visited the Oregon campus of GDB in 2007 or so and they had a scale model of the campus with buildings, shrubbery and all. The roof on the kennel building lifted up to feel inside. It was a very detailed 3D map and was, aside from the one at the US Capitol, the coolest 3D map I’ve ever experienced. I wonder if they still have that map. 

> On Mar 15, 2024, at 2:29 AM, Bonnie Mosen via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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>>>>> com
>>>>> 
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>>>> om
>>>> 
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