[nagdu] Monty's graduation

[Julie J]

Thanks!  It was worth it.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sblanjones11" <sblanjones11 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Monty's graduation


> Julie,
> CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH YOU AND MONTY!
> So glad you could enjoy the scenery along the road!
> Keep up the good work!
> All the best,
> Susan & Rhoda
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J
> Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 12:45 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: gdsdtrainingonly at yahoogroups.com; bviclickertraining at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [nagdu] Monty's graduation
>
> Hello all!
>
> I wanted to write to update everyone on our progress.  As most of you know 
> I
> have owner trained Monty.  Owner training is a gamble and I had no
> guarantees of ending up with a working guide at the end of it.  it is what 
> I
> love though, and for now that is reason enough for me to owner train my
> guides.
>
> I got Monty August 14 of last year.  I have worked with him almost every 
> day
> for the past 15 months on everything he would need to know to work as a
> guide dog.   Most owner trainers, and programs for that matter, move a lot
> faster through guide dog training than I do.   That is for several 
> reasons,
> my preference to go slowly, Monty's age, his slow maturation and my new 
> job
> taking up more of my time.
>
> On October 7 he started going to work with me.  I considered this past 
> month
> to be a parallel to what most of you experience when you go to a guide
> program.  The dog is fully trained, but there is still a lot to be worked
> out.  My experience with Monty has been similar, I think.
>
> He is working out splendidly!  I really couldn't be happier with his work.
> He has settled in nicely to my work environment.  I work in the courthouse
> in the criminal justice section, so sometimes things can be a tad out of 
> the
> ordinary. *smile*  He is learningwhere the various offices are that I most
> often visit and is showing those to me reliably.  He is quiet and well
> mannered, for the most part.  He still likes to visit with people who come
> into my office but we are working on it and is most definitely not out of
> control.
>
> His outdoor work is absolutely wonderful.  this morning he saved me from a
> rather spectacular fall on the very slick brick street.  He slowed down 
> and
> pulled lightly after that and showed extra caution, but was not upset or
> flustered by my lack of gracefulness.
>
> Although I have still not totally finished up his traffic training, he 
> shows
> more traffic awareness than any other dog I have ever had.  He is very 
> aware
> of traffic and acts accordingly even though his training in this 
> department
> isn't complete.  I think when I do finally finish up his traffic training 
> it
> will be more for my peace of mind than his education.
>
> He remembers every place we have ever been and points them all out to me.
> He does this with a pause and a look back at me as if to ask, "Are we 
> going
> this way today?"  He's happy to follow whatever direction I give him. 
> He's
> also showing aptitude at reversing routs although I haven't explored the
> depth of his skill in this area.
>
> This weekend has a lot of things to celebrate.  I am going to graduate 
> Monty
> to full guide dog status.  There are a few things we still need to work 
> on,
> but he is doing all of the core behaviors a guide dog needs to be able to 
> do
> and he is doing them reliably.   This weekend is also 5 years since I got
> Belle and 4 years since I started working with her as a fully trained 
> guide
> dog.   Also to my and my vet's best guess Monty is now two years old.  So
> I'll dub the first weekend in November as his "official" birthday.
>
> It has been too long since I've had a fully trained guide at my side.  The
> past month has reminded me why the 14 before that were all worth it.   I
> know most of you will probably think that is a crazy long amount of time 
> and
> work to have no guarantee of ending up with a working guide.  that's okay,
> maybe you're right.  For me, though, it is the scenery on the road less
> traveled that brings me joy.
>
> Thanks for reading!
> Julie
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