[nagdu] Getting a dog guide

Thu Sep 26 00:25:10 UTC 2013

Shelby,

It took approximately 8 months for them to find a match; however, this will 
vary depending on many factors. Additionally, they were able to schedule my 
training around my class schedule. My training was the last two weeks of 
winter brake, and the first week of spring semester freshman year. We should 
probably take this discussion off list, so that we don't clutter up everyone's 
inboxes. If you have further questions, you can email me directly at 
kramc11 at gmail.com

Mark

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shelby Young" <blindatbirth at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Getting a dog guide

> Mark,
> How long did it take them to match you with a dog?
> The other day I called guide dogs for the blind, and the lady told me they 
> do not do in-home training because you need to focus all your attention on 
> the dog for that two weeks. I just called a little bit ago and spoke with 
> a guy, he says under special circumstances, like a single mom who has no 
> one to leave her children with. That's my situation. He said that things 
> may have changed and that they may not come out anymore, but to call back 
> tomorrow and find out for sure. I will be doing that.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 25, 2013, at 7:04 PM, "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Shelby,
>>
>>
>>
>> I am a college student, so my training experience may be different than 
>> yours. The Instructor works with you for 15 days. Yes, you do get your 
>> dog on the first day, however, it is just spent doing paperwork, teaching 
>> you how to care for the dog, and bonding with the dog. No, there are no 
>> lectures as such that they give you before hand, however, on the first 
>> day they give you a packet of information to go over. This may have 
>> changed in the past two years since I received my dog, however, all the 
>> information was in print, not terribly accessible, so, you will either 
>> have to ask the instructor, or someone else, to read it to you, or scan 
>> it like I did.
>>
>>
>>
>> Each day, the instructor will work with you at minimum for 5 or so hours, 
>> however, I don't know if there is some sort of set formula to determent 
>> how long the two of you work together on any given day.  On the first day 
>> the instructor brings you the essentials for caring for your dog, from 
>> memory they were 2 dog boles, 30lbs of dog food, a chew toy, pick up 
>> bags, a brush, the leash and harness, and, a mat for the dog to lie on.
>>
>>
>>
>> Feel free to email me with any further questions,
>>
>>
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelby Young" 
>> <blindatbirth at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 5:38 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Getting a dog guide
>>
>>
>>> Hi Mark,
>>> How long did they come train you for? How many hours a day was it? Did 
>>> they have class lectures or materials they wanted you to read over? When 
>>> the trainer got there, did you get your dog on the first day?
>>> Thanks for answering my questions.
>>> Shelby
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Sep 25, 2013, at 4:23 PM, "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Shelby,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have a Fidelco guide dog. Others will bad mouth the school due to a 
>>>> poorly worded ownership policy, and an incident of them reclaiming a 
>>>> dog under circumstances that have never been fully explained to anyone. 
>>>> That being said, I have never had a problem with them, nor have several 
>>>> people I know who are also Fidelco clients.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Like all living things, my dog is not perfect, and has good days and 
>>>> bad. Sometimes he does things that are not ideal, however, 95% of the 
>>>> time, his work is spot on, and I have never had a significant issue 
>>>> with his work.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The schools give you all the essentials, thus making the startup cost 
>>>> essentially zero. However, you may choose to get some things such as an 
>>>> air tight dog food storage container, a tray to go under the dog boles, 
>>>> or a dog bed. All of these things are useful, but not essential.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Something to think about when considering a guide dog is cost. Some of 
>>>> the recurring costs to consider are:
>>>>
>>>> Food (monthly approximately $80)
>>>>
>>>> Vet (yearly approximately $150)
>>>>
>>>> Grooming (monthly approximately 25)
>>>>
>>>> Supplements, flee and tick preventative, ETC (annually $250 EST.)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> These recurring cost will vary depending on several external factors 
>>>> and will be different for each dog guide handler.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelby Young" 
>>>> <blindatbirth at gmail.com>
>>>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 4:48 PM
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Getting a dog guide
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hello everyone,
>>>>> I do not have a guide dog yet, but in considering getting one. I have 
>>>>> posted on the blind parents list and blind parents group on Facebook, 
>>>>> so if this is a repeat I apologize.
>>>>> Where did you get your dog from? Where would you consider getting your 
>>>>> dog from? What breed of dog do you like the best, why and why not? Do 
>>>>> you have children while using your dog? What things what I need to 
>>>>> purchase for my dog before hand, and what things do the schools 
>>>>> usually give?
>>>>> I am looking into Fidelco guide dogs foundation or leader dogs for the 
>>>>> blind. I talk to Fidelco and like that they do and community 
>>>>> placement. I have a son, almost 14 months old and don't have the 
>>>>> option to leave him for at least two weeks. I spoke with leader dogs 
>>>>> and they said they could come to my home as well. They only do that on 
>>>>> special circumstances though. Leader dogs will send me the class 
>>>>> lectures before hand so I can master them. Does anyone have any 
>>>>> thoughts on either of these schools? Please let me know the good, the 
>>>>> bad and the ugly.
>>>>> I am not completely set on getting a guy, it's just something I am 
>>>>> looking into and would like as much information as possible.
>>>>> I apologize for any typing mistakes, I'm using dictation on my phone 
>>>>> and don't have the time to go fix everything.
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Shelby
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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