[NAGDU] choosing a school

Wed Nov 1 16:16:37 UTC 2017

Andy, thanks for your detailed response. It really helps in comparing how 
the dogs might work, not taking into account personality of course. In 34 
years of having guide dogs, I have gone through 3 different programs. I 
change based on what taught skills I think will best suit my lifestyle at a 
given point. All the programs have been excellent, and my choice to change 
is not based on anything except examining the skills the dogs are taught and 
thinking about what I need. Thanks for sharing.

Jean and Bode

-----Original Message----- 
From: Andy Borka via NAGDU
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 7:12 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Andy Borka
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] choosing a school

Hi Jean,

I recently graduated from Seeing Eye. In fact, Alec and I came home in 
August of this year. We will attempt to answer your questions as much as 
possible.

Food rewards used or not used
During training, food rewards are usually forbidden. The dogs are taught to 
drive from your love and praises after each successful task. Only when you 
get home might a trainer recommend food rewards along with clicker training. 
This is done after arriving home because your dog will not have any concept 
of where he/she is at the time. After building their confidence with a 
route, phase out the treats, then the clicker
Skill sets –Is Find the ... taught? If so, what objects or items are the 
dogs taught to find initially?
They are taught inside/outside and doors. Aside from this, your dog is 
taught to generalize. An example is a table. If you normally sit at a table 
in a lounge, then ask your dog to find a table, he might take you to the one 
you would normally sit at, but he will take you to a table. After sitting in 
a specific spot for a few days, he will start taking you directly to that 
spot. Seeing Eye dogs are heavily patterned for your specific needs. 
Therefore, most of the patterning and generalization is done during class. 
Right now, Alec can find inside, outside, the door, home, park, the bus, the 
wall (at a specific street corner), the service desk at Walmart, the 
checkout register at Walgreens, the down ramp at certain street corners 
(offset crossings), things I drop on the ground (my keys on one occasion), 
steps (both up and down), cars I normally ride in, specific people he knows 
fairly well, and return points during a route. Most of these he learned 
during class or after getting home.
Traffic work – exposure to quiet cars
Seeing Eye has a quiet car they use during traning and traffic checks. 
During class, staff members will drive around in different types of 
vehicles. When students attempt to cross the street, they will give you and 
your dog a traffic check. A traffic check is a situation where the driver 
poses a potential danger to you or your dog. An example is pulling out 
directly in front of you during a crossing. One of these cars is a quiet 
car. Often, they request the general public give you traffic checks at 
random. I remember a time where we ended up boxed in between four cars 
during a crossing. The unfortunate complexity of this situation is the cars 
that boxed us in were still moving. Alec expertly guided me out of the 
problem and across the street. Traffic is an important topic. Roughly 4 
hours of lectures are dedicated to handling traffic.

Application process: Number of references, home video
The application process is not complicated. Go to seeingeye.org, click 
admissions, then apply, then apply online. You create a username/password. 
When you arrive at the application, you have to fill out sections related to 
contact info, vision, general health, mobility, references, class date 
preferences, etc. You have to provide three references. The cost for a dog 
is $150 paid to the school whenever you can afford to do so. When the 
initial application is approved, they send you medical forms to have your 
doctor fill out and send back. They will send a trainer out to evaluate your 
current mobility skills. Since you have a dog, I don’t know how they would 
evaluate mobility skills. In the same visit, the trainer would give you a 
juno walk. If everything is good to go, you will receive a class date. At 
that time, they would walk you through the legal paperwork and travel 
arrangements.

These questions have been answered based on my own experience, and what 
trainers have told me during class.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Jean Menzies via NAGDU
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 2:10 PM
To: NAGDU
Cc: Jean Menzies
Subject: [NAGDU] choosing a school

Hello all,

Without going into the details now, I am looking at dog retirement, and 
getting applications started for dog  number 7. Even if I end up delaying 
exceptance, the paperwork will be good for two years, and there are reasons 
to get going on it now.

My current dog is from Leader. He is wonderful, and I really like the skill 
sets that LD puts on their dogs. But in deciding if I stay or change 
schools, I want some information on the Seing Eye as well.

For anyone who has been to either school recently, or for those who have 
been to both, I would like your thoughts on the following points:

Food rewards used or not used

If food rewards are used, are they phased out or maintained

Skill sets –

Is Find the ... taught? If so, what objects or items are the dogs taught to 
find initially? E.g., empty chairs/benches, stairs up/down, pushbutton 
poles, doors, inside/outside, etc.?

Traffic work – exposure to quiet cars

Application process: Number of references, home video

I'm interested in comparing the skill sets and working styles of the dogs, 
so please, no info on meals, rooms, etc. That's not important to me. Any 
info anyone can provide on current training from the two programs would be 
appreciated.

Jean
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