# Guide Dogs

Category: Animal House

## Post 1 by HonorGuardBuglerUSReserve (Account disabled) on Monday, 25-Jun-2007 17:38:02

Hi you guys! Is it possible to get a guide dog without going away to a school for a month and passing a mobility test? Thanks!

## Post 2 by tunedtochords (Zone BBS is my Life) on Monday, 25-Jun-2007 17:40:44

One school, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, based in Connecticut, does home-based training. However, as with all credible schools, you need to have good mobility skills. They are assessed through the home interview part of your application.

## Post 3 by SingerOfSongs (Heresy and apostasy is how progress is made.) on Monday, 25-Jun-2007 20:34:00

Some other schools will do home training if you have an *acceptionally* good reason, but it's pretty rare.

## Post 4 by tunedtochords (Zone BBS is my Life) on Tuesday, 26-Jun-2007 8:58:10

Really? I thought that most other schools would only do home training for retrains, or made you start out at the residential facility. Anyway, point is, it's a rare thing.:)

## Post 5 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Wednesday, 27-Jun-2007 10:48:03

Freedom Guide Dogs in Upstate New York does exclusively home training, but they cover only a limited area, have a limited training staff and a limited breeding stock and dog pool. They are very small and I have seen many disaster dogs come out of that school, so I would advise against it, if you are even in their service area. Yes, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation is another that does exclusively home training, they cover the entire United States and some if not all of Canada. Where Freedom trains a wide variety of dogs, due mainly to their large percentage of rescue and doaner dogs, Fidelco trains exclusively German Shepherds, all of which they breed them self from their own stud dogs and brood bitches. Guiding Eyes offers and excellerated ten day program, that is very intensive for re-trains only that is held on campus, but that is less limiting to one's life and work/school schedule, but a first-time dog handler would never be accepted for that. Also, GEB has a mixed reputation. I have wittnessed many horror stories coming out of that school my self. GEB also offers a shorter three week program, as opposed to the usual four week program. This is primarily for re-trains, but you just might be able to quallify for that one if, and only if you had a very pressing need. Honestly, most schools are average in quality and have rather mixed reputations, but my reccomendation would be either the Seeing Eye or Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, as they are two of the best, if not the two best schools in the US. As for not having to take a test. If your mobility skills aren't up to a test than you should not be getting a guide dog. Furthermore any school that would give a dog to a student with out them passing a set standard of mobility compitancies, or with out them even being tested is a terribly irresponsible and unacceptable school. Luckily I believe that all schools in the US do indeed have some sort of test, whether it be a home in-person interview, a recorded video tape of your mobility work or a form filled out by your O and M instructor. Most schools ask for at least two of those things. If you don't think you could pass a simple test of route planning, traffic assessment, dirrection reversal and simple cane and sighted guide travel then you shouldn't be getting a guide dog. At least not yet.

## Post 6 by wild orca (Zone BBS Addict) on Sunday, 01-Jul-2007 19:55:46

Post 5 is right. Your mobility needs to be really good. The school I went to does home training, but only in extreme cases. Really think about your decition before you get a guide. They can be a great thing, but be a nightmere and heartbreak if your not ready. Take it from someone who had to give up their first dog.