Category: Animal House
I chose Guiding Eyes for the Blind in New York. Simply because I've known the institute for well over 7 years as they came down to the blind school's summer program to do a public speaking engagement. I also took the online tour and loved what I saw in the way they train the students, dogs, raise puppies, and critera for future guide dogs. So I contacted GEB today, asked further questions and got my answers. I then contacted my counslor and mobility instructor. I couldn't get ahold of the counslor but I got the mobility instructor to agree to a reference and work on o&m while waiting for the application process to complete. I know I'm ready, I want the dog. I know that it's not just about wanting it, it also caters the responsiblities like grooming, bathing, walking, taking care of vet bills etc. I'm hoping for either a Shepard or a Lab if I get accepted which if it does my due date might be January/February of next year. The only thing that worries me about getting the dog is when I go to visit family for parties and gatherings that they'll seperate us and stick the dog out on the screened in pato. It happened to my cousin's service dog and she could've gotten into some big time trouble. So how would you handle that situation?
I don't know what issues your family has with guide/service dogs, but if they accept you, shouldn't they accept the dog? You could always boycot gatherings to make a protest if that's what it takes.
I either wouldn't take the dog to such events or I wouldn't attend them at all. I would not take the dog and then be separated from him/her. It's not good to leave your dog behind especially when you're new, but it's somewhat better as time passes and the two of you get to know each other. You should have enough control over your dog to keep it from getting into things, which may be what people are worried about. The dog pretty much lays next to you and sleeps.
agreed with Chris...I leave my dog home on certain occassions, but if i go to someone's house I never seperate myself from my dog. My dog just chills out at m7y side and remain inconspiculous. These may be things you'll want to cover with your friends and family as the time draws near. I'm sure they'll understand.
If GEB is still handling things the same they'll give you print out of rules for family and friends of guide dog users, and if your family can't abide by such rules then they can't accept you and your needs completely. I know that might sound really harsh, but these dogs are well trained, and generally well behaved; I'll admit I've heard of a few problems, but I do know GEB tries their best to avoid difficult situations with supplied dogs.
First of all, don't apply to GEB. They used to be a great school. I know, my mother got her first dog from there and she was wonderfull. She also got two other great dogs from there. Lately however their quality has been rapidly declining. I can tell you of several incidences that they have perpetrated in the past few years that would make your blood run cold. As for having your dog stuck out on a porch, you need to have some balls and a back bone and stand up to your family and friends for crying out loud. If I can have my dog on stage during my recitals at the top musical school in the country, then you shouldn't have a problem. One of the dogs which my mother recieved from GEB was an excellent worker, but after a year or so she would start refusing to work at random intervals. When my mother took the dog to the vet he said that he thought that she was having a problem with her eyes. The dog continued to have epesodes of unwillingness to work, and at times acted afraid of things that shouldn't frighten a dog who can see them properly. One day the dog sat down, planted herself in front of my mother and howeled, until a passerby came to help. The dog would only move once mom took the stranger's arm and lead her on the leash. Mom sent the dog back to GEB to have their vetrinarian look at her. He proclaimed that there was nothing wrong with the animal accept perhaps for a stubborness that could be cured with leash corrections. She took the dog back and continued to work her as she had been instructed. A month later the dog stopped in the middle of the street and cowered. She wouldn't move until she heard a car coming, then she suddenly grabbed mom's coat sleve in her mouth and ran for the opisite curb. then she found their way home feeling her way along with her paws and sniffing every land mark to find the way. Mom sent her after this to cornell university where vets told mom that her dog had a very severe eye condition, and that on the occasions that the dog refused to work she probably couldn't see a thing, not even light perception. Not only was it dangerous for GEB to send a virtually blind dog back to her blind owner to work, but it was incompitence that would allow them to not find the problem when their veterinarian examined the dog. My mother and her dog could have been killed. Also it was obvious that this dog who loved to work was deeply upset when she couldn't work, and couldn't protect herself and her master. They are supposed to practice responsible breeding and do extensive health examinations on the puppies and adult dogs in training to ketch dangerous medical conditions early. In this they failed. I will write more later. Please understand that I have no wish to get the school in trouble or draw media attention to it, as it is a long standing school, but I just want you to be aware. I would tell any of my friends the same.
I said I would write more, and so I am. You mentioned being worried about how you would pay for vet bills. Well, unless something unforeseen happens to your dog that calls for an amount that exceeds one hundred dollars, GEB will provide to you for the entire durration of the partnership of you and your dog one hundred dollars a year that should cover neccessary vet expenses, vaxinations, general check ups, and occational bouts of stomach upset, diaria, or anything else minor. They can also sell you heart worm medications and flee treatments and prevention at cost which is somewhat les expensive then purchasing it at a pet store or through your vet. It is a bit more of a hastle though, going through them as a middle man. They will also provide you with a letter advising your veterinarian of the fact that many vets choose to provide free services and treatments to guide dogs, as a gentle push in that dirrection. Most vets will not comply, and are certainly not required to, but many give discounts and a few do provide free services at the urging of the school. On to another one of the horror stories. Our close family friend has recieved several dogs from GEB as well. I believe he is on his third. When he got his most recent dog something occurred in the training schedule that prompted the school to keep the dog for a few additional weeks after the training had been compoleted. It was some sort of medical condition, I'm not sure of what nature it was. When our friend came back to the school to get his dog a staff member released the dog from the kennel to run out to greet our friend. He obliged, but the careless staff member allowed a very large and heavy gate to strike the dog, breaking it's leg. Thus the dog had to remain for a great deal longer at the school. When our friend did eventually recieve the dog it had a tick on it that was a carrier for Lime disease. It bit our friend, and he contracted lime disease, which I am sure you are aware is very dangerous. He subsiquintly developed a heart condition as a result of the illness and has never been the same. He used to run all over New York City where he lives, taking subways, walking long distances, a very independent man. Now he is in poor physical shape due to pain and his heart condition, he can no longer walk even half as fast and now also has trouble with long distances. It is down right frightening to me that the school would allow a dog with ticks out of it's kennel in the first place. They are supposed to groom, bathe and inspect the dogs frequently. They are also supposed to maintain clean kennels and administer flee and tick prevention on a regular basis. It is scary to me that a dog from GEB could be harboring a parasite carrying a potentially deadly disease. This is yet another example of a failure to adiquately inspect and care for the dogs, and another example of how such a failure has indangered the lives of GEB students. I hope you will re consider. Or at the very least, stay informed, be carefull, and keep on your toes.
I'm sorry for the unproof read state of my last poste, but my computer lost it's connection before I could finish proofing it. I just wanted to speak to one more thing. You had mentioned your interest in a German Shepard. I can tell you that as a first time guide dog user the chances that you will get a shepard at GEB are virtually non-existant. They don't breed shepards, and only recieve them as donation dogs. If you really believe that you would be better partnered with a shepard I would highly reccomend Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. They provide a highly individualized training program in your home area. this one to one instruction is wonderful, and they breed, train and provide pure breed German Shepards from an exclusive German line that are absolutely wonderful. If you are interested primarily in labs then I would reccomend The Seeing Eye For The Blind. They have a much more comprehensive training program then GEB.
I don't know if you have read any of my posts, but I figured that another story is past due. My roommate at GEB was a good guidedog handler, and her dog was a great little yellow lab. Last year she and her dog were attacked by a pitbull mix. Both sustained only minor injuries, but the dog became highly frightened of other dogs. She would cringe and snap out of fear when other dogs would approach her and her master both in and out of harness. The school and the dog's owner both determined that due to her fear of other dogs she should no longer work as a guidedog. My friend had owned this dog for over two years, thus fulfilling the requisit period of ownership that must happen before legal ownership can be transfered from the school to the owner. She had signed the appropriate contracts while in training, but the school wished to take the dog away from her. Her dog was very highly bonded to her, as well as to her sibblings, parents, and the family's yellow labrador. When seperated from muy friend she would often become very upset and anxious. She expressed her disire to keep her retired guide dog to the school. They told her that they wanted to return the dog to the puppy raisers, even though she legally owned the dog. When she refused they tricked her, they told her that they thought that they could retrain the dog to correct her fear aggression responses to other dogs. Because of that pretense she returned her dog back to GEB. When she called to find out how the so-called training was progressing, and to see when she would be getting her dog back they told her that the problem could not be corrected, (to which I say, no duhh.) and that they had sent the dog to the puppy raisers, to live. They surely lied to her, as there really is no safe and reliable way to retrain a fearful dog and return it to guide work. They knew that there would be nothing that they could do, and it is my opinion that they told her this, only to get the dog away from her. My friend then contacted the puppy raisers who were more than willing to let her visit the dog on a regular basis. When they observed that the dog was very upset and refused to eat, and acted depressed and listless with out her master present, they planned to return the dog to my friend as a Christmas present. Somehow the school found out about this, and told the puppy raisers that if they gave the dog to my friend, that the school would take it away from her, and that the puppy raisers would never see it again either. Now my friend has to visit her dog in secret. The family has told her how the dog waits at the front window for my friend to visit, hardly eats, shows no interest in playing and sleeps most of the time. This story breaks my heart. I couldn't imagine Brittany sad and feeling alone and abandoned at someone's house, and being able to do nothing about it. I don't how you would feel in that situation, but I don't imagine that you would like it very much.
LaMusiqueDuSoirTristeEtBelle, thanks for sharing your experiences and stories. Definitely food for thought.