Category: Animal House
What with the recent posts on guide dogs I've started going back and forth with myself again about whether it would hurt to apply at Guiding Eyes for the Blind. I'm in sort of an interesting sitation. I don't walk as much as I should, but it occurs to me that having a guide dog might give me more incentive to walk more just to walk. At first it would probably only be out of necessity to keep the dog active but I'm sure that with time I would come to enjoy it more. As I said it would keep us in practice for when we did have to go out. And it might indirectly increase my chances of finding work since I've often heard that employers seem more open to dealing with blind folks assisted by dogs. About all that's holding me back are the financial considerations, which I could probably work out somehow even just on SSI, and the possibility I could be moving. Of course I could always push the move back again since I'm going to have to anyway owing to the need to save up for a new laptop. So I could push back the move to give the application process more time and, if successful, to then give me and my dog more time to bond. I've always heard that you should wait at least a year before making a big move after you get a guide dog. So that's what I've been debating lately, whether I should go ahead and fill out the application now wile I've got nothing going on or whether I should wait.
I think you should fill out the application and send it in so at least they have all your information when you do decide to get a dog. It might take up to six months anyway to match you up with a dog so you will have some time.
I agree. Keep thinking about it.
And at least I can do it online. And I suppose if I did move after the application was sent in I could always let them know as long as it was before the home interview. And of course we could put that part on hold until I became more familiar with my new neighborhood. It's not as though I haven't had to do that before since I filled out my aplication to GDB when I was still engaged to and living with my x fiance. Needless to say when I moved out and later got my own apartment I did have to put my application on hold. So there is that option if all else fails. Now I just have to think up three references...
I'd say fill out the app and get the process started. From all I've heard, Guiding Eyes sounds like a very good school. Good luck.
That's probably what I'll end up doing. First I want to gather up som required info I don't have at my immediate disposal like my medical insurance information (though why they need that is beyond me), and think of a few good references. I wonder though, if you have no usable sight would you just leave those fields blank? I mean the ones where it asks about central and periferal vision and whatnot. I would assume you would leave those blank if they weren't relevant to you?
I'd either leave them blank, or just write N/A for not applicable. That way at least they know you saw those fields, not just ignored them. And they probably need your insurance info for emergency purposes. Like if something happened to you on training, and you were incapacitated and it was up to someone at the school to make sure you got medical treatment, etc.
That makes sense now that I think about it. At least that's taken care of.
Yeah that is a good thing to give them your inserence info and emergency contacts. All of that came in handy when I got in a car accident while at the
LCB.
For the questions about your level of sight, I think they want numbers in those fields, so you'd put 0. If not, I'm sure there were instructions on exactly what they want. It's been half a year since I filled it out.
As to not moving for a year after you get a dog, that is just a suggestion, not a rule! Life goes on, and if your circumstances change, your dog will adjust and be just fine. By then you will have some ideas of how to make the transition a bit easier for your pup, so I wouldn't worry about it.
Both of my dogs moved house with me within the first year, and we had no problems.
Ah. Now that's definitely encouraging. As for the application, I figured that puttig 0 would be acceptable but it never hurts to make sure. Now once I call the folks I'm considering as references, one of whom is my old O&M instructor from High School, I probably will go ahead and submit the ap and get the process moving. I actually met a rep from GEB about ten years ago, though I don't know if he's still working there now. He could have retired by now for all I know. That was the first time I'd ever done Juno walking and it was a lot of fun. The rep, his nae was Del Rodman I believe, was very easygoing and a lot of fun to work with. Nowadays I've eve heard they'll sometimes bring an actual dog for you to work with during the home visit, but that could just be for residents of New York. I know they did that when my friend Marissa applied a few years ago. It'd be interesting to see how it feels to work with an actual dog instead of just an instructor with a harness. I've actually heard people describe it as being almost like flying.
Del Rodman did my home interview in 2006.
Yes, many times GEB does bring an actual dog when they do your home interview, even when you're outside of New York.
Ah, so Del could still be working there if this was 2006. I remember he was a really nice guy. I actually met him twice. The first time was at a technology conference of some kind (although that obviously wasn't the only focs since they had reps from guide dog schools there), and that was where we actually did the Juno walking. I was living in Oregon then. Then I ran into him a few weeks later I recall at the Oregon Commission for the Blind. That was funny because my O&M instructor kept slipping and calling him Dennis Rodman. Ma, tis is getting me excited agai! It's true i might discover a guide dog just isn't right for me but at least I'll have tried. And anyway I've seen how happy guide dogs can make people. It's something you don't have to be able to see to pick up on. And I want to try for that.
They do bring dogs for a GEB interview? Ah, that's something I didn't know.
I don't know if they do it all the time but I know they have. When my friend Marissa applied a few years back they did. I figured that was only because she lives about half an hour from the school but apparently they'll do it for out-of-state folks as well. That's one thing Guide Dogs so far hasn't done, at least as far as I know.
They did not bring a dog for my GEB interview. Wish they had though.
I didn't figure they'd do it all the time. I don't believe GDB ever does. And from what the lady said during my home visit they're going to phase out all breeds but the Lab. I've nothing against labs but my favorite breed is the GOlden Retriever. THey're generally a gentle breed and as an added bonus they've got nice fur, even if it is higher maintenance.
GEB has Labs, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds. You can request a Golden Retriever, but you might have to wait a bit longer for them to find a good match for you.
I know. I figure a female Golen would work well for me at least i terms of physical size so if they could fid one that matches my personality. Don't get me wrong I'll work with whatever dog they can find that seems compatible. I just hope for a GOlden. Of course a cross would be cool too. Labs and Goldens seem to make good crosses.
Yes, a golden cross is a good idea. I have one right now, but I'm going to The Seeing Eye in late August to get my second dog. The mix breeds are very healthy and I think they're one of the best. I think it's very exciting and frustrating at the same time to make the decision on getting a dog, but for me I loved animals, and wanted to know what the difference between using a cane and dog was, so I applied and got in, and I loved it and wouldn't trade it for anythig in the world. It does feel different than when you're using a cane. The cane is more tactual obviously and can tell you things if you are using it right about curves or things in the way or whatever, but the dog can tell you things to, if you listen. There's some kind of weird I don't wanna say spiritual bond, but however it is, you and your dog listen to each other somehow and it's wonderful. And walking is different to. I feel so much more free when I walk with Vernon than I do with my cane. I feel like sometimes my cane slows me down because I have to think, and I have to think when I use the dog, but there's eyes leading me, not myself lol. I do agree with the earlier post about moving around a lot. The dog has complete trust in you when you get home, so it's good to introduce them to your neighborhood and get all that settled with, but it's ok to move if you do move. The dog is always ok with learning and keeping you safe and walking with you. But if you're seriously thinking of giving a guide dog a shot, which it sounds like you are, I wish you the best of luck. I would applied to more than one school though, just in case GEB doesn't except you. I'm not saying they won't, but it's good to applied to GDB and Seeing eye too, since those are the top 3 schools in the country, but it's up to you as a person to make those decisions. But I do wish you all the best with luck and if you need any advice on guide dog handling or anything you can leave me a private message, or I'll check back on this board sometime soon.
The two schools I've got in mind are GEB and GDF (Guide Dog Foundation). After my experience with GDB I don't think I'd go with them. I also really can't afford the fee the Seeing Eye charges for the dog. 150 bucks is 150 bucks. That and to be quite honest I don't know if I'd go with them after the way they treated a friend of mine a few years back. There are a few other practices they have that I don't agree with as well. But as you said it all comes down to personal preference. This just happens to be mine.
HI Bryan,
I would like to reccomend Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Raffial CA/Borring Oragon. I am really impressed with their program thus far. I will be going for training for my first dog from their school in Oragon in Early June. They have two campuses. The first is in San Rafial CA just outside of San Fransisco, and the second campus is just outside Portland Oragon in the small town Borring Oragon. The California campus is a large city, where as the Oragon campus is a small town and smaller class size.
Here are some of the things that drew me to GDBF while I was researching several schools. They are as follows:
All of the costs for travel, class attendance, room and board, training feas and the cost of the dog are covered and are no expense to the students.
They do not start the formal guide dog training until they are a year and a half old.
There are several reps from the school that are placed across the country to assist graduates that are in need.
And there are many more.
I hope this helps.
Blessings,
Angela
I actually applied at GDB but was deferred last year. I mention this in a few other topics on here. But the representative counted somethings against me that were hardly within my ability to control. We had almost 40-mile-an-hour winds on the day of my home interview and it's apparently against the law to stumble when you've got such strong winds at your back because that apparently scares the dogs. She also told me, though not in so many words, that I live in too dangerous of an area for a guide dog because there are large stretches without sidewalks. The only thing she told me that made any sense was that I wasn't as familiar with my neighborhood as I could be. Of course that just shows how inconsistent they are when it comes to their admissions. A few years before they admitted an acquaintance of mine whose O&M skills were far worse than mine. This girl refused to use her cane most days and generally had no idea where she was going. So the fact that GDB would admit her and not me sort of soured my opinion of them. I don't think I would go with GDB knowing all this. But again it's all down to personal preference.
No, the representative from GDB does not bring a dog with them during the home interview, just the harness.
Yeah. The only school I know of that does this, although I could be wrong, is Guiding Eyes.
GDB has done walks using a real dog though I am not sure how common it is. I know I just recently read about a field rep who has what they call an embassador dog. The dog wasn't able to finish training, either beause of thin pads or some others issue and the field rep adopted the dog. The dog still had excellent guide work though and she uses him to introduce ppl to what working with a guide is like. And I know that GDB has seminars now talking about the guide dog lifestyle so that a person can make an informed choice and at those they definitely have dogs.
As for which breeds GDB uses, it is true they they no longer have shepards but goldens are still a part of the program as are crosses. Though there is more of a wait for them.
In general though, you have to make what you feel will be the best decision for you. Which school appeals to you more and which will meet your needs. I wish you the best of luck and hope to hear soon that you have a furry companion at your side.
Well I do have a furry companion at my side, just not one I'd feel comfortable trusting my life to. I actually met a girl on here who basically told me I ought to forget the guide dog ad get either one of those miniature horses or wait until they've started training cats. Apparently dogs stink too much. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't trust my cat with my life even if he were big enough to wear the harness. And if he was I'd probably run away screaming.
get a guide horse! hwhwhwhwhwhihinny heheh
lol a guide cat I can see it now. smiles lets stop in the middle of the street so I can sun bathe. lol What a dog? lets climb that tree over there. As for guide miniature horses, I love horses and am not against miniature ones for guide work but they just wouldn't work for me in my environment. But then not everyone likes dogs though I can't imagine it. lol And yes, I should have clarified a guide furry companion. smiles
I can just imagine my cat trying to guide me. LOL
Well, speaking from a trainie, let me tell those of you who are reading this, and are considering a guide dog. It's hard the first twenty-four hours or so that you have your dog especially if it's your first one. Whatever anyone has told you, I promise, it's even different from what you think. The dog is not magic, and the key is to stay calm and let the dog know you are boss. I just got my dog on Wednesday, and things are working very well, but at first, things were tough and frustrating. I didn't know how to control her, and she didn't know how to respond to me. It was crazy, but just pushing foward.By the way, my girl is a lab/golden retriever cross named Whitney, and she's really sweet. I went with the guide dog foundation, and so far, I love the experiences I've had with this dog.I encourage everyone who is considering getting a dog to really think about it very very carefully. This is not something that a person does because it's cool, or because a person loves dogs. These are not pets. Yes, you do have to love dogs, but what you have to realize is that you are responsible in keeping up their training. Not only that, you have to clean them, feed them, clean up after them, Etc.
Exactly. And that's one thing a blind acquaintance of mine here in Twin Falls apparently failed to consider even though the schools don't exactly make a secret of it. But Marie went on and on about how she wanted a guide dog, but then she got accepted to GDB and they paired her up with a black Lab, Donetia I believe her name was. Well Marie didn't last two weeks because in her words she "didn't want to be a babysitter to this dog."
I actually knew what you meant Pebbles. My comment was made in the spirit of fun. As for schools, I forgot to mention Leaderdogs. So there are a total of three schools I'm considering. In fact I think once I recover from this cold I may start gathering info and filling out aps. We'll see what happens from there.
Hi Faithful Angel,
How exciting for you. I am going in a lil more than a month to get my dog from GDB. Hearing you talk about your dog has reminded me of how close I am to getting mine. I am really excited. I hope Whitney and you have many wonderful, fun-filled working years ahead of you.
Blessings,
Angela
Oh it's wonderful! She did throw up today. I didn't mean to be so harsh, but I'm seeing a lot of people say, "oh, I want a dog," but yet they don't have the mobility or personal skills to work with the dog, or they don't do enough to keep up the dog's training. What people have to understand is that these dogs love to please, but it's kind of hard for a dog to please you and get pleasure in return if you don't do much with him. If it's like that, you might as well go out and buy a pet dog because that's what he'll become. This is not a phad. This is something that can and will change your life whether you want it to or not. It is better if you want it to change it though. I wouldn't trade Whitney for anything, but it's work, and when I say work, i mean work, but it's worth it.
That's definitely the way Marie was. And I'll freely admit I probably don't get out as often as I should, bt that can be surprisingly difficult in a small town, especially one where a lot of the major streets are ones even a sighted person wouldn't willingly cross on foot. But I am working on it. And I figure that even if I still don't have a job by the time I get a dog I can at least take him or her out and walk seeral times a day and maybe also find a park near my place where we can play when we're not working. But my friend? Marie apparently felt that the dog was too much work, especially since she'd be with her twenty-four/seven. Guide dog school was apparently "not what she expected." I need hardly tell you that I didn't get a straight answer when I asked what she did expect. I may get accepted, go to a school and discover a guide dog just isn't right for me. But i have a feeling that if I on't at least try I'll probably regret it forever because I'll know it could have potentially been the best thing in my life.
Hey faithful angel,
what you said is correct. A guide dog is so much more then a pet. There is work involved and it is a big commitment. I had a friend who wanted a guide simply to look tough. He was saying I don't want them to give me a sissy dog. To my knowledge he hasn't applied anywhere and I told him that is the wrong reason for a dog. There is so much responsibility involved in having a guide. Not counting the obvious of feeding, general care like grooming or vet bills, but also the responsibility of working your guide regularly to keep their skills up and also to keep them healthy. I have had my guide, July for 8 years now and while it is a lot of work I wouldn't trade her for anything. She is amazing and even being a team this long, i still learn something new in traveling together. lol speaking of my girl, she is snoring softly at my side as I write this.
That was another thing Marie said to me. She said she wanted a German Shepherd so that potential attackers would think twice, something about Shepherds' protective instincts I believe. And of course as everyone knows if a guide dog shows any signs of actual aggression all bets are off.
Yep, actually, a person can be sued if their dog tries to attack. Yeah, like I've said, I feel lke a lot of blind people want dogs for the wrong reasons. Let me tell you, guide dog schools is tough. Make sure though when and if you get one that you can keep up his or her training. It is important. The coolest thing I think about having a dog is that I'm learning so much about myself. It's hard to explain, but yeah, it's true.
Sometimes people go in to guide dog training with the mistaken impression that the dog is going to protect them. Yes, in a sense, they protect, in terms of preventing us from walking in to things and people, but it is not the dog's job to act as a guard. I think that may have been part of your friend Marie's problem. s for not wanting to look after the dog, (and I'm really sorry if this sounds harsh), but that's just being plain lazy.
I agree. 100 percent
I have learned a lot about myself since I got my dog. I have done so many things because I feel so liberated and free to do so. I always had good cane skills but just wasn't comfortable with it as my way of travel. with July it is so different. You definitely learn a lot. Though it is funny. since I started working at GDB I use my cane a lot when in the kennels.
my brother at one point was saying he should get a guide because of the ease and speed of traveling. I said no you shouldn't. you hate dogs and complain when July's tail barely brushes against you, you should never get a guide. what I find amusing are those who feel that a guide dog is the answer to everyone's problems. You still have to use the same orientation to navigate your surroundings. I mean, if you don't know where you are going your dog certainly isn't. lol A dog isn't for everyone and one isn't better over the other. I have seen some fantastic cane users and some not so fantastic dog users. I have a guy I know who is blind and feels that all blind women should have guide dogs for protection. When I told him that guides are not trained for protection he argued with me.
I went to Leader Dogs back in 1998. There was a guy from El Salvador in my class who got sent home midway through training, because it became very clear that he wanted a dog for a protector, not a guide. The dog made the mistake of growling at someone or something, and Carlos actually praised him for it. The trainers came down pretty hard, and that's when they found out why Carlos really wanted a dog. So, Carlos was sent home, and that dog was removed from the program for showing aggression.
When I figured out a dog wasn't the right option for me, and prepared to give him back to Leader, the biggest reason my family was against me giving him back was that I was losing a source of protection. It's amazing how huge of a misconception that is.
I've occasionally heard stories like that. And I totally agree about not wanting to look after the dog. It's just laziness. If I had any concerns about that it wouldn't be not wanting to with me. With me the question would be whether I would be able to keep up not merely with the training but also general care. Caring for a dog is, after all, a lot differet from caring for a cat. And even though I give my cat a pretty high quality food to reduce hairballs, the monthly cost of caring for him is generally still lower than the fifty or so that was the last figure I was able to find for caring for a guide dog. That's why I'm actually debating with myself about whether I should apply now or wait until I know whether I'll be starting work soon. If I wait and apply when I have an actual income coming in there might be a better chance of being able to foot the bill, so to speak, ot to mention keeping up with the dog's training.
Yep, think very carefully. I agree about the laziness, but I also think that people don't think about the care they are going to have to give the dog. It's a lot more than what most expect.
And a lot more than you would for a house pet. I'm definitely glad I ended up not getting a dog while I was engaged to my x fiance. She's one of those people who take the kids will be kids philosophy way too far. I could see her being a serious problem for a guide dog since when she had a house dog she used to allow her kids to give her their unfinished plates of food if they decided they weren't hungry. Ibviously that's one of the worst things you could think of to do to a guide dog or any working animal.
Hi brian,
As someone who has been matched with my dog, but not yet had training, there's some things i've thought about during the process, maybe you could do the same it might help you. Most importantly, why do you want a dog? What do you imagine him or her doing for you/your mobility? For me, after 3 years of trudging around a busy city with a cane, though i am glad i did it and wouldn't change it for the world, i am ready for the next step now, ready to feel free in places i know well, and free also to go to places i don't now, or could never with a cane, that is what drove me to apply for a guidedog, also the companionship is something i definitely am looking forward to, walking down the street with a living creature at my side who i can talk to, and praise, and who i know enjoy's the work and wants to do her best for me. next. Are you ready for the responsibility, and the having to think about your dogs needs first, sometimes before your own, in terms of where you might go or not with him her, and if you decide not to bring the dog, could you use a cane? I think its important that we as visually impaired people can have the choice to have whichever mobility aid we choose, it is also important though to be able to use more than one form if you can, that way, if your dog is sick, you can still get out and about if you need to, not that you would leave the dog if they were sick, i hope you understand what i mean.
as for money, what i've done, because i like yourself dont have a job, what i did was opened an account for zonta, i have a good chunk of money in there, this i will use for toys, food, bed, vets bills, etc.
Hope this helps
Pisces
Well those are exactly the reasons why I would want a guide dog. And since I already have the responsibility of a cat it should be a little easier, at least I would think, to get used to the responsibilities of a guide dog. I've met enough guide dog users in my life to know that they have the potential to bring so much happiness into your life. Every guide dog user I've ever met has seemed hundreds of times happier than most cane users I know, not to mention more free. So no, I don't want a guide dog for protection, at least not beyond the normal scope of their training. I want to try for one for the freedom as well as the companionship. That's probably why I don't find much pleasure in walking these days. But with a guide dog I would have to do that and, I would hope, in time I would come to enjoy it more because of the dog. Knowing me though I'd probably still carry the cane with me since i have a holster for it that I attach to my belt. That way if I did need it for whatever reason it would be right there at my hip. I imagine I'd use the cane as part of the dog's training at first when I got home. What i mean is let's say you had a route where you had to turn onto, say the third intersecting sidewalk after you crossed 5th street. At first wouldn't you tell the dog to heel use the cane to find the sidewalk you wanted? I know a dog will sometimes pick up a route if it's travelled often enough but what would you do at first to get them accustomed?
Often it is suggested that you get familiar with the concept of the route before using your guide. Meaning, you would walk yourself and see aproximately where the intersecting side walk is. You could then give your guide accurate directions. You could heal your dog, and use a cane, or go sighted guide. When you have a general idea about how far in it is you can get work your guide and give what is called a moving turn. You ask them to find the next turn and go that way.
It's still a good idea to carry your cane with you eve n aftery ou get home with your dog because there mmay be instances where it's not safe to bring your dog with you to certain places, like the zoo. The presence of your guide could put the animals there under stress, and vice versa. and don't even get me started on concerts with loud music ...
Exactly. That might not make sense to a lot of sighted folks but I'd always intended to still carry the big stick with me just in case.
Well, I don't know if there's any places where you live that has no sidewalks. You'll need your cane for that to make sure your dog stays on the left hand side of the street. There's some places like that here, but I don't go there since I don't know anyone who lives in the country areas. But it's another thing to think about. Whatever school you plan on going to, if you do get a dog, they'll do city and country work with you. So it's nice. I actually took my retired dog to the zoo once, and he liked it, except the bear. lol. There was this big bear in a huge area, and there was a gate so you couldn't just go in the area and see it. And for some reason I don't know weather my dog got scared or was trying to protect me, but the bear started walking in my direction, and he just let out one bark. And I know that they're not suppose to bark in harness, but that was the only time he's ever done it. lol. So it was just something to remember, when the other post was made about the zoo, so I thought I'd put that in here to. We all have funny little stories about our 4 legged furry friends. But yes, keep thinking about it, if you're serious about it, and ask all the questions you might have. That's what this board is here for.
It can stress the dog and the animals out if you take your dog to the zoo.
No sidewalks? That describes much of Twin Falls and certainly much of my neighborhood. There's sidewalk on one side of the street for a certain distance and then it just goes away. If you want sidewalk again you have to cross over to the other side of the street, where you won't always get lucky. That's actually one reason why I crossed GDB off my list of schools. Apparently I live in "too dangerous of an area" for one of their dogs. On the one hand I can sort of understand since on the way back the dog would be on the side closest to the traffic, assuming of course that I didn't choose to cross to the other side of the street, and in that situation I more than likely would. But to hold that against me doesn't seem one bit fair. Needless to say I'm not very impressed with them anymore.
When you walk in an area with no sidewalks, you will always walk with the dog staying to the left along the curb or shoreline. Just curious, are the streets narrow and how heavy is the traffic?
The streets are actually a bit wide. As for the traffic that really depends on where you're walking. In the immediate environs of my apartment it's not particularly heavy, but when you get up by streets like Blue Lakes Boulevard and Addison Avenue that's another story entirely. But I haven't done all that much work up by those two streets, although there is a Burger King near my house that I've walked to from time to time on the rare occasions when I have a little money to spare. But when you walk to, say, the housing office here in Twin Falls there are two sections where there's very little to no sidewalk. Fortunately both are relatively short but that didn't seem to matter to the rep from GDB. But the only really busy street you cross on that route, and it can actually be quite quiet there if you walk it early enough in the morning, is called Locus. And that's right before the destination, which is on Elm Street. That was the route I walked with the lady from Guide Dogs during my home interview.