Category: Animal House
Is there any guide dog school out there tht will train a person with the sendro gps system? Does one have to be a graduate of that particular school to go to the class? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Nevela
I'm assuming you mean the Sendero system. The Seeing Eye has a program, but you need to be a graduate.
Oh, cool. Thanks, Manda. See, one can actually learn things, that is to say, useful things from the zone. lmao
Please excuse my ignorants and I am sincerely inerested in the answer to this question. Why are you looking to be trained from a guide dog school with the GPS. Are there specific things you are hoping the school will teach you? I use the Trekker GPS with Barclay from the SeeingEye and have felt no particular need for specific training from the school regarding GPS. One thinkg to note that when using the GPS the dog comes first and then the GPS. I unfortunatley developed a habit of focusing more on the GPS and stopping to presss keys that would give me information and the dog just got nuts about this and couldn't figure out what he did wrong. Once I stopped doing this and let the GPS speak naturally and put my focus on working the dog he was a much happier critter. If I can offer any help with information regarding using a Dog and GPS together I'd be glad too. They are an excellent combination.
I think the schools (GDF on Long Island and Leader Dogs in Michigan, as well as Seeing Eye) started these programs to teach their graduates to work more affectively with their dogs and GPS. I know that these programs are not for those currently in training or for those newly graduated. The Seeing Eye, at least, requires that you've been working with the dog for at least six months before allowing you into the GPS program. (I didn't attend the program, but know someone who did.)
I, too, use Trekker with my dog, and find it to be quite a useful tool. You should definitely trust your dog before the GPS, as they are not always reliable and can sometimes be more trouble than help. But overall, they're great pieces of technology, whatever model you choose to go with. You don't need special training from your guide dog school with these units, but I hear it's a nice bonus, just giving you the support system of a training program and all...
Yeah, it sounds it. I would be very interested in attending such a program once I have had a dog for a while, but then again, the chances of my being able to afford, or convincing the commission to pay for a GPS are very slim.
I recently heard that TSE no longer offers it cause it was offered on a grant originally which they no longer have. GDF does it with Trekker and you have to have your dog before six months before even applying... Leader takes anyone I think and not sure if it's for Scendarro or Trekker.
Shanda
Thanks, that's helpful.
The Seeing Eye is restarting the program. You're correct; the program did stop for a while, as it was a pilot program to examine the response of graduates to the program, but according to the graduate news letter I received (just yesterday!), it's being started up again.
YAY!, damn, no program, program, no program, program, it's like being on a roller-coaster.
Well, yeah. Makes life interesting, doesn't it? :)