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training news!

18 Friday Apr 2014

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Okay, if you’ve read about Olga’s retirement, I mentioned I had exciting news to share. If you haven’t read about her retirement, please read that post too!

 

So, I’ve been on the waiting list for the right dog and in home training. But I know it can be hard for them to have staff available for in home training. So, I emailed admissions this week and told them I would be willing to go to class.

 

Well, today, I got a call from Keith, a class supervisor at the Oregon campus. He told me they have a dog for me, a very special perfect match kind of dog, and can I come to the next class!

 

Oh did I forget to say that class starts on April 27? Yikes.

 

What answer did I give Keith? Come on, can ya guess? Three guesses and the first two don’t count!

 

I! SAID! YES!

 

Oh boy, it’s gonna be just great telling work on Monday. But with my physical needs, the right dog is hard to find, and hwen it’s available I have to go.

 

So, yes, I’m going to train with my new dog on April 27. I’ll actually meet the dog the next day after working with the instructors for a while, so they can teach me any new commands–or help me break bad long time handler habits and shortcuts. I’ll be there two weeks, graduating on May 10, probably flying home the next day.

 

have I ever mentioned how much I really hate flying? Well, I really hate flying. Don’t wanna do it. Gotta do it though. Oh dear.

 

So, I’ll be quite busy, picking clothes and things and packing what I can, so I can be ready to leave in eight days. wow.

 

Wish me luck!

 

I’ll be writing here about my training so don’t forget to check back or subscribe for updates.

 

Okay, start guessing. am I getting a Labrador, a golden or a lab/golden cross.

 

 

Olga’s retirement

18 Friday Apr 2014

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Okay, I actually have two very exciting posts today. I’ll let this one be all about sweet Olga.

So, I interviewed several different people who expressed interest in adopting Olga. The last couple I met are an older husband and wife. They work from home. they are former puppy raisers for Guide dogs for the blind, GDB. They go for nice long walks every day. And, every May they leave for property they own on a lake in Michigan, spending the entire summer there. Olga likes them. and after much deep thought and prayer, I chose this lovely couple for Olga’s retirement.

This is sad for me. Olga is a special sweet dog, but she’s going to have an amazing life with her new family. She won’t be second or third in line for my attention. she won’t be left home all the time. She will be well lopved. Judy was in tears when I told her I chose them.

I am completely at peace with my choice. and they may even ask me to dog sit from time to time, once they get back from their summer. so, Olga won’t be completely out of my life, but by then, she’ll be thoroughly adjusted to her new life, and I’ll be bonded with Newie. that’s my temp name for my new dog, since I have no info about the dog. grin.

So, wish Olga well. and Read the next post!

one dog two dog; old dog new dog

09 Wednesday Apr 2014

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a quick update here, mostly about olga. I sent a request to the local Boulder area puppy raising club, asking if anyone would like to adopt Olga when she is retired. I was amazed at the response. In a day, I had half a dozen emails or calls. Puppy raisers are incredible! Just one of the many reasons I could never attend a guide dog school that didn’t allow contact with the raisers. even though Olga wasn’t raised here, the raiser family, the overall guide dog family, they are all ready to reach out to the dogs.

 

So last night I met two interested parties. First was a single woman, 29. she lives alone in her own condo and works at an indoor athletic park. she could bring Olga to work with her. also she has family who are as dog crazy as she, so if she had to go out of town, she has support for Olga. She was very pleasant and friendly and I believe she would give my girl a good home. best of all, Olga flipped over her. Wow, was she ever excited, very un-Olga-like.

 

Later came a family, mom, dad, 13 year old daughter and ten year old son. They are active raisers, but their daughter wants a forever dog of her own. They also have other interesting pets and brought a ferret to see how Olga would get along with it. I’d never met a ferret before and I got to hold it for a minute. Cute, very cute, and now when I read Harrty Potter descriptions of Draco Malfoy’s pointed face and ferret looks, I understand it better. They are a wonderful family, warm and friendly. They home school and the mom doesn’t work outside the home, so again, it would be another ideal set up for Olga. But she didn’t seem to warm up to them as well. she was more subdued during their visit. Maybe just tired after all her excitement the other meeting. who knows?

 

I have two more people to meet on Saturday. everyone knows that this won’t happen until I have a class date and am ready to retire Olga. I just hope I make the best choice for my girl.

 

As for NewDog, nothing on that story yet. I’ve received my official acceptance letter, class lecture material and contract. Of course, since they are looking for the right dog for me, it could happen tomorrow or six months from now. Oops, don’t want six months from now because I want to train and be settled well before winter.

 

so, that’s the latest! Keep your thoughts and prayers coming for Olga’s retirement and for NewDog to come sooooon!!

News! News!

04 Friday Apr 2014

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I’ve been quiet here, because there wasn’t much to report. Once I had the medical papers submitted to the schools, all I could do is sit back and wait. man, do I ever hate that! I’m the type who feels better when I’m doing *something* to make my goal happen. Sitting back and trying to wait patiently on the decision of others is dreadful. I’d never have worried about it in the past, but after all the changes GDB made last year, I had some serious doubt about whether or not they’d accept me, and of course, with GEB, it’s new to me, so I have no context on which to ponder yes or no.

 

But yesterday afternoon, my cell phone rang with a 415 area code I know well. it was Thursday; it was Admission Review committee meeting day, and GDB was calling. Thankful I was not on a work call at the moment I answered, sounding cool and relaxed, not a hint of the hope and fear in my gut.

 

It was admission, calling to tell me I’ve been accepted for retraining!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHAAAAAAARRRRRRRR4GGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!! lol, doesn’t quite work as a joyful scream, but it’s an approximation of how I felt! Happy happy happy!

 

Yes, after thirty-nine years, the idea that GDB might not accept me was like being rejected by family. I would have gone on and been fine with another school, but it would have hurt, a hell of a lot.

 

Of course, due to my physical situation, I am on the waiting list for the right dog and for in-home training. I need a dog that walks at a fairly slow pace, has good focus at that pace, doesn’t need a lot of correcting and hard handling. I also want a dog with a sweet loving personality with a bit of the goof hidden inside.

 

In Home training means that instead of going to the school and staying in the dorm for a couple weeks, training there with the dog, an instructor will come here to Colorado, bring the dog to me, and we’ll train in my home area. This is much easier on me physically, and it also means I might be able to work a little in the hours after training–if I’m not too exhausted. we’ll still cover all the things we need to, but by the time the instructor leaves, Newie–that’s short for NewDog–and I will be familiar with this area and will have a solid start to our relationship.

 

So, wow, yeah, I’m excited! I’ve had in-home training with my past two dogs, and both times, I’ve only had to wait a couple months for them to find the right dog, so I’m hopeful we could be training by summer and well bonded and established before the winter sets in and cuts back the time we can be out walking around.

 

As for the other school, no answer from them as yet, and of course, now I need to let them know I’ve been accepted by GDB.

 

Okay, everybody, can you all start hoping, praying, wishing vibe sending and all that good stuff for find the dog quickly and that maybe, just maybe, possibly, fearful of being too hopeful, but perhaps it could maybe be a, a, a, a, *whispers, afraid to say it aloud* a golden retriever. Whew.

 

And now, I need to start working on finding a new home for Olga. I’d keep her of course if not for Bianca. But I think three dogs is too much to handle. and Bianca is old, thirteen now, and I don’t feel she should be the one to be moved.

 

Share in my joy!

applications complete

21 Friday Mar 2014

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Well, sorta. I have to wait till tomorrow to see if my arm gets all weird from the TB test, but really, the applications are done.

 

I went to the doctor yesterday. Seriously long overdue appointment. I didn’t think I had medical insurance since losing my previous job in 2009. and being self-employed, well, I didn’t have it, or so I thought. But discovered last summer that I have medicare. Still it took guide dog training to get me into the doctor.

 

The appointment was okay. I have kinda mixed feelings about the doc. He wasn’t bad in any way. He spoke directly to me, and not to my friend who accompanied me. After one greeting to Olga, he ignored her. I appreciated all that. But he’s an internist and he’d never heard of JRA, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

 

a quick aside here to explain JRA. I was born with this condition. It is an auto-immune disease. It is not like adult rheumatoid arthritis or old age osteo. it does attack the joints in a classic rheumatoid way. The type I have is called poly articulate–probably spelling that wrong–and systemic. This means it can affect several or many joints. It also means it can affect things like the optic nerve, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs and so on. It’s what caused my blindness. I also have it in many joints, in fact, every joint. So far, it has not caused me any trouble to my internal organs, but it’s something that has to be watched for as I age. When I was about three, the doctors fused my right knee which was affected enough that I couldn’t walk. Over the years, the other knee has been replaced as have both hips. I have chronic pain and lots of limited range of motion and stiffness in many joints.

 

Okay, so it’s something an internist should know about, and I was a bit disturbed that he hadn’t heard of it. however, he did say he was going to study up on it, since I’m  his patient, and if he does, I applaud that.

 

We discussed my need for prescription meds for my arthritis. I’ve been taking ibuprofen and too much over the counter crap bothers my stomach. I also talked about my insomnia trouble. so, he prescribed some new meds for the arthritis and I’m trying a sleeping pill for a few days to see if it helps break the pattern and gets me back to sleeping through the night.

 

He filled out my paperwork for the guide dog applications and I got the TB test done. I had to go get lab work of course, and it was over. yay. Tomorrow morning, my friend can look at my arm and see that it is normal, not swollen, red, or any other weirdness, and then I can fax the forms into GDB and GEB. yayayayay!!!

 

On a funny note, my boss forgot I had told him about the doctor appointment a month ago. So, he was calling and sending texts, none of which I got till I got home. I went right to work once I was home. But I found the email in my sent items and was able to prove that I had indeed told him about it in advance! Crazy. But really, you’d think after four years, he’d know I wouldn’t just flouce showing up to work without giving him some kind of notification.

 

One thing that’s been cool for me is that people from both schools have check in with me regularly to see how the process is going. Nancy, the one who interviewed me for GDB, emails ever few days to check in. The nurse from GEB emailed yesterday just to remind me that they still needed my medical form. I just like that people are keeping in touch, even with all the applications they deal with regularly.

 

So, barring my arm turning tino a TB notification zone, tomorrow the papers will be faxed and those fapplications will be complete!!!! Then I just have to wait to hear from them,a nd then go on the waiting list, as usual, for an easy to handle dog. Oh boy. I can’t wait! I’d be bouncing up and down a la alice Cullen, if it wasn’t 4AM and I hadn’t had a whole cup of coffee yet!

 

Oh, one more cool point about which I’m excited. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with my left hip, particularly when I have to go up stairs or curbs. Since my right knee is fused, when I have to do curbs or stairs, I have to use the left leg to put my weight on since it bends. Well, it’s been hurting a lot to do that for upcurbs or stairs. But yesterday, when I had to step up that humongous step to the exam table in the doc office, I was able to do it with no trouble and no pain. Much as I hate it, the exercise I’ve been doing for the past six weeks is really paying off!!!!

 

 

what a difference! guiding Eyes home interview

12 Wednesday Mar 2014

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Well, today was the home interview for my application with Guiding Eyes for the Blind, GEB. And man, what a huge difference from the one I had Sunday for GDB!

 

First of all, I should start with the horrible night I had. I don’t normally have nightmares. Last time I had the kind of Nightmare I did last night was sometime after my dad died. This was different but still terrifying. I kept dreaming that people snuck into my condo and were going to kidnap me as revenge for something unknown. My friend Joylene’s family in the dream lived next door to me, and I kept running out of the condo and screaming for her to help me. They don’t really live next door to me by the way. It finally woke me up and I didn’t sleep much the rest of the night. Must have been the nerves and stress of this whole guide dog training applying crap.

 

So, let’s get to the good stuff, the happy stuff, the positive stuff.

 

Michael Meteyer, from GEB, came to interview me this morning. We talked for quite a while. He asked my about my lifestyle and my physical conditiona nd special needs. He told me about their different types of training programs. Then we went out for a walk. He wanted to see me work Olga first and then we would do some Juno work.

 

I was nervous about working Olga, because she has some weird working habits, but she was on her game today, absolutely stellar, almost perfect work. Our pace was good, our crossings were excellent, and she only stopped once to go to the grass to pee. On the way back, she was less perfect, and did her usual routine of stopping every few steps, trying to go to the grass and acting like she had to pee, even when she didn’t, but other than that, the first half of the route was perfect.

 

after we dropped her off at home, Michael and I went out for a Juno walk. I held onto the harness handle and he guided me. we just walked down a straight sidewalk, while he tried different pace speeds to see what would be comfortable for me. He also tested my ability to correct and laughed delightedly when I did a nice correction with a firm No. “wow you’re fast. that was perfect” said he.

 

When we got back here, we talked more about what I need and want in a dog. they have mostly labs, but they have a few goldens and crosses, so I gave him my spiel, saying I know I need a special match in a dog, but that if there was a lab and an equally good match with a golden or cross, I’d prefer the golden or cross. Ont he other hand, Iw ouldn’t want to go on a waiting list for those breeds, since I have to wait for the right slow-paced easy to manage dog anyway.

 

I asked if he was going to recommend me for training and he just about gushed over how very much he is going to recommend me and what an excellent candidate I am. He’s recommending me for home training, or their program that does a week on campus and a week at home. I wouldn’t mind that, because I’ve never been to new York, but he knows that if I don’t work, I don’t get paid, so he’s recommending the home training.

 

Overall, the experience was amazing. So different from the way I felt after Sunday’s interview with GDB,a nd yet, the way it should have been with GDB. I feel so happy and positive today and about 90 percent sure they’ll accept me.

 

My doctor appointment is next week, and once that’s done, my application is complete. yay me.

 

I want to tyupe mor and more and more, to rave about the wonders of the interview. but I need to get back to work. gonna eat lunch and then go log in. I’m sure I’ll be gushing more later. I just feel so happy, so accepted and positive. It’s a damn fine feeling!

 

And oh yeah, not spell checked and typing fast, so excuse the mistakes!

GDB home interview

09 Sunday Mar 2014

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GDB home interview

 

March 9, 2014

 

I had my home interview for GDB retraining today. I was incredibly nervous beforehand. The school has changed so much in the last year—not for the better—and inside I felt like I was interviewing at a new school. Almost.

But when Nancy, the trainer doing the interview, arrived, I felt completely at ease. From then on, it was fun.

We sat down and talked for a while, about the good things and bad things about Olga and Bianca actually. We talked about what I would want in a dog and about activity level, since I work from home.

Then we went out for a walk. I decided to do Juno, because Olga stops so often on a route that it’s frustrating working her. We walked to the coffee shop about three and a half blocks away. Neither of us brought money, so we didn’t go in. We walked back and then sat and talked some more. She also asked me to work Olga a little so she could video me to show my gait since I have a limp.

In the end, she told me she is going to recommend me for retraining, but she did caution me that the committee that decides whether or not to accept a person for training might not choose to accept me. Because I work from home.

My thoughts on that are that working from home gives me a very strong need for a dog. I would never leave home independently if I didn’t have a dog. I’d be housebound and isolated. Also working a dog keeps me mobile, gives me the exercise I need to keep me about to move. How soon will my JRA take over?

I was so concerned about this all after the interview that I actually sat down and wrote a letter to the admissions committee expressing my opinion that a dog is vital to be being able to get out on my own. But seriously, I don’t really know how it will go. And frankly, that pisses me off. I’ve known them to give dogs to people they knew would walk around the block once a day. I shouldn’t feel discouraged about it all, but so many people have warned me that I might not get accepted, and I can’t help trying to prepare myself mentally for it. And yet, I think, when did we become that organization. GDB used to be inclusive. When did they become exclusive so only the highly active are suitable? If that does indeed end up being the case.

Well, Nancy will submit her report in the next couple days, and then I’ll send the medical form in and after that, we wait. I wonder what the outcome will be.

 

my thoughts and preferences for my new guide

09 Sunday Mar 2014

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I’ve been working on this doc, trying to come up with what I call my needs, wants and deal breakers in a new dog. This is what I want to remember to tell any rep of any school to which I apply. What do you all think?

 

New dog thoughts

 

Breed/gender preference

1. I have no gender preference. I’ve worked with both males and females, and both have been wonderful.

 

2. Breed preference. I really really really want a golden or cross. However, realizing that I always have to wait for the right dog, of course I will accept and love a lab. So, here’s the deal. If there happened to be two dogs who could be a match for me, and one was a lab and the other was a golden or cross, I’d want the golden or cross.

 

 

Needs and wants and absolute deal breakers:

Needs:

1. Easy to manage

 

2. Initiative: able to learn new places quickly and remember them

 

3. able to learn quickly what kinds of surfaces and obstructions can cause problems for me and to watch for those. Such things include wheel chair ramps, driveway slopes, cracks or rough places in sidewalks, garden hoses. It is almost impossible for me to get up on my own if I fall, and such things can cause me to stumble if I hit them wrong.

 

4. Reliable and consistent off leash recall.

 

5. Excellent house manners

 

 

Wants:

1. Affectionate, loving, cuddly, playful with a touch of silly

 

2. Type to bond very tight, likes other people but mostly wants me.

 

3. able to be comfortable under my desk for long stretches during the work day.

 

4. Good around children and other animals, particularly other dogs and cats.

 

5. Able to be comfortable around music that might be heard in places like church, live theater and some concerts.

 

6. Comfortable on possible long car rides.

 

 

Deal breakers:

1. Dog distractedness to the point of any lunging or hard pulling when working. A look doesn’t bother me, but reacting can cause me to fall.

 

2. Poor off leash recall. I have a yard and eventually want to be able to let new dog out there without having to worry that the dog will not come when I call.

 

3. Destructive house behavior. Lived with that many years with Bianca and had several emergencies both with me and with her raisers. never want it again.

 

4. No relieving in harness or in the house ever. Of course, unless a dog is sick, but other than that it is not acceptable.

 

home interviews

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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Good morning!

 

So far this blog has been only about the guide dog stuff, but that is the most interesting thing happening in my life right now.

 

Tomorrow, Nancy Denier, from Guide dogs for the Blind, GDB, will be here to conduct a home interview for my retraining application. Weird that I’m more nervous about that one than anything else! I don’t think I’ve met Nancy personally, but I have worked with her a lot in the past when I was in admissions at /GDB and handled all the travel info for the Oregon campus.

 

I’ve been worried aobut the weather, because it rained and snowed last night. If it stayed cold, I wouldn’t be able to go for a walk at all, since ice and snow are treacherous for me and the risk of falling and injuring myself, one of those precious artificial joints is too high. But fortunately, it’s in the forties today and the sun is so bright and warm! And it’s supposed to be around seventy tomorrow. good walking weather. Wow, twenties and snow last night, and seventy tomorrow! Have I mentioned how much I love Colorado?

 

last Sunday, I received a call from Michael–can’t remember his last name–from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, GEB. We scheduled a home interview for this Wednesday, the 12th. Yay!!!! I’m looking forward to this one. I greatly enjoyed talking to him on the phone and felt like we established a comfortable rapport right away. It will be interesting to see how different their interview process is from GDB, if at all.

 

Of course, it’s supposed to snow Tuesday night!!!! grrrrrrrrr.

 

For anyone who doesn’t know, a home interview usually involves a lot of discussion of lifestyle, conditions under which the guide work will be done, my preferences and needs in regard to dog breed, working style, handling style, personality and things like that. Then the interviewer and I will go outside for what is commonly known as a Juno walk. This means, the interviewer will hold a guide dog harness and walk ahead leading, as I hold the harness handle. They get a feel for walking pace, balance, reactions to faux distractions, my orientation, ability to judge traffic sounds and cross streets safely, things like that.

 

And once the medical happens on the 20th, everything needed for the GEB application will be done,a nd then it’s just waiting to see if I’m accepted.

 

On the other applications, I’mn still waiting for my friend’s son to schedule a time to do a video. This is for schools that are too small to send someone out to do in-person interviews. But I’m wondering if I could just have someone take some video on my iPhone. Does it take good enough video?

 

so, anyone reading, wish me luck tomorrow and pray for good weather!

 

 

Application processes

27 Thursday Feb 2014

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Good morning!

 

I’m writing at around 4AM, drinking coffee while my dogs snooze on the other furniture. Today, my sweet retired Bianca turns thirteen. How amazing that is to me. She’s still in great health, still has lots of spirit and is full of her usual joy. How I love that crazy dog!

 

Olga, my 8-year-old working guide has a urinary tract infection. No wonder she’s been peeing all the time and anywhere. sigh. She’s on meds finally, so it will get better soon. Still, my application for training continues. Olga hasn’t really been a strong worker, and I haven’t been as 100 percent confident in her as with some other dogs. But she is a sweetheart, a completely good girl, good companion, never any trouble but the off and on house relieving.

 

so, how’s the process going?

 

Guide Dogs of the desert

That application seems to be moving the fastest. They’ve sent reference forms to those on my list and my friends have returned those already. I’m sure they’ve contacted GDB by now, but of course, I have no idea how that went. I have my medical appointment on the 20th of march, and my friend’s son will do the video, as soon as I can tie him down to do it. Yes, GDD needs a video, because being a small school, they can’t easily send people out here to do an interview.

 

It’s funny, once upon a time, GDD had a bad rap in the community of guide dog handlers, but over the last few years, I’ve heard good things about them, and I’ve seen some good dogs. and damn1 they still train goldens. I want a golden!

 

Guiding Eyes

That process seems a bit slower. But they did indicate to me that they’ve decided not to send out personal reference forms. I imagine that’s because of my long time history of being a solid handler–39 years now. I have their medical forms and of course will get them filled out next month. There will be a home interview, but as of yet, I haven’t heard from anyone regarding that. It’s probably the fun weather.

 

Guide Dogs for the Blind

My guide dog alma mater. It still boggles my mind that I’m considering going elsewhere. Never dreamed GDB could do anything that would cause me to choose another training school. I already had follow up scheduled and I requested it to be a home interview instead after submitting a retrain app. That is happening on March 9. Nancy Denier, from the Oregon campus will be here. I got along well with her when I worked at GDB, so fingers are crossed.

 

Still, my conscience troubles me. I am so deeply unhappy and troubled by the changes at GDB. and yesterday, they issued the news that they’ve finally hired a new CEO. she has no human services or blindness field experience. she does have animal experience, since she’s been some kind of executive with a bay area humane society, and she has good business background. but that doesn’t mean she’ll be any good as a CEO when it comes to making decisions and planning direction that is for the good of students and grads. Last year, I protested the changes with letters and signing petitions. Now, it feels as if I should protest with my business. In other words, take myself and my support elsewhere. I’ve seen GDB go through many changes in 39 years, but what they did last year upset me too much, and I feel there is no true graduate services and support anymore.

 

On the other hand, GDB knows me, inside and out, when it comes to knowing what type of dog I need with my arthritis and all. They have the best dogs, and I love their training methods. It’s scary starting over somewhere new and having to explain everything about my physical condition all over again.

 

Oh well, I shall go forward with my applications and see where it leads me. I wonder if I should also apply to guide dogs of America.

 

Decisions, decisions!

 

Mmmm, time for more coffee. Feel free to follow this blog and to comment as you desire.

 

Sherry, February 27, 2014.