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.