Guide Dogs

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Ruby

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I need to speak with anyone who has knowledge of or resources to guide dogs. It can be anything from the training of, to using a guide dog. I would appreciate any help.
 

Fern

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I wrote an article on pet companions for the elderly a while back. During my research I ran across a site/organization I was extremely impressed with. Here is a link:

http://www.4pawsforability.org/

Enter "service dogs" in your search engine & see what you come up with.

Another thing I find very interesting on this subject is the places where they let people in prison be the trainers for some of these dogs. I guess they take them to a certain level, then someone takes them to another, etc. I can't remember for sure, but I think 4 paws may also do that in some instances.


Use Profnet to get some experts. I went through them and they will put you in touch with some good experts.
 
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Ruby

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That is great information, thank you! Both of those sites look very promising. Yes, it does look like 4Paws does the prison thing. I'm very surprised, yet interested.

Thanks!
 

D.J.

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Also, you should go to some of the dog chat boards, especially those breeds used most in service work. You'll probably get lots of responses to your post from people who do this sort of work. I have two English Mastiffs and I know on a board I go to, there are several who have used theirs in service work. Not guide work, but service work. Anyway, in smaller breeds such as GSD, Labs, etc., you will probably find lots of helpful people. Best of luck!
 
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Tish Davidson

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I am currently raising my fourth puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind. If you have some specific questions, I'll try to answer them or ask someone else in the puppy raisers club. Some people in my local group have been raising guide dog puppies for more than 20 years.

I don't know about other guide dog organizations, but Guide Dogs for the Blind trains their dogs without food rewards - just love and praise.
 
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Maryn

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I read a book when I was a kid titled "Follow My Leader" by James B. Garfield, about a boy blinded in an accident. He gets a guide dog, fully trained, and has to be trained himself to be able to work with it. (You guessed it, the dog's name was Leader. Groan.)

It's not deathless prose, but it does let you see how dog and owner learn to work together and what difficulties they face. I've mentioned it in passing to blind acquaintances, who tell me its information remains accurate. Since it's a book for children, you could surely read it in short order. If your library doesn't have it, there are new and used copies on amazon starting at $1.58.

Maryn, who remembers childhood reads but not what she read last week
 
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