[C5driver]

Originally Posted by mc-m3

That's pretty cool. Are you a puppy raiser, trainer or both? Guide Dogs for the Blind or a different school?

My wife got her first dog last November at 'The Seeing Eye'. She went clear across the country because she wanted a German Shepard.

Raiser for GDB in San Rafael. They have another campus in Boring, OR, but our pups come from SR.

How old is your wife's pup/dog? How's your wife's mobility since getting the dog? Shepherd's are great as well and GDB actually started with a few of them. They're breeding smaller labs and lab/golden crosses now.

[mc-m3]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Raiser for GDB in San Rafael. They have another campus in Boring, OR, but our pups come from SR.

How old is your wife's pup/dog? How's your wife's mobility since getting the dog? Shepherd's are great as well and GDB actually started with a few of them. They're breeding smaller labs and lab/golden crosses now.

The dog still thinks she is a pup. She's a little over 2.5yrs old now and she's pretty small for a shepard (~55lbs). She can actually go somewhere in the dark now (RP, dark vision is the first to go. Her field of vision is now quite narrow). Which is good, as I work from home now and the nearest bus stop to her work is around a mile away. We used to work across the street from each other, so I could drop her off and pick her up each day. Before getting her dog, she did visit both of GDB's campuses. I only saw the San Rafael campus, it was very nice.

She doesn't know how puppy raisers do it. She knows she would be too attached and it will kill her to see the dog go.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by mc-m3

The dog still thinks she is a pup. She's a little over 2.5yrs old now and she's pretty small for a shepard (~55lbs). She can actually go somewhere in the dark now (RP, dark vision is the first to go. Her field of vision is now quite narrow). Which is good, as I work from home now and the nearest bus stop to her work is around a mile away. We used to work across the street from each other, so I could drop her off and pick her up each day. Before getting her dog, she did visit both of GDB's campuses. I only saw the San Rafael campus, it was very nice.

She doesn't know how puppy raisers do it. She knows she would be too attached and it will kill her to see the dog go.

55 is small for a GSD. Glad to hear it's working out for her. Was the shepherd the only reason she didn't go with GDB?

It's not easy seeing them go, especially putting them in the truck for the 2 day ride back.

[Axius]

How did you go about getting started with training?

[EALm4]

Originally Posted by Axius

How did you go about getting started with training?

www.google.com

[Axius]

Okay, I'm at www.google.com, now what?

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Axius

How did you go about getting started with training?

Checked out various organizations, asked about their programs and training methods, geographical location, then decided on one.

[UncleWede]

C5driver calling them "pup" is part of the tactic to keep them distant so you don't get attached (as much) or is that part of standard training so the recipient gets to pick their name?

[Axius]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Checked out various organizations, asked about their programs and training methods, geographical location, then decided on one.

Was it a hard process to get started in? Do they run background checks and stuff on you? I also am under the interpretation it is 24/7 with the dog until they are released to an owner?

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

C5driver calling them "pup" is part of the tactic to keep them distant so you don't get attached (as much) or is that part of standard training so the recipient gets to pick their name?

I call mine "baby dog." Is that bad? Sometimes it's "little baby dog."

The naming convention for GDB is by litter. Each litter will have its own letter and all the pup's names will begin with that letter. Richard, Robert, Radish, Ravenna, Ritzy, Roma, Roswell, and Ricki were my last pup's littermates.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Axius

Was it a hard process to get started in? Do they run background checks and stuff on you? I also am under the interpretation it is 24/7 with the dog until they are released to an owner?

It's a process, but if you've been around dogs, it's less of a burden and more interesting.

They inspect your home and yard. You're required to read and understand a manual as well as attend a few training sessions.

No backgrounds or psych evals, but I did get the 20 questions.

24/7 until the pup returns to campus for medicals and college.

[Axius]

Originally Posted by C5driver

It's a process, but if you've been around dogs, it's less of a burden and more interesting.

They inspect your home and yard. You're required to read and understand a manual as well as attend a few training sessions.

No backgrounds or psych evals, but I did get the 20 questions.

24/7 until the pup returns to campus for medicals and college.

Sounds like a pretty cool experience if you have the time to devote.


Plan on doing it for a while?

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Axius

Sounds like a pretty cool experience if you have the time to devote.

Plan on doing it for a while?

Time is everything. Shove a pup in a kennel for 8 hours a day and you'll find a neurotic animal with no socialization.

The primary function of a raiser is not to teach the pup obedience. Rather, it's to build confidence by layers and instill discipline through training and repetition. Phase 8 of college is where a number of them fail. At this stage, they have to demonstrate what's called intelligent disobedience. If their handler instructs them to cross a road, but there's a bicyclist or a Prius coming at them, the dog has to decide to say no. Aside from companionship and fun, these are highly trained working animals.

Not sure if I'll continue after this one. I've got a couple other things going on.

[bimmette]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Time is everything. Shove a pup in a kennel for 8 hours a day and you'll find a neurotic animal with no socialization.

The primary function of a raiser is not to teach the pup obedience. Rather, it's to build confidence by layers and instill discipline through training and repetition. Phase 8 of college is where a number of them fail. At this stage, they have to demonstrate what's called intelligent disobedience. If their handler instructs them to cross a road, but there's a bicyclist or a Prius coming at them, the dog has to decide to say no. Aside from companionship and fun, these are highly trained working animals.

Not sure if I'll continue after this one. I've got a couple other things going on.

That's so admirable that you do that. Personally I feel I would get too attached to the pups.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by bimmette

That's so admirable that you do that. Personally I feel I would get too attached to the pups.

It's a lot of fun also

[C5driver]

How cool would it be to have this one!

[Axius]

Originally Posted by C5driver

How cool would it be to have this one!

It would be pretty cool, but someone spelled his name wrong.

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by Axius

It would be pretty cool, but someone spelled his name wrong.

Bimmer and if it were a female...Bimmette.

[Axius]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Bimmer and if it were a female...Bimmette.

Gotta rep my bbfee Tar-bear.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Axius

Gotta rep my bbfee Tar-bear.

I sense an impending e-visit from a ghost.

[Biorin]

Silly question: perhaps this is just because I'm quite short and have accordingly small feet, but I have to sort of arch my foot when I press on the gas. This is fine and all, but it keeps stretching out my right shoe (especially with cheaper pairs), and now I have three pairs of flats that I can't wear because the right one is enormous. Does anyone else have this problem?

[MrPrena]

Originally Posted by Biorin

Silly question: perhaps this is just because I'm quite short and have accordingly small feet, but I have to sort of arch my foot when I press on the gas. This is fine and all, but it keeps stretching out my right shoe (especially with cheaper pairs), and now I have three pairs of flats that I can't wear because the right one is enormous. Does anyone else have this problem?

Not really, but you can buy those shoes which has thick bottom soles like indoor soccer shoes or volleyball shoes.