Hello, I will be going to GDB soon to get my very first guide. Your videos are so helpful for prepping and just getting an idea of what’s to come. Thank you.
Hey Nicole, I commented on this video about a month ago! Last time I commented I told you that I’m waiting to hear from Guide Dogs of America, well I heard back and I got accepted! So I’ll be going to California in June to get my first guide dog!!
Thank you! Yes I’m super excited! My good family friend has a guide dog and he gave me the push and support I needed to apply. He has a male black lab named Merlin.
I am so impressed with the way you communicate the guide dog "life ". My boy Tonka was with me for more than 10 years, he passed 2 weeks ago. I am struggling every day with the loss. I know i should have already pursued getting my next guide. Now i am regressing back to using family as guides. My mobility has deteriated and am 68 and concerned about the pretty rigourus training at GDB. Thank for a forum to express my concerns. Kit S.
Hi Kathryn.... I wanted to be able to think about your comment and reply with something worthy of the trust and vulnerability you just demonstrated in your comment. I haven’t been in your shoes, obviously, but I have gone through the sadness and loss of retiring a guide. The first thing I would encourage you to do is consider the Paws & Remember phone call that GDB hosts. It’s once a month, and you just call in and are able to share with others that retirement or passing process and feelings around it with people who understand, and are going through the same thing. You may also want to call and talk with Kim Samco, you can get her info through the support center. I understand your hesitation about the rigor of training, but I’d encourage you to take the time to really talk that through with GDB as you consider reapplication. You sound like you lead an active lifestyle, and it sounds like you benefit greatly from your guises, and take the best care of them. It may be that your training would be adjusted to your lifestyle and needs, and that there may be a perfect match out there for your lifestyle and pace as it is right now. Certainly, a younger dog will have more oomph in him, but Picassa, my first guide, for example, would have ALWAYS made a great guide dog for a person who led a slower, less active lifestyle, more like the human retirement phase of life. She was just always very much at her own pace, and is happy to be active or not so active. Hugs Kathryn, you’re in a tough spot emotionally, and it’s so hard to let go of our guides, our partners. Sending you lots of love, and hoping you’ll end up going for it... or at least talking things through with GDB. ❤️
Hey Nicole! My name’s Jerica and I am currently in the process of appointing for a guide dog!! I am applying to Guide Dogs of América(GDA) in California. I am from North Carolina and I came across your videos and they are so helpful and interesting. You and Figgy make a great team!!
Hi Jerica!! Thanks for watching and joining our channel!! Congratulations on your application and process for a guide dog-that’s SO exciting!!! I hope it’s a smooth process and you have your perfect partner soon! Please continue to comment-I would love to get to know you better!!
Thank you! I am waiting for the last bit of paperwork to get to the school and then it’s just playing the waiting game! I hope and pray that they accept me and I get a dog to be my eyes to give me more confidence and independence, but also a friend.
You’ve got this!! Be patient and while you wait try to build your skills as much as possible! So excited for you! Let me know if there’s any specific content or topics you’d like to see in upcoming videos! I’m in ATB training now for Braille and technology specifically and will be sharing some of that. I’d love to address topics our subscribers would like to see as well though!
+melissa f oh my goodness, Melissa!!! Congratulations!! Will you please keep me posted! I hope you love it, and I hope your training goes flawlessly! ❤️
CraftyBlindChick Definitely will do! Looking forward to the training, - I have learned a lot from your videos, and am a chronic disease “warrior” as well... so I am prepared.
+melissa f you've got this! My training with Fig I took every "in case" med with me. In case of a flare. In case of breakthrough pain. In cause of nausea. Etc. etc. etc. The nursing staff are AMAZING and they get to know your history and medical challenges well. Take good care of yourself! I'm SO excited for you--and it's so great to "meet" you!!!
CraftyBlindChick Cool beans. That is about what I am doing too, preparing for any and all possibility with packing medications. So far the interactions I have had with both nursing and the instructors have been positive, and that means a lot to me. I have never flown before, so that will be interesting LOL. I am looking forward to class, the dog matching, and being able to officially be part of the GDB family. It has been nice to meet you, too!
I suspect I’m misunderstanding something about your comment. So, you’re getting a guide dog and your husband is getting a service dog, so, maybe it’s a different organization he is applying to?
I’ll be going to the California campus next month! I love your videos they’ve kept me from getting overly anxious and they are so informative. Thank you!
Oh my gosh, Ambur! I’m so excited for you!! And thank you for sharing that-it means so much to me to connect with people through this platform, and to hear how any of my videos has impacted someone else! I hope you’ll keep me posted! You’ll LOVE San Rafael!! ❤️. And you’ll love your new partner!! 🐾
Hello my name is Sharon. Yes I am getting a guide dog I leave for guide dogs for the blind May 8, 2022 Mother’s Day what a wonderful day it will be. Can you please direct me to where you got that travel blanket I love that idea I watch your videos all the time thank you and please make more videos
Love watching your videos! I got to GDB to get my first guide in April, and it feels like ages away! I’m so excited, and videos like these help me get through the wait!
+Madelyn Loyd oh my gooooodness!!! Madelyn that's SO exciting!! Which campus and when do you begin training? Sooo excited for you! Please continue watching! I love sharing with you guys and LOVE getting to know you guys!!
CraftyBlindChick I am going to the Oregon campus on April 22 to start training! I have been waiting for this since I was, like, 8. It feels like ages away! I also tried joining the moms with guides group but Tracey never got back with me about it! Haha. I’ll have to try the website again!
+Madelyn Loyd it could have been me that flaked on getting back to you!! It's entirely possible and I've had a crazy year and haven't been as able to keep up with things as I would like! Can you send another email and I'll respond to you tomorrow? I have to work on nomination/election info tomorrow and get that out!
Alisha, that’s so awesome!! Have you started researching the process? How old are you? Super happy for you! It’s a great adventure! PS: I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner, I was away at a conference!).
This one was awesome as usual I loved the personal touches you added like sticking the boots on the harness Never stop making videos your so good at it I am eagerly awaiting the next one 😀
+Ashley Distler you should try to connect with Melissa who commented before you! She's going for her first dog soon and she hasn't flown! Reminds me of someone we both know. 😊. Maybe you two could connect as first time handlers. I don't know how old she is, but hey, I don't know how old YOU are! ❤️😂❤️
Another great video! The content and information is so helpful, I start Classic GDB in about 90 days and can hardly wait. Your videos help with relieving some of the anxiety of starting this new adventure. I love your personality, just keep these videos coming
I believe I talk about that in the Guide Dog Fear video!! Basic Guide Dog Gear : Daily Tools for a Working Guide Dog ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XQ_zhvL4hno.html
So, it’s not that it’s offset exactly, it’s more like the part I hold onto as the blind handler is angled a little, so that it’s more like my arm would be naturally bent when walking. The original handle made me hold my hand/wrist/arm very straight and it caused a lot of discomfort in my wrist as I recall.
The Halty is a different type of head/body collar, same concept but different design. I have not had much experience with them, but I have friends who have been trained and use them exclusively rather than the gentle leader. Figaro’s harness handle when not in use rests on and above his back, but my handle is slightly angled where my hand holds it. Does that help?
Hi there, thanks for a great video. I'm blind also and do my own RU-vid stuff. I'm at the moment in the planning stage to do a simmilar video about my Guide Dog's equipment and things I use for him. I'm especially looking forward to doing mine because I'm from Australia and we have some slightly different equipment here than that which you appear to have through Guide Dogs For The Blind. I really enjoyed your video and have subscribed, you're lots of fun. I'll post a comment with the link to my equipment video in these comments when I've done it if you like.
Hey Mel!! I’d love to see your video-and learn about the differences between our guide dog systems! ❤️. Can’t wait! And so nice to “meet” you, thanks for joining my little corner of RU-vid! ❤️❤️❤️
Here it is, I'm sorry it took me so long to get it up to you. I hope you enjoy it, if you have any questions, let me know. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mpHmWcvrx4A.html
I'm always interested in new "day in the life" videos by guide dog handlers. Also, it would be nice if you could discuss the transition from the guide dog school to your own home.
