Blindness & Visual Impairment Support Group

I don't have one, but I have seriously considered it since I also have epilepsy, and they can be trained to detect when you are about to have a seizure as well. I am like you... I cannot afford to go to those training camps... my family needs me at home.

If you decide to train a dog on your own let us know how it works out. I am very interested in this.

Alice

yeah. besides, even being single, I'd loose my apartment if I moved away for 6 weeks, there's no way..

however, for the cost involved, the Lions club covers the entire cost. I believe you have to first be trained on how to train seeing eye dogs, you can't just train one yourself, there are certain commands you give to the dog, and thats not something you can do yourself, I'm sorry. The people who train seeing eye dogs have decades of experience in their fields. You can donate a dog to be trained, but you cannot train one yourself to follow dog training regulations. Besides, not all dogs are able to be seeing eye dogs, there are regulations on that as well.

I have no interest in having a seeing eye dog, for I don't care to live with a dog in my house. There too messy, and I don't like finding little surprises and pee stains in the carpet every now and then :) but despite that, there are regulations you have to follow, but the Lions club covers the entire cost so its no cost to you at all.

I have lookend into the rules here in Washington and there are no rules saying that my seeing eye had to be trained by a special trainer or company, nor does it need any special markings that would let others know that it is a working dog. I would think that the huge bar around the harnass would be a dead give a way...

Now Hawaii does have rules about seeing eye dogs and some states and even towns can have a special order against some breeds of dogs, I've checked those as well.

Me and my wife have dogs before and we have some books that trainers recommand, Teamwork 1 and 2. I used to work with my doberman for years, so we do not start from nothing.

We are now looking for the right dog, between 9 and 16 months and male. A puppy would be to much now.

I have orderd the harnas from a company over the internet, they sell all different sizes and sorts, this one will fit most sub adulds and aduld German shepherd. My wife wil make him a vest so it would show him as a working dog even more.

I have contacted several stores and they have given me promission to enter with him, even though they do not have to let a seeing eye dog in training in.

The only commands they teach a seeing eye dog are: forward, left and right. He needs to sit before crossing a street and getting up the curb again. When you are training him and you hot something that he needed to walk you around, you act hurt and he will learn pretty fast.

I know it will not be easy, yet this will be for me the only way to get a seeing eye dog.

The commission for the blind has offered getting me a seeing eye dog but I don't think it would be fair to the dog for me to have one because I don't get out much by myself because I live in a small village and it would take me hours to walk to town.

Well anyway, there are some companies, such has Seeing Eyes, that will have a trainer come to your house if you live near them. So I've been told. Their website is www.seeingeyes.org

Thanks for the link.

There not close to me, and that is kind of a shame, they work with shepherds as I would want.

I do like walking, I bring my little girl to school and pick her up everyday. Also the store is pretty close, so all those trips and the ones to the library would be easier for me if I had a dog like that.

This is good info! I have low vision, getting worse, and MS so I don't walk much. I am interested in a service dog, which is different. I believe that they evaluate your specific needs first. For example, I can't pick stuff off of the floor without falling. I can see blurry things on the floor but I have to get very close to see what it is. I am constantly getting burned when I cook. Also dropping things, anything and breaking them. so the dog would need special training just for me. Maybe I should put a different post for this. I want a retriever, or medium sized dog as I am in an apartment with a weight limit on the dogs. I already have a mini-daschund He is easily trainable but needs constant attentoin. And I am hoping with a service dog, one big enough to lean on, as I often use a cane.

Hi, I had a Seeing Eye Dog for 3 years. I got her in 2001, and she lived until 2004 when she was killed in a car accident. I went to Guide Dogs for the Blind on the Oregon campus for four weeks for training. There is a great deal to learn about using a guide, and from my experience, you do have to have some proof that the guidedog is an actual guidedog. They give you cards with the laws that prohibit businesses from asking you to leave. You also are given papers that certify the dog as being a guidedog in case you ever have trouble. I am actually going in July to get my second guidedog, but I am going to be able to just take a two week training course since I have had a dog in the past.

I highly recommend the school because everything is totally paid for. Your transportation, your room and board, all meals, the dog itself, follow-up home visits, lifetime supply of heart worm and tick meds as well as vet stipens.

I read one comment about the commands that are used for the dogs. The commands that this school uses are: forward, hault, heel, right, left, hopup, down, sit, stay, and then others that you can incorporate yourself as you train in certain areas to familiarize the dog with areas that they will be traveling often.

I would be happy to answer any other questions about guidedogs or the school which I attended. Guidedogs are wonderful animals, and are well worth the time and training.

Hi Butterfly,
I believe there is no limit on the size of your service dog, your landlord can not say anything about it. They are not considerd pets.

Just leaning on a large dog instead of cane may not the best thing for the dog. But they do train them to help you get up when you have fallen.

Hi JennyMia
It is good to hear you have more information.
I would like to know how "bad" the papers where you had to fill out before you got the first dog. I have seen questions about my income and familie and things I found almost rude.

Well, it has been about 8 years since I initially filled out all the paperwork, but I don't remember much that was to intrusive. They do ask about your family so that they know if you should have a dog who is more used to children, other animals, etc. I don't remember alot of questions about finances. The entire program is free no matter what the income so your income is not a big issue with this school.

I just filled out the application for another dog a couple months back, and there were no questions about income at all.

I'm sure different schools have various ways of approving applicants such as based on income and such, but this school has been nothing but helpful and very considerate through the entire process.

Thanks...that does help me. Oregon is not that far away from me.