[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Guide dog! & Service dogs
- From: "Carolyn Martello" <marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "'freelist'" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:29:12 -0800
Years ago over time we placed four Guide dogs with Guide Dogs for the Blind in
San Rafael, Calif.
and I think that is the one mentioned for Marin/San Francisco.
At that time they used mostly JUST German Shepherd Dogs, and just dogs that
were donated by
Breeders if they passed all their testing. It is an amazing experience to
watch your dogs 'graduate'
with their new blind owners!! It was reassuring to watch every single GSD
DRAG their trainer of 18
months to their new blind owner they had only known SIX weeks! They WANTED
to work for them!
We were there twice for Grad. ceremonies for our dogs, and always walked around
and checked
out the dogs and facilities. This is when Mr. Keasberry was in charge of
approving puppies
A little later they started their own breeding program rather than rely on
breeders, and a few years
later I went back with a friend who was raising a Golden Lab for them. I
could not believe the
terrible quality I saw in the GSD puppies...and the serious temperament issues
when looking
at the pups. I don't think there was one there that was 'usable'. Really
a sad thing to see.
A few years later when I talked to them they only used Golden Retrievers..some
Labs.
A real loss!
Regarding a post considering GSD having too much power...one of our guide dogs
that was used
was a large powerful male...placed with an EXTREMELY tall large man. They fit
the dogs to the
need and the School was really GLAD to specifically have a large male for this
man.
Also our dogs that are in used as Service Dogs seem to fit their personalities
to the needs of the
owners and are very gentle with them. They literally seem to understand their
needs & limitations.
Carolyn marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.marhaven.com
On Behalf Of edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Friday, February 20, 2015 10:35 AM
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Guide dog!
Just saw a commercial about a soldier who lost his sight as a result of
fighting in Afghanistan! He had a German Shepherd Dog! You almost NEVER see a
German Shepherd guide dog anymore, yet when I was a kid that's all you saw! why
aren't our dogs not used very often! It's disappointing to me. when my ex-wife
got a guide dog she wanted a Shepherd but was told her school ( Marin/ San
Francisco school for the blind) no longer uses GSds... To this day that bothers
me....even though she's had two great Labs, it's too bad GSDs have been fazed
out. Ed
Sent from Xfinity Connect Mobile App
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