02/21/2019
Hoping for good news from GDA! Paws crossed!
It's Wednesday for class #406 which means its DOG-DAY!!! The first Wednesday of each class is when our students receive their new guide dog. Long before this day takes place, there is a TON of work that goes into creating that perfect match. Our trainers spend hours studying how each student walks. Do they veer left or right? Do they have a long slow stride, or a short fast stride, or maybe a completely different mix of those four elements. Do you like a dog that is going to pull you, or perhaps just a light tug in the harness handle. The trainers take the first three days of class to develop a broader profile of each student's personality and lifestyle. An example of this would be introverted versus extroverted. It's a mix of art and science that leads into finding that magical new match. Lorri Bernson, a graduate of GDA with guide dog Captain, recounts, " It's incredible how little the trainers know about us when we first get to GDA, and it's really uncanny how they can match us with a dog that perfectly matches our personalities and lifestyles, there aren't words for it."
Image Description: Lorri Bernson with guide dog Captain
