careers

[Guest guest]

Reading with dogs was on the news the other night (and the day before it was

kids below grade-level practicing meditation which also raised reading scores).

With all the allergies present in a school population, I'm really surprised that

the teachers are allowed to bring their dogs/puppies to school. I'm allergic to

dog dander and dust - not a great combination when they're combined. We

practice loads of in-house prevention to keep my allergies at a minimum (we have

one dog and are getting a second next week). If my husband pats the dog and

doesn't wash his hands before touching my face, my face will break out in hives

wherever he touched - can't tell you how many times I've walked around with a

hand imprint made up of hives on my face - just gorgeous!

I've always wondered if the assistance dogs are expensive. One of our daughters

tried so hard to train our lab-mix to pick items off the floor, but no luck. He

just stares at things unless it's food.;-) Good for you taking the time and

energy to train these dogs. They're amazing and help people remain independent -

I know there are a lot of people that would lose a lot of independence if not

for these dogs. (I also saw a special where inmates train these dogs also and

it's a win-win situation ... think I'm watching too much tv.)

Kathy

Re: Buliding access/careers

Thats an excellent idea! I am very involved with CCI (Canine Companions for

Independence). Mostly because my Mom has been wheelchair bound for years and is

also about 90% deaf. She is now on her third service dog from this company (two

retired) and it has made such a difference in her life and her independence that

I do whatever I can to support them. They are one of the only companies that

doesnt charge for their dogs. Most organizations charge from 10-20 thousand

dollars. Can you imagine? Anyway, CCI breeds, raises, trains their dogs. We have

two puppy raisers here in ee and they are both school teachers. They take

their pups with them to school every day and it helps socialize the pups (and

the kids love it!) One of the teachers also has a " flunkie " . A pup that didnt

make it through advanced training but is still an awesomely trained dog. She

started a program where kids below reading level read to the dog. Its a

fantastic program! Cant tell you

how many kids are now reading above their level just from reading to Delores

>

>>

>>

>> Hi Jenn, , and All,

>>

>> I looked into VR when I was thinking about returning to work three years

>> ago - I was told that they do not pay for education at higher ed

>> institutions, that they only offer 'training programs'. Does you state

>> pay

>> for retraining to those that need a new career path that would require

>> further college education?

>>

>> Also - does anyone know who to complain to about a public bldg (a

>> doctor's

>> office of all things) that is not in anyway, shape or form handicapped

>> accessible? I had to visit this building last week and I was dumbfounded;

> no

>> ramp, no button for the very heavy entrance doors to open and the

> bathrooms

>> were a nightmare to navigate in a chair. When I asked a receptionist

>> about

>> the why of this she said the owner knew during construction that they

> would

>> be one of their clients (the doctor and an MRI/x-ray business), but still

>> did nothing to make the bldg accessible.

>>

>> She said others have complained to the owner of the bldg (a large, four

>> story mult-office building and owned by a local attorney) and she said

> that

>> he insists that it meets all guidelines. I don't understand how it can

>> though (or why these med. places stay) - if it was not for my daughter

>> lifting my chair like you would a stroller going over a curb to get to

>> the

>> bldg's walkway, keeping the door open for me, and again lifting my chair

> to

>> be able to turn tight corners in the bathroom, I really would not have

> been

>> able to even get to the front door of this bldg, never mind get into the

>> offices

>>

>> Kathy

>>

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