Guide Dog Class Lecture: Welcome and Orientation

Welcome to Guide Dogs for the Blind!

Let’s review what is available to you while here for class training.

Religious Services
While here for training, you may wish to make arrangements to attend religious services. Full information on services and transportation options are available.

Psycho-Social Support Specialist
The psycho-social Support Specialist, who is also a guide dog handler, is available for peer emotional support and education throughout your relationship with GDB. They are available to work with clients and alumni on transitional issues surrounding their class training and relationships with their guide dogs. From the beginning of the relationship, through retirement, reapplication, and the grief process. Please call 800-295-4050 and asked to be connected to the phyco-social support specialist.

Staff Nurses
Our nursing staff is available to help you manage both acute and chronic health conditions. Their office is staffed from early morning until evening. They will explain their services and schedules to you. Please report ailments or injuries immediately to an instructor or the nurse.

Daily Class Schedule
The general daily schedule is designed to provide consistency in feeding, watering and relieving a young dog, while introducing each client to their individual dog’s eating, drinking and relieving habits. Times are not listed for each specific activity due to minor scheduling differences between campuses, as well as the inherent flexibility of the training program.

• 7:00 am Water, feed and relieve dogs
• BREAKFAST
• 8:15 am Relieve dogs
• Drive to training area, morning lesson(s)
• 11:30 am Water and relieve dogs
• LUNCH
• 12:45 pm Relieve dogs, afternoon lesson(s)
• RETURN TO CAMPUS
• 4:30 pm Water, feed and relieve dogs
• DINNER
• 7:00 pm Water
• 8:30 pm Relieve dogs

Phone System
The class schedule and self study topics are recorded daily for your reference. Additionally, selected staff numbers are programmed into the direct dial system. Communications regarding meals and building facilities are conducted in person.

Client Rooms
While we want you to feel at home while here in training, please maintain order in your room. The residence staff will help with this as well. Your floors are dusted and mopped daily, and you will receive clean towels every day. You will be provided clean bedding each week.

To maintain our interior climate control, and prevent insects or cigarette smoke from entering the building, please keep all exterior doors and windows closed. Valuables can be kept in the keyed top drawer in the Oregon rooms, or in the personal safe in the California rooms.

Long Canes
We encourage you to use your canes in the building and on the grounds to become familiar with your environment. You may also use your cane when heeling your dog.

Kennels
Later in training you will work your dog (accompanied by an instructor) to the kennel complex for vet consultations. For now, please do not take your dog into the kennel complex.

Visitors
Sundays are non-work days when you are free to engage in other activities after seeing to your dog’s needs (examples might be: laundry, visiting, resting, massage, religious services, reading, watching TV, T-Touch, or an exercise workout).

You may visit with your guests in the public areas of the residence building, your room, or on the campus grounds. While your dog is on tie down, you may walk through the kennel complex if you wish. Please stay in the main kennel hallway since the kennel buildings and secondary walkways are off-limits to the public.

When choosing where to visit with your guests, please be considerate of your classmates who choose to keep Sunday a day of rest.

Use of our facilities and services (computers, exercise equipment, laundromat, meals, yoga class or massage therapy) are reserved for client use only.

As much as possible, keep your dog with you while visiting with your family or friends. Properly manage your dog and insist on good behavior.

We realize that you and your guests may wish to leave the grounds. Leave your dog on tie down, and let the staff member on duty know.

House Rules
“House Rules” provide a safe and predictable learning environment for all.

• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on campus at any time.
• Smoking is permitted only in designated smoking areas outside of all buildings, including the downtown lounge.
• Clients are permitted in each other’s rooms between 8:00 A.M. & 9:00 P.M. if invited.
• At 10:00 PM each evening, everyone is asked to keep the noise level to a minimum in observance of “quiet time”.

Code of Conduct
All clients are expected to comply with our Code of Conduct, which was included in your acceptance packet. A breach of the Code of Conduct can result in the client going home without their dog. While classmates and family members would know that the individual’s training ended due to a breach of the Code of Conduct, the details will not be revealed.

Using Social Media or On-Line Journals to Post Photos, Video or Audio Recordings
Technology affords clients many different options to document their class experience. Blogs and social networking sites are commonplace. Clients have the ability to share their personal impression of the class experience from moment to moment. Phone cameras capture and send still photos or video routinely, and these and Victor Reader Streams allow for easy access to audio recordings as well. If during class you plan to keep an on-line journal, make audio recordings of yourself or others or post photos, captions, or video of classmates or staff on a social media site, please consider the privacy of others and use reasonable discretion in your postings and use of this technology.

Cell Phone Etiquette
With the intention of maximizing everyone’s class experience, we have the following policy: Please do not have phone conversations where they have the potential to disturb your classmates (e.g. class vehicles, dining room, common rooms, during group meetings, on route, during leash relieving, or in the downtown lounge). Texting also has the potential to be disruptive and/or distract the user from hearing instruction. If you are expecting an urgent call or text, and need to be immediately available, please set your phone to “vibrate” so you can leave the group setting and attend to the call or text. Additionally, when traveling with your new guide dog, it’s safest to refrain from any cell phone use (hands-free, text, or hand-held) in order to pay full attention to both your dog and your surroundings. Thank you for your cooperation.

Fire Evacuation Procedure
The residence building was built with fire-resistant materials, and is equipped with heat sensors and automatic sprinkler systems. The fire alarm is a loud, high pitched, steady tone. The evacuation procedures will be covered upon your arrival to training.

During a fire drill or actual evacuation, our designated area to meet is in a centrally-located area between the residence and administration buildings. If you do not know how to get to this location, please remain near an exit. A member of the instructor team will greet you and provide human guide to this meeting location. If you are with your dog when you need to evacuate, bring your dog with you. Otherwise, leave your dog and an authorized person will retrieve any dogs left behind. If you would like the opportunity to practice the evacuation process, a staff member can provide you with additional orientation.

Earthquake Procedure
In case of an earthquake get under a solid piece of furniture or stand under a doorframe, facing away from windows, if possible. Building walls tend to fall outwards, seek inner walls for protection. Remain in this position until the shaking stops, and then evacuate the building following fire drill procedures. Do not turn any electrical devices on or off. Expect after-shocks.

You can stream the audio of the class lecture here, via a Soundcloud widget. If using a screen reader, please select the "Play" option below.