MIRA

[Guest Anonymous]

Hey hey!

only one exam left so I found some time to squeeze on here :wink:


Has anyone heard of MIRA? www.mira.ca

It's the ONLY place in Canada that I could find so far where I could go to learn to train Guide Dogs...

Although once reading through the site, a few problems have come up...

(first of all, sorry to anyone who lives in Quebec, no offence to you, honest!)

The place is located in Quebec. I would have to stay there for four years.
I am NOT a Quebec person, and other then this, would NEVER plan on going there in my intire life.
I told my grade eight French teacher that there would be NO reason for me to learn french :lol:
Because of that, the only french I know is "Je Swes a Pizza, Avec Du Fromage" :o Which is "I am a Pizza with Extra Cheese" :lol: :lol: :lol: I think if I went there saying that people would lock me away in an asylum :lol: :lol:

Second. IAMS sponsers them... and... well... I'm NOT a fan of IAMS... (Are you against IAMS? I AM! lol I love that)

Third. This: http://www.mira.ca/contenta/nc1-3a.html
The "Laberneese" :-? I'm against designer breeds, however this doesn't look like a designer breed. Because it's bred for the disabled purly, but still... adding a "cute name" to it really bugs me.

So, should I go even though I REALLY don't wana go to Quebec, speak little to NO french, and am personally against a few things there? I really can't find anywhere else here though... There's a BC Guide Dog Services, but so far haven't been able to get a hold of them, have phoned twice and both times didn't get to talk to anyone :-? I also e-mailed, but the guy e-mailed me back and gave me a phone number :roll:

What would you do?

[Guest Anonymous]

The "Laberneese" I'm against designer breeds, however this doesn't look like a designer breed. Because it's bred for the disabled purly, but still... adding a "cute name" to it really bugs me.

What would you like them to call the breed??? a bernerlab?? the laberneese is not really a "cute" name. As for crossbreeding, you must keep in mind that our purebreds are fairly new having mongrels as forefathers. By crossbreeding they are keeping the genetic diversity and expanding the gene pool of the dogs producing healthier dogs as a result. The seeing eye dogs are mass produced as only a few of the dogs will become actual seeing eye dogs, they had been running into ALOT of genetic problems by keeping the dogs in a purebred even with health cleanances and well thought out breeding. Its hard to keep a breed in a purebred especially when you are mass producing them.
The breeders for guide dogs have also been using bouvier des flanders crossed with Lab's as well.

If you are going to live in Quebec, learn the language. They can some times be very gaurded about thier french heritage and language and from the many times I have been there no one will even try to speak english to me. Perhaps its just me, but, I have talked to a few people who have been not spoken to due to not speaking the language.
Did you know that Celine Dion who is from Quebec was shunned due to singing english songs. Her country for a little while was very upset with her for deserting her native language.

[Horsefeathers!]

[quote name='Anonymous'][The breeders for guide dogs have also been using bouvier des flanders crossed with Lab's as well.
That actually sounds quite interesting. I would LOVE to see a picture of a mix like this.

If you are going to live in Quebec, learn the language. They can some times be very gaurded about thier french heritage and language and from the many times I have been there no one will even try to speak english to me. Perhaps its just me, but, I have talked to a few people who have been not spoken to due to not speaking the language.
Did you know that Celine Dion who is from Quebec was shunned due to singing english songs. Her country for a little while was very upset with her for deserting her native language.

Ain't that the truth! Just to be polite and not say how I REALLY feel about my "adventures" in Quebec, I'll say that the times I was stuck in Montreal, I HATED it. Oh well, it was fair enough because they really seemed to hate me, too. Try being a poor ol' drawly US southerner and get anywhere in Quebec... I almost wanted to learn French just so I could go back and cuss real good. I think I'd rather take a good old fashioned country butt whoopin' than ever have to go back. :-?

[Guest Anonymous]

I have nothing against MIX BREEDS, heck I own one!! I'm against them making names for them like that... why not just call it a Bernese + Lab?

There's NO way I can learn french, honestly. It just doesn't work for me. Besides, now that I've looked over Mira I need to know at LEAST two of the three languages, the other being spanish... and there's no way that in a year I can learn two lanaguages.... so I just give up.

I REALLY don't wana go to Quebec either, at all. For MANY reasons, I really don't like Quebec, but I won't get into that, cuz it's merely my own opinion, which hey, we all know doesn't matter eh? *shrugs* :roll: :lol:

[Guest Anonymous]

Mixed breed dogs are NOT healthier than purebreds. Just ask StarFox. I can honestly say I know nothing about genetics but I just don't believe that to be true.

Of course, any dog can have a genetic disease. But, it is much more common in purebred dogs or mixed breeds or crossbreeds from purebreds carrying the genetic diseases. Alot of these genetic diseases are created by keeping dogs locked in a purebred. Think about how small that gene pool gets. All purebreds have has inbreeding in them to create the "standard" look we are looking for. Purebreds are also fairly new creations and look how quickly they are sufferering from genetic diseases, ill health, immune problems etc.
People who are breeding for seeing eye dogs are trying to produce better dogs for the work they are doing. When you think about how many pups they create a year and how many of the pups actually make it to be an actual seeing eye dog it is astounding.

And if they WANT mixed breeds why don't they go look at the MANY different shelters and pick up some of them? There are MILLIONS of them that die every year and I bet some of them would be up for this type of work

They pick specific breeds for temperment, and hereditary behaviors to assist the blind. You certainly wouldn't want some one being drug down a road behind a border collie chasing a car or bike etc. some breeds are bred to have some of their predatory motor patterns modified (Lab's, Bouviers, poodles etc.) and make for better seeing eye dogs than those with the full series of predatory motor patterns. The guide dogs are carefully selected and bred.

Ain't that the truth! Just to be polite and not say how I REALLY feel about my "adventures" in Quebec, I'll say that the times I was stuck in Montreal, I HATED it. Oh well, it was fair enough because they really seemed to hate me, too. Try being a poor ol' drawly US southerner and get anywhere in Quebec... I almost wanted to learn French just so I could go back and cuss real good. I think I'd rather take a good old fashioned country butt whoopin' than ever have to go back

:lol: :lol:

[kendalyn]

Mixed breed dogs are NOT healthier than purebreds. Just ask StarFox. I can honestly say I know nothing about genetics but I just don't believe that to be true.

No one said it was impossible for mixed breeds to have genetic problems, but it is less common. It has to be. It's the only thing that makes any sense and I know with all my heart that it is true. I do have a good understanding of genetics having taken 2 semesters of it, one semester being an advanced course.

It is especially true with purebreds that have been bred by people who don't know what they're doing. Line breeding or whatever they officially call inbreeding is tricky and is only successful when the person planning the match knows what is going on with genetics. People who throw 2 purebreds together are asking for trouble more so than people who throw 2 mutts together.

Think about how small that gene pool gets. All purebreds have has inbreeding in them to create the "standard" look we are looking for. Purebreds are also fairly new creations and look how quickly they are sufferering from genetic diseases, ill health, immune problems etc.

Right on Brotha :P

[courtnek]

Shara, repeat after me...

Parlez en Englais, sil vous plait. Je ne parle pas Francais...

(pronounced: parlay un unglay, see voo play. shuh nuh parl pah fronsay)

(close enough!)

translatoin - please speak in english - I dont speak french.

I have clients in quebec. I find that if you at least try to speak their language, if only to tell them you DONT speak it, they are much more cooperative about it.

there are nuances that cant be properly pronounced in english. but that sentence will get your point across...

:D

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks Court, I'll practice that...

The reason I'm so pesimistic about this is cuz I'd studied french for 7 years and all I can say is "I am a Pizza with Extra Cheese" :lol: :lol: :oops:

I really don't think I could learn enough to be accepted at MIRA in like a year or two :-?

But yeah, anyway, thanks to those who have put in some input to me... and those talking about genetics and stuff, sorry if I come off as a cow, it's late, and I'm tired, but can you please talk about it somewhere else instead of hijacking my thread? I was just asking for what people would do in my situation, not a debate on why they are breeding the dogs they do. I know why, I just don't understand why they can't call it a "Lab + Bernese" is all.

[kendalyn]

I know why, I just don't understand why they can't call it a "Lab + Bernese" is all.

It's just semantics. Maybe you'd prefer it if they came up with a different name altogether that didn't include Lab or Bernese. Lab + Bernese cross is kind of hard to say.

[Carolk9s]

Just a little sideways note to this thread, for anyone considering or rejecting learning a foreign language, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET LEARNING.
Shara, I read that you have tried and have had trouble, I can understand that. So I am not saying you should/must try again.
But speaking with the voice of experience, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
I am working on learning Spanish, at my own pace. I bought the book, Spanish for Dummies. No pressure as in a class but someday I would like to take a class to solidify what I learn on my own.
You never know where life will take you, there is SO much more than you can imagine, I believe globalization will continue to offer opportunities to those who strive to expand their knowledge and marketability.
In my area, there are MANY jobs that I was not qualified for simply because I cannot speak Spanish.
While there are many subjects that I feel pose little benefit in the 'real' world, speaking multiple languages are definitely ones that can open doors.
Just some food for thought, perhaps the teaching methods did not work for you, does not mean you cannot learn using a different method.

[Guest Anonymous]

Carolk9s napisał(a):

Just a little sideways note to this thread, for anyone considering or rejecting learning a foreign language, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET LEARNING.
Shara, I read that you have tried and have had trouble, I can understand that. So I am not saying you should/must try again.
But speaking with the voice of experience, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
I am working on learning Spanish, at my own pace. I bought the book, Spanish for Dummies. No pressure as in a class but someday I would like to take a class to solidify what I learn on my own.
You never know where life will take you, there is SO much more than you can imagine, I believe globalization will continue to offer opportunities to those who strive to expand their knowledge and marketability.
In my area, there are MANY jobs that I was not qualified for simply because I cannot speak Spanish.
While there are many subjects that I feel pose little benefit in the 'real' world, speaking multiple languages are definitely ones that can open doors.
Just some food for thought, perhaps the teaching methods did not work for you, does not mean you cannot learn using a different method.

I understand Carol, and i totally agree. I've tried learning German and Galic... although now i can't even remember how to spell Galic! :o

Onlything of German I had learned was "Sit" and "lay down" :lol: :lol: (obviously for Coal's bennifit :lol: ) Teaching Coal a different language I think was easier then teaching me :lol: Although it helps to teach him what I learn because then I learn it from repeating it to him, and watching him give the action of what it means.... but I duno how I'll teach him "hello, how are you today?" :lol: :lol: :wink:
I would love to learn another language, just now isn't a good time for me. I have trouble learning things they teach me in school as it is!

kendalyn - I don't care if it's hard to say, call it a mutt then cuz that's what it is! It is NOT a new breed! Therefore, it shouldn't be treated as one, that's just my opinion though, no point arguing.