[Ag-eq] guide dogs

[Fred's Win7 Catastrophe]

Good questions Barb,
I'm on my first guide dog.  He'll be  7-years old 
at the end of this week, and  I'll probably 
retire him in another year and a half.  I’m 
40-something, been  legally blind from a head 
injury when I was 21-years old.  I was a good 
cane traveler, with about 20-years of 
experience.  I can see a little in the upper-left 
corner of my visual field, which isn’t very 
useful for walking.  I often use a hoe or 
long-handled fish net  like a long white cane  on 
farms that I worked on.  Still, holes would 
appear, trenches would be dug, or any number of 
obstacles would  pop-up.  When I switched to a 
guide dog from <http://www.guidedogs.com/>www.guidedogs.com
it made me a much safer and faster walker 
offroad.  He eats about  a cup and a half of 
kibble  in the mornings, 2 cups of kibble in late 
afternoons, and  drinks  as much water as he 
wants, day and night.   I don't have to take the 
dog for a walk.  He goes wherever I go, whenever 
I go.  He works in rain, snow, ice, mud, mulch, 
sand, gravel, grass, and pavement.  He can even 
climb ladders, but keep that under your hat.
In snow, ice, mud, gravel, soft soil, grass, 
etc.  – the dog kicks ass over a cane!

I didn't get him for companionship, but simply 
for better mobility off paved surfaces.  I 
attract enough attention on my own.  But he 
really attracts attention, good and bad, so a dog 
is a way to meet  people.  Some days, it is 
almost like trying to sneak through town next to 
a famous rockstar.  That can be a pain.  He isn’t 
much for conversation, and  is  kind of like  having a  nosy little brother.



Overall, he is patient, smart, quiet, and always 
ready to go whenever or wherever I'm going.
He is just under 80-Pounds, and bigger than I was 
expecting.  This actually comes in handy.  When 
walking over slick surfaces, I've got 4-more feet 
on the ground, not to mention his 80-Pounds of 
ballast in my left hand.  We walk along rivers, 
streams, beaches, and cliffs, over cobbles and 
boulders small and big.  I am able to walk where 
I would  otherwise  need to crawl over rocks and 
logs.  The dog kicks ass over a long white 
cane.    When we approach a waist to chest-high 
berm, fallen logs, or other obstacle, I command 
him to jump-up and hold steady.  I then grab his 
harness strap, and scramble up.  Try doing that with a white cane.



Ever misplace your white cane?  A dog comes when 
you call, or more likely anticipates  your call 
by observing your actions.  My dog loves his job, 
and we are buddies.  He is very friendly with 
people of all ages, pets and livestock, and 
enjoys hiking, backpacking, sleeping in a tent, 
travel on busses, trains, planes, autos, boats, 
kayaks, and even  in a trailer behind my  tandem bike.

Good luck,

Fred, near San Diego


At 10:17 AM 10/16/2013, you wrote:

Hi, I am Barb and I haven't been on here in a long time.
Sorry to see that someone is having their 
chickens killed, that would be heart breaking.

Why I am posting is,  I am legally blind and have 
a good amount of vision.  I have been told that I 
could maybe get a guide dog.  I am 52 and my 
night vision is not what it used to be.  Plus I 
have tripped over things and landed on my 
face.  My people at worked were so freaked out.
I have looked at the Seeing Eye school, but I am 
not shure if I should apply.  I want the dog to 
go to work with me, and to the gym, I would have 
someone to go on walks with, and just be there on 
the train and on the walk home.  I am not really 
afraid to walk home, but things are getting a bit 
rough out there.   I live in Minnesota so once it 
gets cold I will have to find a different way to 
get the dog his workout. I know that with a big 
dog you need to walk them almost every day.  When 
it gets icy I get afraid to walk myself, now I 
need to walk the dog.  but there are indoor options when needed.
I do use my cane more and more mostly in the dark 
and in spaces I don't know, your if there are a lot of steps.

So I guess I was looking for anyone who has a dog 
and how they have change your life. I want to 
make shure that I am doing this for the right 
reasons and not just so I can have a great dog with me wherever I go.

Thanks
Barb