[Ag-eq] guide dogs

[barbandzoe at comcast.net]

That sounds like a good time.  
so Fred you say you go to the bike shop?  do you ride? and what do the dog do, just run beside like a non working dog, or does he still guide the bike.   I have enough vision to ride a bike, and if I would I would want the dog to go with, but he would not have to guide the bike, he could run along side for fun.  I ride on bike paths where there is less traffic. 
  
Barb 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Fred's Win7 Catastrophe" <regenerative at earthlink.net> 
To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 8:23:31 PM 
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] guide dogs 


Hi, 

Ya, my dog is fearless, can lead me across a 4 to 
6-inch wide plank over a stream, and other useful tricks. 

So you can walk as fast down a garden path, over 
a  grassy meadow, or  a patch of desert 
with  rocks and  pricklies with a cane as with a dog? 

How about at night? 

How about at night after a couple beers or glasses of wine? 



I know that the two black labs I grew up with 
were better with hot pavement, than my yellow 
guide lab now.  I’ve read since that black labs 
are more temperature tolerant than the lighter 
colored Labradors.  This guy is half English 
yellow, and half American yellow.  He is a xsuper 
smart dog, and  can learn new commands or phrases 
with 2 or 3 rpetitions.  He knows  somewhere 
between 80 and 100-commands, phrases, and names. 

The important one, like “find a toilet!” gets me 
to a men’s room almost every time. 

Find the button works for elevators, crosswalk 
request buttons, and the stupid door opening 
buttons that some of our local trains use; 

He knows his left paw from his right paw, which 
helps when checking for burrs, clumps of ice, or whatever is making him limp; 

He can walk a couple miles across town to 
whichever friend’s house I tell him – without any further guidance; 

We’ve actually gotten off a train, and I didn’t 
know how to get to a bike shop that  he had 
only  been to a couple times in two different 
cars.  I told him, “Find the bike shop,” and we 
walked several blocks east, then turned to go 
several blocks north, and sure enough we 
were  walking into the friggin’ bike shop!  Do that with a cane. 

The most amazing thing, he was under a table with 
about a dozen guide dogs.  Us handlers 
were  holding a meeting, and discussing  our 
dogs.  One buddy said that his dog began poking 
her nose at his cell phone pocket when he 
couldn’t hear it ring.  She taught herself 
that.  The amazing thing is that my dog began 
doing that same behavior later that day!  Dogs 
are not supposed to be able to  learn a command 
by overhearing  one handler talk about the 
behavior.  That is abstract learning. 

He still can’t set up the coffee maker though, 
or  get a beer out of the fridge.  What a slacker! 



Fred 



At 04:58 PM 10/16/2013, you wrote: 


Fred: 

It sounds like you have an ATV, not a dog! 

I used to hike with my black lab and he got 
really good at it.  He was also good 
in high traffic areas.  My golden retriever wasn't so crazy about the outdoor 
activities.  He was also a bit more nervous than the lab.  He was faster and 
more accurate than the lab.  I used to say the golden was like driving a sports 
car and the lab was like driving a suv! 

I used dogs for 16 years and loved it, but I'm a good cane traveler and don't 
feel restricted by the cane.  I live in Phoenix now and I think it's just to 
hot for a dog here.  Maybe someday I'll get another one. 

Good luck. 

Nella 





Quoting Fred's Win7 Catastrophe <regenerative at earthlink.net>: 

 > 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.  Im 
 > 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 isnt 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/>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 isnt 
 > 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 
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