[Ag-eq] guide dogs

[nfoster at extremezone.com]

Fred:

I don't think I'm quite as fast with a cane as with a dog.  However, at this
point in my life I'm not so interested in speed.  I have fibromyalgia, so I
have good days and bad days.  On a bad day I move like an old lady and on a
good day I can walk quickly.  Also on bad days my balance is effected.  My
health is another reason that I'm hesitant to get another dog; I don't want to
confuse one.

I'm totally blind, so the time of day or night doesn't change my travel
abilities.

Taking a dog out into the desert is difficult there are so many thorns and such
on the ground.  A lot of the thorns will go right through the dog boots.  The
boots do help protect the dogs from the hot streets and sidewalks.

I don't do much hiking any more, just short ones.  I use my cane and ahiking
stick to feel the trail.  When hiking with others I listen to their steps as
well.  If I have my pet dog on hikes, I can use him for balance.

I mostly experience trails from horseback now.  My horse is very sure footed and
careful on difficult trails.  He's also good at staying on the trail and going
around obsticals.

As I said before I loved traveling with a dog; I just don't feel that this is a
good time for me to have one.

Nella



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

>
> 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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