[blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.

Tue Mar 9 03:39:00 UTC 2010

Hi Elizabeth:

I can certainly understand why you made that decision.  I do think it's a
very individual thing, but the decision to get a guide dog is never one to
be taken lightly.  I think that's even more true when you have to think
about balancing your needs, the needs of kids, and the needs of that dog.  I
will always be glad I did get my guides, but again, I think it's something
to think through very carefully.  I will say that, although I do work with
my dog on a regular basis, there are still some places and situations where
I just choose to leave her at home simply because it would be more difficult
to take her.  So, there is something to be said for putting that decision
off at least until kids are older.  And then some people choose never to use
a dog for travel, and I think it comes down to deciding what works best for
you as an individual.  There I go rambling again, lol.  You will all learn
of this bad habbit I have soon enough anyway.  I can write novels if given
half the chance.  Have a good night everyone.

Joy and family 

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Elizabeth Cooks
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 7:27 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.

It's exactly why I decided against geting a dog.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.

>I am not a guide dog user, but this has shed some light of what new parents
> go through. V
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Joy Wolf
> Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 7:13 PM
> To: 'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
>
> Hi everyone:
>
>
>
> I believe Sharon had asked me to share my experiences about having a guide
> dog and a baby and so I thought I'd try to do that now.  I'm not sure the
> nature of the previous discussions, so I'll just share my experiences and
> then anyone can ask if I left something out.  I'll try to make a long 
> story
> short, but no promises, lol.
>
>
>
> Let me first tell you that I have had guide dogs now for almost 22 years.
> My first I received on the day that was supposed to be for my high school
> graduation, and I must say I have no regrets about trading that ceremony 
> for
> the benefits of a guide.  As long as I still got my diploma I didn't much
> care about walking on stage for my graduation, lol.  Anyway, before my
> daughter was born, I had a Lab guide named Houston.  He was one of the 
> best
> guides I've ever had.  He was also crazy, lol.  Yes, you read that right.
> He was an extreme city dog who needed constant activity, and if he wasn't
> working he was playing just as hard.  As I got more and more pregnant and
> realized just what this new baby was going to mean for my previously crazy
> lifestyle, I realized the best thing to do would be to send Houston back 
> to
> be placed with a more active person who could benefit from his craziness, 
> so
> to speak, lol.  It was heartbreaking, but I knew it was best for the dog,
> and in the end, best for me.  So, when Kayla was born I did not have a 
> dog.
> I tried talking with the school about getting a calmer dog right after 
> Kayla
> was born, and was furious that they said I should wait.  They knew more 
> than
> I did, lol, and I'm sure I don't have to explain the exhaustion, sleepless
> nights, and constant need to care for my little girl.  I think getting a 
> new
> dog right then would have been a huge mistake.
>
>
>
> When Kayla was almost two years old I decided the time was right, and got
> Delia, a wonderful Lab Golden cross.  I won't lie to any of you, it was
> hard.  I had the toddler who wanted to walk everywhere, the dog who walked
> much faster than the toddler, and the need to balance out the needs of 
> both.
> At home, it was very nice to have a dog around, and I didn't find it too
> much of a struggle to meet human and canine needs at home.  But when we 
> went
> out, I always felt like I needed just one more pair of hands to do
> everything I needed to do.  Despite the challenges, it was well worth it.
> Delia became a quick pro at helping me as I maneuvered a stroller.  She 
> got
> so used to me pulling Kayla behind me that if I got the stroller caught on
> something, I didn't have to say anything to her directly.  She learned 
> what
> "oops" and "ouch" and "uh oh" meant,a nd would always stop to let me get 
> out
> of whatever mess I had gotten us into.
>
>
>
> By the time my son came along, I had been working with Delia for two 
> years.
> The biggest challenge then was my recovery.  I had c sections with both
> kids, and couldn't even take Delia out to relieve for a while because it
> hurt so bad if she even slightly pulled on me.  I had to remember to do
> extra obedience routines with her in the house, and keep her mind occupied
> with little games and new tricks, while I juggled the three-year-old and 
> the
> infant.  Again, it was a challenge that was well worth it for me.  Delia
> retired when Jaden was 2 years old.  It was an early retirement, brough on
> mostly by the added stress of having two young kids to deal with.  Despite
> the fact Delia was great with my kids, she didn't like kids much, lol. 
> So,
> as the kids got older and I started taking them places like pre-school and
> the playground and children's museum, where there were a lot of other 
> kids,
> well, she got stressed.  Lol, for that matter, some days so did I.  I
> decided that I still wanted to apply for another dog, but that I needed 
> one
> who was truly into kids and didn't get flustered by them.  Galette, my
> current guide, has been with me for two years.  I joke that she loves kids
> much more than she does me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  My
> lifestyle is much different than it was when I got Houston, and I 
> certainly
> need a very different type of dog.  For me, though, it has been well worth
> the challenges that I have faced in order to have it all, so to speak.
>
>
>
> Now that I've rambled on and told you my long story, and that I think it 
> was
> worth every challenge, I will say that I absolutely don't think having a
> guide and a baby or even toddler is for everyone.  I think that it's one
> thing to already have a guide when the new baby arrives, and quite another
> to get a new dog with a new baby in the house.  There is so much to learn
> with a new dog, and with a new baby for that matter, and there just aren't
> enough hours in the day.  I also think there's a big difference between a
> first time handler getting a dog and having young children at home, versus

> a
> person who has had a guide before and knows what they're getting into, 
> lol.
> I do know of people who have gotten their first dog right around the time 
> of
> a new baby, but honestly don't know how they did it.  If you already have
> the dog it's easy to just teach that dog to incorporate the new family
> member into the picture.  Or, if the child is a bit older and you get a 
> new
> guide, that guide comes in and immediately must adapt to the child.  But
> it's something different when you're talking about adapting to a baby or
> toddler.  They're just different creatures, babies and toddlers, lol. 
> Also,
> there is something to be said for the logistics and needing that extra set
> of hands.  This is true when you're carrying a cane, but more so when 
> you're
> responsible for a dog.  If anyone asks me about getting a dog and having a
> child or children, I always am very adamant that they need to let the 
> chosen
> guide dog program know exactly what they need in a dog.  It's ok to be
> picky, and even more so when you have kids in the family.  Ok, I think I'm
> done rambling for now, and if anyone read through my obnoxiously long 
> post,
> thanks for reading.  I tried to paint a very honest picture at least from 
> my
> experience, and hope it helps.  If anyone has any other questions don't
> hesitate to ask. Take care everyone.
>
>
>
> Joy and family
>
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