[blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
Elizabeth Cooks
elizabethcooks at comcast.net
Wed Mar 10 22:17:38 UTC 2010
lol. Angelica used to do those things, too.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Allie" <alliemartins at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 1:06 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
> Gabbie is great! She'll be 3 in May. Seems like she gets smarter and
> smarter every day. She's potty trained, at least in the daytime, which I
> am really happy about. *GRIN* I'm not brave enough to start night-training
> yet. She likes to talk and sing and dance, and is generally just full of
> tons of energy. LOL.
>
> She can count from 1 to 10, but she doesn't do it when asked. (Typical!)
> She also likes to make pretend food for me to eat, and says things like,
> "Here, try some, just a little bit," when I say I don't want any. I don't
> know how many pancakes and birthday cakes and enchiladas I've eaten so
> far. Hehehe.
>
> One day we were having ice cream. She finished hers and said she wanted
> more. I told her no more for tonight, but she could have some more
> tomorrow. I was finishing my ice cream, and she said, "Let me try it!"
> LOL. She's so cute.
>
> Then, another time, she was telling me that she wanted a motorcycle. Now
> where or how she heard about motorcycles is beyond me, but I asked her
> what kind of motorcycle she wanted. She said, "A blue one!" Then she said
> she was going to ride the motorcycle with the guy. Heck if I know who the
> guy is. LOL. So that's when I said, "I don't think so." And she said, "I
> don't think so, either." Hehehehe. She really makes me laugh sometimes!
>
> -- Allie
>
> Please read and vote for my guide dog story at
> http://dogschangelives.org/index.php/stories/entry/alejandra-and-flip/
> Thank you!
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 11:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
>
>
>> How is Gabbie doing? What has she been getting into these days? V
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Allie
>> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 9:36 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
>>
>> Hi Joy,
>>
>> I agree with what you said, about not getting a dog after a new baby. I
>> already had Flip when my daughter was born, but I couldn't imagine
>> leaving
>> her long enough to get a dog after she was born. *SMILE* So much to
>> learn,
>> so much to do, not enough hours or hands to do it all.
>>
>> -- Allie
>>
>> Please read and vote for my guide dog story at
>> http://dogschangelives.org/index.php/stories/entry/alejandra-and-flip/
>> Thank you!
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Joy Wolf" <joy at kevinlwolf.net>
>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 7:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.
>>
>>
>>> 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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>
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