[blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.

Fri Mar 12 03:52:09 UTC 2010

Veronica, that is adorable.
E. Elizabeth

----- 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 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] Guide dogs and little ones.

They are so darn cute at that age.  Do you write down the cute things she's
says.  I used to write them all down.
I remember when Gab was about that age, she had a little white sundress with
a strawberry picture right in front.  We were walking through Target and her
little head was turning from side to side.  My husband finally said, gab
what are you doing?  She replied, looking for a husbnd. I am wearing my
wedding dress.  I thought my husband would flip. Heheheheh! It was so funny.
V

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Allie
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 1:06 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
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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