[blparent] Guide Dog and Toddler

[Jennifer Woods]

Hi Judy,

Thank you so much!!  I really appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions and share your tips and experiences with me. I had been told by the school that many people have guide dogs and toddlers but I wasn't sure how it would work.

How long did you work with just you and your dog before introducing your son?

My dog will have the opposite issue depending on which school I go with my dog will be coming from New York to California. 

How many dogs have you had now? Which school is your dog from?

Did they come out and do follow up if you had issues with the dog?

I am so used to using the stroller with my son that I'm not sure how well he will do when we don't have it with us.

We're going to try going without it tomorrow and see how it goes.

Jenn

On Nov 25, 2014, at 6:57 PM, Judy Jones <jtj1 at cableone.net> wrote:

Hi, Jennifer, and welcome to the list.

Our now-28-year-old was 2 when I got my second guide dog, and our second daughter was five when I got my third dog.  I believe we started preparing the younger one for the new dog to come by giving it a name.  Newdog.  We would talk about Newdog as he/she naturally came up in conversation.

Our two-year-old had been around my former guide dog, so she understood about dogs to the best of her ability.

My husband was wonderful about baby sitting our daughter when I first came home with my dog Fila.  This allowed me time to acquaint Fila with our neighborhood, the shopping area we would walk to, and the home environment in general.  Fila was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, so also had to get used to two feet of snow on the ground.  She did very well, but a lot of strangenesses for her.

I've had four dogs now, and no matter how confident they get at the training school, and no matter how on top of things they are then, you get them home, and for a couple of days, they can be space cases.  You have to remember that they are plunked into the middle of a totally foreign environment. new food, new water, totally strange surroundings, smells, sounds, people, a lot for a young pup to take in and still be expected to perform.  The newness wears off quickly enough, but you must help the dog adapt, and ask for some baby sitting help with your son at first until you can acclimate the dog and gradually work the toddler into the mix.

As your dog gets used to your pace, they are very willing to slow down for a toddler.  If you let the school know you have a toddler, they will keep in mind the kind of dog that can deal with a lot of flexibility.

The dog can sense when you can stride right out when you are by yourselves, and when they need to poke along with a toddler.  That's a good time when you can praise the dog for meeting your slowed-down needs when walking, plus teaching the little one is good to give a dog positive reinforcement.  You have to be careful though that puppy doesn't use the time to develop sniffing habbits.

I would say the most important thing is confidently handling your dog first, then adding Toddler to the mix.  The dog is acting as guide for the two of you, and if you have control of Puppy, that will leave your energies for Toddler.

Judy

-----Original Message----- From: Jennifer Maybury via blparent
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2014 5:13 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] Guide Dog and Toddler

Hi everyone,

I am new to the group. My name is Jennifer I'm a single mom of a very active 2 1/2 year old little boy.

I'm in the process of getting a guide dog
I'm wondering if those of you who have a guide dog and a toddler can please give me some tips and tricks on how you adjusted to having a guide dog and what you did to help your child adjust to the dog?

What do you do as far as when you walk with your Guide Dog and your toddler when it comes to pace? Jennifer
When I walk with my son using my cane I always have him wear a backpack that straps around his chest and has a strap I hold onto. He also holds my hand when we're near a street or parking lot. Sometimes he's better than other times. Smile i plan to continue that with the Guide Dog but am not sure how the dog will do with 2 different paces?

I have also been using an umbrella stroller at times but it's hard to push with my cane and  I can pull it backwards and go in a straight path. I'm trying to not use the umbrella stroller and have him walk as much as possible because riding the bus I don't have enough hands to hold the folded up stroller, my son and use my cane. The bus drivers are not always very good about letting me fold up the stroller after I get my son seated they want it folded up first and I don't want to leave him by himself.

Thank you in advance.

Jenn

Sent from my iPhone



_______________________________________________
blparent mailing list
blparent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blparent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/jtj1%40cableone.net