[blparent] New guide Dog.

Mon Oct 20 14:43:31 UTC 2014

One of the hardest parts of having a guide dog is the window when the baby is mobile but cannot understand language. They don't have a clue what you're telling them to do. So things like "touch gently" or "come towards me" are ignored. You can of course show the baby what you mean. That takes time and it doesn't help if you are trying to put something in the oven and the baby is interacting with the dog in a way that is inappropriate or unacceptable. 
You also have to figure out how you'll balance things like the baby needs to be rocked but the dog needs to go out. Or you've finally gotten to sleep after being up a good chunk of the night and the dog needs to go out. 
I got one of the worst colds of my life after my first daughter was born trying to manage this aspect. The birth was vaginal and that matters because I didn't take proper care of myself. After all, babies have been coming out that way forever and that's how Mother Nature designed it. 

You'll need to think of what you'll do with your dog if you attend story time and other baby events where babies are encouraged to crawl around freely.  
You'll need to decide if you want to expose your children to access issues that you just don't get with a cane. Yes is an ok answer, I chose to answer that with a no. 

You can certainly get a guide dog and be successful. You just need to understand that it isn't a cane only better. 

I appreciate that this question was asked and everyone’s insights. I, too, am a guide dog user and he’s likely going to retire in the next 2 years. I love using a dog but wasn’t sure how people handled baby and a new dog. I imagined though it would be a challenge and see the wisdom in waiting a few years. 

Briley
On Oct 19, 2014, at 4:46 PM, Judy Jones via blparent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:

Very good insight.

I have had four guide dogs, and all during our kids growing years.  The intensity in  changes in bringing New Dog home and everyone getting acclimated are not unlike thos faced by bringing a new baby home.  Both take time, forethought and planning.  To be able to accurately answer this question, it would be helpful to kknow what is driving this train.

Judy

-----Original Message----- From: Star Gazer via blparent
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2014 2:37 PM
To: 'Kaila Allen' ; 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] New guide Dog.

What exactly are you thinking about?
I've used two dogs and I use a cane now. There are pros and cons and you need to be aware of them.
It's my belief and experience that the guide dog model is a very masculine model. It doesn't account for the demands of pregnancy, newborns and young children. You can work around this, just as you can work around anything.
You'll have to decide if that's what you want, what impact it will have on your family and if that's how you and your family want to spend time money and energy.
I've told many people that having a new baby is way easier then adjusting to a guide dog. People "get" babies even if they differ on the best way to handle them. Very few people "get" guide dogs. They expect perfection and that expectation is based on them and what they think they know and has very little to do with reality.

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaila Allen via blparent
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2014 7:51 PM
To: Shelby Young; Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] New guide Dog.

I have been thinking about getting a guy dog can you guys give me a couple of the pros and cons to having a guy dog with children my kids are four and six thank you guys

Princess Kaila
The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit Nelson G Henderson

> On Sep 10, 2014, at 4:39 PM, Shelby Young via blparent
<blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good luck with your next dog! It is so nice having her.
> Shelby
> 
> 
>> On Sep 10, 2014, at 3:53 PM, Jo Elizabeth Pinto <jopinto at msn.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Good luck and happy travels.  I leave Sunday for GDB in Oregon, where 
>> I
will train with my third guide dog.  I have a six-year-old who isn't looking forward to my leaving, but she can't wait to meet my new guide dog when I return.
>> 
>> Jo Elizabeth
>> 
>> Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, 
>> you
may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
>> -----Original Message----- From: Shelby Young via blparent
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2014 2:14 PM
>> To: Blind
>> Subject: [blparent] New guide Dog.
>> 
>> Hello all,
>> I recently returned from Leader Dogs for the Blind with my first dog. 
>> Her
name is Jackie and she is a 17 month old black lab golden cross.
>> Things are going pretty well. Jackie and Jaxcen already love each other.
Jaxcen is two years old and thinks she should play with whatever he has. :)
>> Right now I put him in my Ergo on my back and we go. If any of you 
>> have
different siggestions of how to travel with a toddler and a guide dog please let me know.
>> Best regards
>> Shelby
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> 
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