[nagdu] dog breeds and owner training

[Nicole B. Torcolini]

Umm, for some reason, this came through three times.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Haben Girma" <habnkid at aol.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:52 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog breeds and owner training


Hi Mardi,

I wonder where you live? Perhaps up north like Alaska where huskies are
so common? You mentioned that you could not get a program trained dog
because you could not leave your home and business for 4 weeks. There
are schools like Fidelco that do in-home training. By the way, I just
joined this list.

Cheers,
Haben

Mardi Hadfield wrote:
> Hi every one,  I have had many different breeds of dogs as pets, But all 
> of
> my guide dogs have been Huskies.  I tried a border collie, and he would 
> have
> been a good guide,but he was an abused dog before I got him and he could 
> not
> handle being out in public. Wanagi is a shepherd / husky cross and she was
> coming along very nicely with her training, when the weather changed to 
> cold
> and rainy and I discovered that she had a hip problem. I think she would
> have made an excellent guide if she did not have that problem. I should 
> have
> had her  xrayed, but the vet said she moved fine so I thought she was OK. 
> I
> will not make that mistake again. Tracy said it, not all dogs make it as
> guides.  I kept Wanagi as we did bond, right from the start. She is still
> very special to me.  I hate that I have to retire Nala. As much as I loved
> Lily, my first guide, Nala is a much better guide and she really loves her
> job. I have continued to work her only because she does not want to retire
> yet. But I know that when the weather here gets hot, she will not be able 
> to
> work. I am going to try out a german shepherd tomorrow. I hope this dog 
> will
> work out.  If I were able to walk and use a guide dog, there would have 
> been
> several dogs that I tried out that would have worked. Finding a dog that 
> can
> keep up to my pace with the wheel chair and remain in the right position
> next to the chair, is not easy. I am spoiled,as Nala was perfect from the
> very beginning, when I got her.She learned very fast and really enjoyed
> working. The first time I took her on the bus, she went up on the lift 
> ,just
> like she had been doing it all her life. In the time period of 4 
> months,she
> was a finished, trustworthy guide dog. This time is not so easy, as I just
> can't seem to find a dog that even wants to work, let alone keep up with 
> me
> and stay in the correct position.Things would be much simpler if I could 
> get
> a program trained dog,but I just can't be away from my home and other
> animals and my business for 4 weeks. So I will keep looking for that so 
> far
> allusive dog. I know that I will find it , I just hope it is soon. I love
> Huskies and for me they make a good guides, but I am open to other breeds,
> if that dog can do the job for me.   Have a great day,  Mardi and
> Nala,semi-retired
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