[nagdu] Welcome Haben

[Marion & Martin]

Dear Haben,
    Somehow I missed your original introduction to the list! Let me offer 
you a belated welcome and hope you enjoy the list. NAGDU also hosts other 
virtual activities, such as Board meetings, round tables, and workshops via 
teleconference that i hope you will choose to participate in. Where do you 
live? Are you a member of a Chapter or affiliate of the NFB? I apologize if 
I'm asking questions that you already answered in your intoroduction, but i 
like to get to know our members! (smile)

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala


----- 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: Saturday, February 07, 2009 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Welcome Haben


> Hi Mardi, thanks for the explanations. I love the names of your dogs. I 
> actually don't have a dog, I'm in the application process for a Seeing Eye 
> dog right now. So, I'm patiently waiting to learn my fate.
>
> Cheers,
> Haben
>
> Mardi Hadfield wrote:
>>  Hi every one,     Welcome Haben.   No, I don't live in Alaska.  My 
>> Huskies
>> are "south paws"  We live in Tucson, Arizona.  When I first needed a 
>> guide
>> dog, I was told that the schools did not train for wheelchair users.Since 
>> I
>> already had a service dog, who was a husky, I hired a trainer to help me
>> train Lily  to guide me. I had to retire her at age 8 as she had health
>> issues and she died month later, leaving me with out a guide dog.  I 
>> tried
>> out a border collie and he did not work out as he had been abused before 
>> I
>> got him and he could not handle being out in public. Then I got another
>> husky, Nala,who was a fantastic guide. She will soon be 10 years old and 
>> has
>> health issues now.She has guided me for 8 years and it has been hard to
>> retire her as she does not want to retire. When she sees me getting ready 
>> to
>> go out, she brings me her harness and get all excited. She started 
>> picking
>> fights with Wanagi, the dog that I was training to take over for Nala. 
>> She
>> is a lot happier now that she is working again part time. Wanagi came up
>> lame with a hip problem, so she was  career changed. I am keeping her as 
>> a
>> pet. I have been looking for a dog to take over as my new guide for over 
>> 10
>> months. I think I have finally found a dog.I would love to get a dog from
>> Fidelco,but when I asked about it ,I was told that they don't train for
>> wheelchair users.I would have to pay my way to and from South Eastern 
>> Guide
>> Dogs, which I could not afford, and really can't be away that long. Guide
>> Dogs for the Blind would take me ,but again, I can't be away  from my 
>> home
>> and business that long. So I guess I will just continue to train my own
>> guides with the help of my trainer.  Haben, do you have a guide dog? If 
>> so ,
>> what breed is it? I love hearing from others and about their dogs.  Have 
>> a
>> great day,  Mardi and Nala,semi-retired, and Shaman , possible trainee.
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>
>
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