[nagdu] Getting another dog

Tue Jan 27 12:56:49 UTC 2009

Thanks Wayne for that thorough and honest answer to Rebecca's question. 
I've always wondered myself what motivates people to take a long break,
then decide to get another dog.  Very interesting.
Tracy

> Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I've changed the subject to better
> reflect things. For me, my lifestyle had changed from when I was in
> college. In college, things are unpredictable at best, as far as your
> changing schedule every few months. Now, I've got a set schedule 5
> days a week and am gone the same hours per day. I've also developed a
> little bit of a hearing loss. I'm not deaf, yet, but I do have high
> frequency loss. Also, given the number of hybrid cars that have been
> gaining popularity, some in my home town, I decided to get another
> dog. However, the big one was one day in March of last year where when
> I woke up one morning, the first thought I had was, "Okay, it's time.
> Enough time has passed since the death of my first guide and now I'm
> ready to get another." It's hard for me to imagine someone going from
> retiring a dog on Thursday, to starting a class for their secodn dog
> two days later. Yet, I talked with several people in class that first
> weekend who had done just that. I suppose it was hard for them to
> imagine me going 9 years without a dog. I can't really explain the
> timeline myself, except that after I retired my dog and he went to
> live with family, I felt like a weight had been lifted from me and I
> could deal with other things. In that 9 year time period, I had
> finished school, gotten my first job, ben laid off from that job,
> gotten a second job, moved to Austin from Dallas, and had put in a
> good 2 and a half years before going to get the second one. In other
> words, life went on for me. My biggest fear when in class was if I
> would remember everything and how I would incorporate the dog into my
> daily life, or rather if I could. If I could really pull all this
> together and make it work for me. Shortly into training, my instructor
> brought up the idea to me of scheduling a trainer to come and workj
> with me in the first 2 weeks of me being home, in order to help with
> that transition. The trainer did come and I think we got some good
> work done. Now, I've got Gucci, and I couldn't be happier.
>
> It was different in going back for the second one in other ways to,
> mainly that I knew what I was getting into. The first one, I was
> young, and didn't really have any idea of what to expect. Sure, I'd
> heard how a guide dog had "changed someone's life," but I didn't
> really know what that looke dlike. Don't get me wrong here, I've got
> no regrets, but unless you've been there, you really don't know what
> to expect with the first one. With the secodn though, I knew what a
> dog could and could not do for me. I often find myself telling the
> public that, "She's the guide, I'm just the navigator." You know how
> hard that was to accept with the first dog or how long it took me to
> accept that? In some ways, I'm not sure I ever did. Now, if the dog
> stops, I ask her, "What you got? Is there something wrong?" And we
> both try to figure it out. Well, okay, let's be honest here, I try to
> ask her that; I try not to rush through and then run someone over,
> which has happened a few times. Brings to mind another key phrase from
> dog guide trainers everywhere: "Trust/follow your dog." Then again,
> all of us have struggled with that at one time or another, and will
> continue to do so.
>
> Hope this helps. It's hard to describe, but hopefully I captured
> something here for you.
>
> One more thing: it took some time for me to accept Gucci and her role
> as well. Several times during training, I was asked if I liked my dog
> or if I was satisfied. I answered each time with some hesitancy; not
> because Gucci wasn't a good guide, but more from my own worries of
> whether or not this was going to work out. I even told someone, "It
> looks like it, but I'll no more when we're back at hoem and after a
> couple of months." Let me say here that you go through lots of
> emotions in training, from happiness to sadness, to joy, to weariness,
> and all within a compressed 2-3 week timeframe for retrains. It's
> quite an emotional roller coaster at times. When flying home though, I
> was struck by what I had accomplished and what Gucci was and what she
> would do for me, and that was the first time that I cried tears of
> joy. Later when we got home and were settled, and when I was sure that
> the doors were closed and shades drawn, I had a good cry in Gucci's
> fur, thanking her for being my guide and promising to do all I could
> to help her do her job well. I cried for like 10 minutes. I wondered
> if she thought something like, "what kind of a guy did I get here?
> This wasn't what I signed up for." But, she's been a terriffic guide
> and ever since then, when asked if I'm glad I've got her, I respond
> with a harty, "You betcha!"
>
> Wayne
>
> On 1/23/09, Pickrell, Rebecca M (IT) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at ngc.com> wrote:
>> Wayne,
>> This is an interesting post.
>> What made you decide it was time for your second guide?
>> I'm currently using a cane, because like you, I don't want to deal with
>> the day-to-day things of having a guide dog. And like you, I like the
>> tactile interface with the environment.
>> There have been some akward moments, but not as many as I remember from
>> my predog days.
>> I find this an interesting topic, and if you don't mind, would like to
>> know what circumstances lead up to you deciding it was time for your
>> next dog?
>> Thanks much.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Elizabeth Campbell
>> Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 8:50 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] PETA opposes the use of guide dogs
>>
>> Hello Wayne!
>>
>> I couldnt' agree with you more when it comes to getting your second
>> guide.
>> I really like the faster movement and the fun companionship from a
>> guide.
>> It is heart-warming to see that they really enjoy their work and also
>> that they enjoy spending time with us.
>>
>> Liz and Gabe
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <wcmerritt at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 8:32 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] PETA opposes the use of guide dogs
>>
>>
>>> And that's fine too. When I retired my first guide, I was young, in
>>> college, but more importantly, at that time in my life I had realized
>>> that i didn't want to deal with the daily stuff that goes along with
>>> having a dog, much less a guide dog. AS time went by when working
>>> without a dog, I enjoyed being able to feel my surroundings and using
>>> my cane. I did decide to get another guide last year though due to
>>> several factors. I remember one of the things that my instructor said
>>> to me on the first day at The Seeing Eye, when we were chatting in my
>>> room. He said, "You're here because you want to be here, not because
>>> someone told you to come or because you rushed into it." All told,
>>> there were 9 complete years abetween when I retired the first guide
>>> and when I went back for dog number 2. Take some time, go use the
>>> cane. Get back into being able to "feel" your environment. Who knows,
>>> you might find that you end up using the cane for several years before
>>> you go back to get your third dog, or perhaps you'll end up using a
>>> cane for more than that. Either way, I'm not sure anyone who has truly
>>> experienced one guide, can ever really not go back for another. Like
>>> others have said relating to other things, once you get that first sip
>>> or taste, you can't stop.
>>>
>>> Wayne
>>>
>>> On 1/14/09, helene ryles <dreamavdb at googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi Linda
>>>> No, Jilli is my 2nd dog. My first dog had to be rehomed because he
>>>> started being agressive towards children that thried to approach me.
>>>>    I felt very bad about this and so I really don't want to do the
>>>> same with Jilli.  Plus their really isn't the neccessity since Jilli
>>>> isn't agressive or Overprotective like Bruce was. Saying that he
>>>> worked for 9 and a half years which wasn't too bad considering his
>>>> temproment.
>>>>
>>>> I may get a 3rd dog eventually but I'm determined to try my hand with
>>>> the long cane first.
>>>>
>>>> Helene
>>>>
>>>> On 13/01/2009, lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com <lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> Guys, nastiness only reduces us to the level of the person we're
>> nasty
>>>>> to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd say that this Daphne person is that - DAFT (nuts)!  You can't
>>>>> educate
>>>>> them at all!  We can educate the rest of society who will then blow
>> off
>>>>> people like Daphne (smile).
>>>>>
>>>>> Linda and Landon
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Chasity Jackson" <chasityvanda at charter.net>
>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 5:08 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] PETA opposes the use of guide dogs
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I just wrote her a nasty e-mail myself. LOL.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What do you mean they've been after us for a long time? Have they
>> been
>>>>>> successful at taking guide dogs away from their handlers?
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Margo and Elmo" <margo.downey at verizon.net>
>>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users"
>>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 7:01 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] PETA opposes the use of guide dogs
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I think she needs some emails.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> peta has been after us for a long time.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> margo and Elmo
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>> From: "Chasity Jackson" <chasityvanda at charter.net>
>>>>>>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 7:24 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] PETA opposes the use of guide dogs
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> >From an interview with Daphna Nachminovitch, Vice-President of
>>>>>>>> >Cruelty
>>>>>>>> Investigations for PETA, in the Los Angeles Times blog L.A.
>> Unleashed
>>>>>>>> (posted 1/10/09):
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> [NACHMINOVITCH:] There will never be a perfect world, but in the
>>>>>>>> world
>>>>>>>> we're in now, we support some working dog situations and decry
>>>>>>>> others.
>>>>>>>> Hearing dog programs that pull dogs from animal shelters and
>> ensure
>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> they are in safe and loving homes have our stamp of approval;
>> they
>>>>>>>> live
>>>>>>>> with the family for their entire life, they learn interesting
>> things,
>>>>>>>> enjoy life, and love helping. On the other hand, we oppose most
>>>>>>>> seeing-eye-dog programs because the dogs are bred as if there are
>> no
>>>>>>>> equally intelligent dogs literally dying for homes in shelters,
>> they
>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> kept in harnesses almost 24/7, people are prohibited from petting
>> or
>>>>>>>> playing with them and they cannot romp and run and interact with
>>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>>> dogs; and their lives are repeatedly disrupted (they are trained
>> for
>>>>>>>> months in one home and bond, then sent to a second, and after
>> years
>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> bonding with the person they have "served," they are whisked away
>>
>>>>>>>> again
>>>>>>>> because they are old and no longer "useful"). We have a member
>> who is
>>>>>>>> blind who actually moved states to avoid "returning" her beloved
>> dog.
>>>>>>>> We
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> feel that the human community should do more to support blind
>> people,
>>>>>>>> and give dogs a break. A deaf person can see if a dog has a
>> medical
>>>>>>>> issue such as blood in her urine, a blind person living alone
>> cannot,
>>>>>>>> and so on.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Read the whole article (with the option to leave a comment) here:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> <href="
>>>>>>>>
>> http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/01/when-we-first-r.html>
>>>>>>>> You can e-mail Daphna Nachminovitch at DaphnaN at peta.org
>>>>>>>> , or call her at 757-622-7382, extension 1338.
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> My blog:
>>> http://wayneism.blogspot.com
>>> My websites:
>>> www.wayneism.com
>>> www.whitecaneday.org
>>>
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