[nagdu] Getting another dog

Tue Jan 27 15:35:20 UTC 2009

Wayne, 
Thank you for this honest post. 
I've seen others have responded as well, so will take a look at them. 
I had always thought that the transition from cane to dog was verticle
and that you only went "backward" if something was wrong with you, the
dog, or both. 
My own experience has taught me this isn't true, at least not all of the
time, hence my question. 
I was and am curious to know what other experiences folks had had. 
Thank you all for sharing. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of wcmerritt at gmail.com
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 6:18 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Getting another dog

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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> for
>>>>>>> nagdu:
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> ve
> rizon.net
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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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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