[nagdu] Getting another dog

lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
Tue Jan 27 23:23:49 UTC 2009 

Hi All,
I had a gap of about seven years between my second and third dogs. I was 
doing other things and had work that wasn't condusive to having a dog 
around.  I got a different job and applied for a dog after two years in that 
job.

Then, things happened and, upon coming home with the brand new dog.  My 
roommate wanted me to move out so her boyfriend could move in. The job 
decided they didn't need my services anymore.  So, here I was with a brand 
new guide dog, potentially no home and no job.  Well, my parents and my 
brother asked me if I'd like to move to California.  My sister and I moved 
to California and we've been here for 20 and one half years.  I found no 
paid work in those twenty years but lots of volunteer ones where I got lots 
of good experience and stuff to put in a resume.

Now, it is time to move on - I'm moving back to Vermont to be with my 
boyfriend (we've been having a long distance relationship) and to, 
hopefully, find paid employment.  Dang!  I'm approaching "retirement age" at 
age 58! My boyfriend is 64 and going strong and working for a disability 
agency in Vermont.  Funny, how life happens.  I want to find a part time job 
as a receptionist and also get back to my art and crafts.

I did find transitioning from cane to dog very easy as I was losing more 
vision and had a slight hearing loss.  Now, I don't have any problem going 
right from a retired dog to a new one. My retired dog lives with a friend 
and he's having a blast.  I have never been able to keep any of my retired 
dogs because I live in an apartment and don't want the retired dog home 
alone all day. I also cannot afford to properly care for more than one 
animal.

Yes, it is sad to give up the retiring dog but it is best for them. I enjoy 
hearing about how much fun they are having and that they are no longer 
working,  When I saw Jacob back in the summer, he had no desire to work for 
me anymore.  He had alot of fun meeting Landon!  His new "mom" brought him 
to church and she got a kick out of Jacob's guiding her to church from the 
parking lot!  I told her that he remembers the route because of his guiding 
me for all those years - most of his working life.  I am happy to see my 
retired dogs enjoying themselves, being happy, and getting good care and 
love.  I can then move on and give my new guide what he needs from me.

I don't think there's a "right way" or a "wrong way" when it comes to 
retiring dogs.  We all need to do it in the manner we feel is best for us.

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sblanjones11" <sblanjones11 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 8:41 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Getting another dog


> Dear Wayne & listers,
> I, too, left a large gap of time between my first and second guide.
> The first time I went to guide dog school, I was literally fresh out of 
> high
> school, like 24 hours ago.  I was young, idealistic and foolish, and did 
> not
> know how to work with a dog.
> We worked very hard for three years, but it was clear she did not have the
> respect for me she needed to have, and I didn't trust her.  So, we had a
> parting of the ways.
> I decided it was time to truly learn how to use my cane.
> 21 years later, I decided, being much more settled and mature, and having
> had the chance to observe how others work with their guides, it was time 
> to
> research getting another guide.
> I am now on my fourth dog since then.  Some matches have been more
> successful than others, but on the whole, I am extremely grateful I 
> decided
> to return to working with a guide dog.
> I also am not comfortable with going back for next dog as soon as the 
> prior
> one retires.  I find I do better waiting 1 to 3 months.  Believe me, using
> my cane for that length of time gives me an added appreciation for working
> with my new guide.  Also, I think we all develop certain habits with our
> guides.  Some of these need to be unlearned, or overridden with our next
> guide, either because methods have changed, or b/c we were maybe
> short-cutting things a little bit.  I find I need a couple of months'
> cooling off time so the old habits can fade, and I am ready to learn new
> techniques, and have a fresh start with my new guide.
> Regards,
> Susan & Rhoda
> -----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:
>>>>>>>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/margo.downey%40
>> ve
>> rizon.net
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>> arter.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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