[nagdu] new

[Katrin Andberg]

Naw not a poodle in disguise, a lot less aloof than any poodle I have ever
met.  James also tends not to tell me "no" or "Why should I?" like most
poodles I know do on occasion.  He is a total retriever, just doesn't eat
strange stuff like a lab, or shed as much as a golden /smile/  I have had 4
flat coats in my life at various times and they really are my perfect breed.
I have no high hopes that my next guide will be a flat coat but I would be
in heaven if it were.  I also have a cardigan welsh corgi who is a hoot.  He
tries to keep those retrievers in line and they all ignore him completely.
Right now I have 4 dogs, but it will soon be going down to 3 as my CCed
puppy is most likely going to his new home at the end of the month.
Hopefully I will still be able to get reports on how Obi is doing in his new
home as I'll miss him so much, but my home is not the right place for him.

 

James is a little over 7yrs old now.  He started working around 16 months
when xrays showed his growth plates had closed completely.  I started
training him in obedience, agility and socialization when I got him at
12wks, then as he got older and wanted more things to do, would add on more
difficult tasks or training situations until at about 18months he said "I'm
READY gosh darnit, stop leaving me home and muddling around out there
without me!"  When James has something to say he makes it very clear.  The
reason I'm looking into schools now, is 1 I wasn't sure how long it would
take or what their time line would be and 2 flat coats have high instances
of 2 types of cancer that tend to strike dogs at an early age.  Any flat
coat you have living past age 8 is considered lucky.  I hope James will live
to 10, 11, 12+ but there is a high chance that he won't.

 

When I get to cane training part of O&M I am kind of worried about how I'm
going to manage the orientation part, but I'm hoping my instructor can give
me some tips.  I tend to be able to do 1 thing at a time and 1 thing only.
So I am the epitome of 'can't walk and chew gum'. I can't listen to someone
talk and still 'see' well enough to walk if I'm without a guide.  I can't
think about where my feet are going and tell where the telephone poles are
at the same time.  If I'm focusing on using my eyes, everything else falls
apart and I get into trouble.  Same thing happens with auditory stuff for
me.  Some people with sensory processing disorders it just affects 1 sense,
or parts of all senses, or a few senses.  For me it severely effects visual
and auditory and a part of tactile.  Smell isn't effected, nor really is
taste.  For example if I'm looking at something I generally want to touch it
in order to 'see' it better.  Or if I want to hear someone talking to me, I
have to close my eyes.  Doesn't really make much sense, but it's how my
brain works.

 

Katrin & James