[nagdu] dog adaptability and expectations

Thu Apr 15 17:19:50 UTC 2010

Thank you Cheryl. 
I've worked two dogs and now am currently dogless so I can focus more on
my family. My dog and I found that we could not work effectively as a
team after I had my daughter and she is now retired. We weren't working
well, we weren't enjoying each other, and it was best for both of us to
end the guide partnership. She's happy as a pet with my folks and I'm
happy using my cane. 
Martha, you need to do what's right for you in the moment.  I do agree
with Cheryl, if you can take your dog out for breaks, it won't be too
much different from being at work or volunteering. And, if your dog
doesn't adapt, or you decide you need to be without a dog for whatever
reason, that is okay too. You will cry, but you'd do that if this was a
human to human relationship and we don't turn away from those. Know too
that your dog won't view the relationship not working as a bad thing. It
will simply be and he/she won't attach any value judgment to it. Dogs
are cool like that. 
Good luck making your decision.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Cheryl Osborn
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 10:10 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] dog adaptability and expectations

Hi Martha,

My name is Cheryl O. and I only just joined this list today.  However,
I really would like to say a couple of things.  Just think of it as
food for thought.

First, I really like the answer Rebecca gave you.  Having worked in
the fields of rehabilitation and technology, my philosophy is "You
never will know unless you try".  If it doesn't work out, you have the
opportunity to try another way.

I do not know why you plan to attend that particular establishment,
but if they will allow you to bring your dog and to take your dog out
for potty breaks, it appears to me that it wouldn't be a much
different situation than if you were working or volunteering
somewhere.

I am working with my third dog and it has been my experience that a
guide dog adapts to new situations better than we do.  My second dog,
after living in Arizona for about 5 years, was moved from Bullhead
Arizona to Ajijic, Mexico.  How's that for change?  My current dog,
whom I've had since last Decenber, was brought here to Mexico from
Jersey.  If you think about it, these dogs have been through several
major changes by the time they get to work with their handler.  They
are so amazing!

On 4/14/10, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
wrote:
> Martha,
> I really don't know. All I can say is that you do what you have to do.
> If this was the job of your dreams or the guy/girl of your dreams,
would
> you care or would you j ust think "the dog can roll or not roll with
it,
> but I really need to do this".
> I ask this because when I got my second dog, they asked if I had plans
> to move in the next six months. I said that I didn't, but that if I
got
> my dream job, I'd take it and wouldn't really much care how the dog
> responded.
> Dogs are pretty adaptable really and even if yours doesn't, the only
> thing worse then retiring a dog is missing an opportunity you could
have
> and should have taken but didn't.
> Go do your thing and enjoy.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Martha Harris
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 10:11 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] dog adaptability and expectations
>
> Hi Everyone,
> I have been working with my lab Dee since November of last year, and
in
> May, I will have her for six months. I am going to BLIND Inc. where
she
> will be crated for 7-8 hours per day. However, I will walk as often as
I
> can to the center, which is 1.3 miles or so each way, plus work in the
> evenings and on weekends. Many guide dog users say I will "ruin the
> dog," and it is not good to make a dog change routine so drastically
> because it takes six months to a year to become solid. However, I
think
> learning the discovery method will help us be a more solid team
because
> I will be able to travel with confidence to familiar and unfamiliar
> places. Is it expectations preached by the guide dog schools because
> they don't believe blind people can handle sudden change? Is it that
> some guide dog users have less confidence in themselves and don't
> believe change is good for them or their dogs, or am I way off base
> thinking like this?
>
> Martha
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-- 
Cheryl in Mexico
chapalacheryl at gmail.com

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