[nagdu] My Other Question: Working with a Guide Dog When You Have Mibility Impairments

[The Pawpower Pack]

Hi Jewel,

I'm Rox and have a dog who is a guide, hearing and service dog.  I am  
Deafblind and have vertigo ranging from moderate to severe at times.   
I need my dog to assist me while walking.  I don't use a wheelchair,  
though.

My dogs are owner trained so I have no suggestions for programs which  
train tasks other than guide work.  I think the guide dog foundation  
does, and South Eastern guide dogs.  I can't speak to the specifics  
but I do know that both programs have trained at least one person who  
was blind and in a w/c before.

As for me, my dog assists me to walk by counterbalancing.  I am not  
putting direct pressure on a stiff, upright handle which is  
perpendicular to her shoulders.  I use a standard guide dog harness  
and my dog will pull me in the opposite direction from that which I'm  
falling.  She also takes steps one at a time and will e very, very  
careful when approaching obstacles because even brushing up against  
something can cause me to fall.  She will help me up from a fall-- of  
which there are many.

I have a dog who pulls laundry baskets from room to room, who empties  
a dryer, who can retrieve various objects from dropped change to large  
bottles of milk or laundry soap.  She will retrieve emergency  
medication on cue and will retrieve my phone when someone is testing me.

She also alerts to sounds such as someone calling my name, the fire  
alarm, the beeping sound of cars backing up, and lots of other things.

I choose to have two assistance dogs.  I have a very active lifestyle;  
work full time, am active in the Deaf and Deafblind community, and  
attend Deaf events at least once a week after work, take classes, as  
well as performing those necessary tasks such as grocery and other  
shopping and such.  That doesn't even address going out with friends  
and just walking for pleasure.  When I'm not outside of my home I'm  
busy in the kitchen, have a business as an herbalist, and am cleaning  
and such.  I need my dog's in-home help for all these things.
I know PWD who have multiple disabilities who only have one dog.   
However they are much more sedentary than I am.  I know PWD who have  
one dog who are active and who have sighted/hearing/able bodied  
friends/family to step up and assist when their dog can't work or  
needs to suddenly retire.
I don't feel comfortable with that and am lucky enough to be in a  
situation where I can have a home dog and an outside dog.  I don't  
take them out together once they are fully trained.  So the outside  
dog does her own thing at home and the inside dog stays home when I  
leave to go out, unless I'm taking her and leaving the outside dog to  
stay home and practice being alone.

I would just google guide dog multiple disabilities and you'll  
probably find blogs or articles which address this issue better than I  
could.

Good luck and sorry this was so long.

Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"It's wildly irritating to have invented something as revolutionary as  
sarcasm, only to have it abused by amateurs." -- Christopher Moore
pawpower4me at gmail.com

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