[nagdu] Adrian retired

Toni Whaley blind_treasurer at verizon.net
Sat Jan 30 07:39:05 UTC 2010


Ioana,

 In my almost 30 years of having guide dogs, I've had three dogs whose
partnership with me ended prematurely. Although the circumstances were
different for each dog, making the decision that the particular guide dog
and me did not make a good match was a difficult one. At first, especially
with the last one who had worked for 2.5 years, I pretended what I was
observing was a figment of my imagination. Eventually, I had to admit there
was a problem. At first, I tried solving the problem on my own. After
running out of ideas, I contacted the school. The trainer's and my
conclusions were the same, the dog and I were no longer a safe working team.
Throughout the process and for some time after I wondered what I could have
done differently and blamed myself for the breakdown of the partnership.
Eventually, of course, these feelings go away as did the feelings of grief
for the breakup. I've come to realize that these feelings are normal. We put
a lot of us, love and work, into the making of a working team. None of these
experiences negatively affected my training and bonding with the new dog. In
fact, I believe those experiences have mmade me a better guide dog user. I'm
sure you'll have a simular experience. Good luck with your new dog. 

Keep us posted.

Toni





-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Ioana Gandrabur
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:40 PM
To: NFBnet NAGDU Mailing List
Subject: [nagdu] Adrian retired

Hi all,

Happy 2010.

I have promised you some updates on the issues with Adrian my jumping guide
dog that was apparently randomly jumping on passers by with practically no
warning signals. I have tried to find any kind of pattern in hopes that I
could then desensitize him but no luck. In the meantime he was also lurching
towards people passing by our house if we were exactly at that point
happening to go out. The situation became too stressful for both. I had my
leash in my hand an rewarded him for just passing people on the street but
still we would have some kind of pedestrian incident once a week about. The
G L did not give me enough forewarning either.

Finally the trainer came and we did a set-up with him approaching the house
as I came out the door with Adrian. Sure enough he started barking and
lurching towards the trainer and I could not do anything to refocus him. He
was surprised I worked with him for so long and we decided together
something I was thinking myself without really admitting it. Adrian is not
working out to be a guide dog. We will keep him probably and have 2 dogs. I
have a date for gdb in may 10 and am on the list for possible cancellations.
We are still a bit in shock but life goes on and the fact that Adrian is
still with us makes the transition much easier.

I am trying hard not to thing too much about what I could have done
different. He was often scared of any knocking noises and I have worked with
lots of desensitizing and treats for being calm around them to the best of
my abilities. I just have to accept that for whatever reasons we did not
work out as a team. well he is a great pet and my husband and I love him
just as much. I hope that not working will make him more relaxed.

Thanks for lending your ear to our story.

All the best,

Ioana and Adrian the pet


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