[nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it doesn't work out with the first owner?

[Martha Harris]

I agree with Kolby. My first guide Valerie was a reissue, and for the 15 
months I had her, she was a great dog who started college with me and 
traveled to conventions, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.
It takes time to make a successful team, but it is worth it, reissued dog or 
not.

Martha
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Kolby Garrison" <kolby12091988 at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 10:23 AM
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it doesn't 
work out with the first owner?

> I am working with my first dog, and she was a reissue. I love her, and
> I do not regret for one second accepting a reissue. Will our working
> relationship be shorter than it would have been had I been matched
> with a younger dog? Yes, but I would not trade Sunny. Dogs have
> habbits, like humans have habbits. My guide dog program got it right
> when they matched me with my golden girl. The transition time that you
> experienced with your dog would occur with any dog. It took about a
> year for Sunny and I to become in tune with each other. I have off
> days, moments, etc. She has off days, moments, etc. We have off days,
> moments, etc simultaneously. That is part of working with a dog. I do
> know that I will not ever use the cane as my primary mobility aid
> again, because partnering with a Guide Dog is 100% what I prefer. Like
> others have said, our dogs are not robots programmed to follow
> commands and be perfect. They are living beings with their own minds
> and abilities. Every dog is different, and every handler is different.
> I am enjoying reading this discussion.
> Kolby
>
> On 4/14/11, PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
>> Hard to say.
>> You're the one that is choosing to live with this dog. I say it this way
>> because it is a choice. If these issues are too much for you to deal 
>> with,
>> then you need another dog. We all have our breaking points and those 
>> points
>> are different for each situation.
>> None of my dogs were reissues. They both had habbits I needed to deal 
>> with,
>> some by making them go away, some by learning to live with.
>> I think, given that this is how you feel, you need to think long and hard
>> about the value you are getting from the relationship. Why do you love 
>> your
>> dog? Has he changed your life in good ways or bad ways? Maybe some of 
>> both?
>>
>> Seriously, ask yourself these hard questions and really listen to the
>> answers.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Brittney N. Mejico
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 6:20 PM
>> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
>> Subject: [nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it doesn't work
>> out with the first owner?
>>
>> Hello all,
>> My dog had another handler before me.  I don’t think that guides should 
>> be
>> given another handlerbecause the dog picksup a lot of bad habits and they
>> are  really hard to get rid of.  I love my  dog very muchand harvard has
>> changed my life, but it took me a year to stop a lot of her bad habbits, 
>> and
>> we still have some work to do.  What do you guys think? am I over 
>> reacting?
>>
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>
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