[nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it doesn'tworkout with the first owner?

Thu Apr 14 20:05:18 UTC 2011

Yeah.  There are a number of reasons why re-issuing makes sense overall,
including the fairness of giving a dog a second chance at the career for
which its worked hard to become qualified.  Mismatches happen, but just as
the handler often does great with the next dog, so do many of the dogs with
the next handler.  So my opinion on that now is much more well-informed than
my first gut-level response when I didn't have enough experience as a
handler myself or with other guide dog users to consider that a sound
judgment on my part.  Kinda like the training age issue.  My first response
-- at the same time as I learned about re-issuing -- was strongly negative.
Stronly.  /smile/

Now, while I admit to being still fairly leery when I hear about a very
youthful new dog, I've been around enough handlers with such youngsters to
realize that it actually can work out well.  Who knew?  /grin/  If I decide
to get a dog through a program next time around -- or the time after that or
-- I will consider the age of the dog I'm hoping to be issued as a strong
factor and, depending on which program I'm applying for and their general
practice in that area, may specifically request a dog of 20 months or,
better yet, 24.  That's just my preference.  If I want to owner-train, I'll
get a pup.  If I want an out of the box guide dog, I don't want to have to
spend all my time burping it.  /lol/

That's all speculation for now, so I'm not hard core on any of those points,
just building up a list of general guidelines for myself and rules of thumb
for when (if) the time comes.  Since Mitzi's going to live forever, like
I've told her to, I don't even know why I bother to think about it.  /lol/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lisa Irving
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 1:24 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it
doesn'tworkout with the first owner?

Hi there, Tami and Brittney,

The more I contemplate the re issuance of a guide dog, I keep thinking how 
much it means to me when someone gives me a second chance. Our dogs deserve 
as many chances as we can give them; first time out, or re issued.

Lisa and Bernie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] should guides be given a second owner if it doesn'twork

out with the first owner?

> Brittney,
>
> I'm glad you asked this question.  That's one of those program policies I
> ran across while researching for owner-training, and my first response to
> the notion was very negative.
>
> Since then, I've heard of enough positive experience with dogs who were
> reissued after being returned to have a more favorable view of the 
> practice.
> Most of what I've heard is from people who have done well with re-issued
> dogs or from people who know people...  /smile/  Still, I get it more now
> and understand the reasoning others have explained, and it does seem to 
> work
> for the most part.  There will certainly be times when it doesn't, but 
> that
> is true of matches in general.
>
> As for whether you're over-reacting...  As a still pretty new and only
> somewhat experienced guide dog handler, also an owner-trainer then
> self-taught handler, I've been observing the attitudes and ways of 
> thinking
> of handlers at or just above my level of experience as closely as I have
> those of the long-timers.  I can watch my peers in that regard to give
> myself a reality check as to how I'm coming along not just in skill but in
> maturity as a handler while I'm learning from those with much more
> experience.
>
> So here's my observation, based not just on myself but on a generalized
> group of other first time handlers going through or just coming past the
> team building phase:  We over-react.  To everything.  /lol/  The good, the
> bad, the mundane...  It is all new and exciting and frightening and
> wonderful and awful, all beyond belief.  We popped out to dinner just this
> evening, and at the restaurant there was just this one little thing that 
> no
> one would have noticed beyond our table...  Outwardly, I remained calm and
> responded correctly and it was all okay.  Inwardly, what did I do?  /lol/
> OMG!  How can this be?  What can it mean?  Oh, no, this is so terrible!
> Then I noticed nothing had actually happened that was worth all the fuss 
> and
> got over it.  /smile/  More and more, it's all old hat, but apparently I 
> can
> still freak out just fine over absolutely nothing.
>
> As for working through bad habits in your re-issue dog...  I think others
> are right in their observations that during the first year or so, there 
> will
> always be something that will make you absolutely crazy about your dog. 
> In
> your first dog, these will be far more magnified in your own mind than in
> those you work with later on as a truly experience dhandler.  The bad 
> habits
> need to be dealt with and modified, certainly, but it's not really habit 
> for
> you yet to deal with those ups and downs.  So you really have to think 
> your
> way through it and notice every little thing and try to figure out how to
> counteract and...  Well, on and on.  It just takes awhile for all of that 
> to
> become havit and natural.  I've only been there for a short while -- with
> minor blips where I freak out over nothing -- and that sure is nice!
>
> Good luck with your dog; sounds like you're coming through the tream
> building phase and are starting on the next one -- which is where it all
> falls together and you're just you working your guide.  /smile/  I'm 
> loving
> that, and trying to hold onto that feeling as I move into the taking it 
> all
> for granted phase.
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----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 3:20 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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