[nagdu] What a dellema

Lyn Gwizdak linda.gwizdak at cox.net
Sun Apr 15 19:03:45 UTC 2012 

Have the woman with the other dog bring that dog over to meet Brooks.  Have 
them meet off your property - sidewalk or street - and have them meet on 
leash.  That way, there's no territory issues on the part of Brooks or the 
other dog.

AS for the first family who expressed interest, let them know that you are 
also interviewing another prospective adopter and set a date when you will 
make your final decision.  From what you are saying about the experience 
with the first family and what you said about your reservations about the 
second family, check them out anyway.

Find out what exactly the dog would be doing as a therapy dog.  This varies 
alot.  Brooks could be used in a program that visits seniors, she could be 
brought into schools to visit kids, maybe be a part of a program where kids 
read to dogs aloud so they get more confident in their reading skills.  The 
lady could be a therapist and have the dog in her office to interact with 
her clients.  You know Brooks the best.  How has she reacted with meeting 
people she doesn't know?  Is she comfortable in going to multiple types of 
places?  Is she comfortable no matter where you bring her?  You will know 
this.  Many career-change guide dogs have done very well doing other jobs.

I remember hearing about a dog back in the 1990s that was a Fidelco dog.  He 
made a horrible guide dog so the Connecticut State Police took him.  They 
trained him to be a cadaver dog - finds dead human bodies.  This dog 
excelled and thrived in this work and became one of the best cadaver dogs 
they ever had.  That dog found bodies other dogs missed!

I had heard of a few from GDA that failed as guides and excelled as another 
kind of service dog for a disabled person.  You never know.

After meeting and evaluating each family, make your decision.  If the people 
really care that you make the best placement for Brooks, they will 
understand that you don't want to make your choice by the seat of your 
pants.  As a volunteer at our Humane Society, I know that they interview 
each person who comes to adopt an animal.  You don't go home the same day 
you fill out the application.  The goal is rehoming in a "forever home" that 
will work - we don't want the animal back because the adopter didn't know 
what they were getting into.

Go with your gut!!!!!  VERY IMPORTANT!  Pray about it, Let Brooks pick her 
family.

Lyn and Landon


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jennifer Perdue" <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2012 3:31 PM
Subject: [nagdu] What a dellema


>I spoke to the second woman who wants to see Brooks.
>
> she wants to use him as a therapy dog, which he would've been good at in 
> the beginning, but I wonder if his psyche can handle that now.  she also 
> has another dog who she is afraid might not like him.  I don't think 
> that's a good situation to put him in but I agreed to let her see him and 
> see how he responds to her.
>
> then I get a phone call from the couple that saw him last night that he 
> really responded to well.  She said that she desperately wants him and 
> she's sure that her fiance will say yes after he comes back from his 
> fishing trip.  Unfortunately, he'll be back from his fishing trip after 
> this other woman wants to meet him.
>
> What should I do?
>
> I don't want to tell this woman that she can't see him and then have this 
> other couple say not out of the blue, but I don't know that he has it in 
> him to be a therapy dog.  Though who knows, he might like it.
>
> Any advice?
>
> Jenny
> On Apr 14, 2012, at 12:44 AM, Hannah Chadwick wrote:
>
>> Cindy,
>> Yes, I correct her, make her rework it, and then praise her if she does 
>> it
>> well. I feel like she only remembers being corrected for running in to
>> things for a few days and then she forgets...
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Cindy Ray
>> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 6:33 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
>>
>> But what do you do as a correction? Do you make her rework it when she 
>> runs
>> you into something?
>>
>> CL
>>
>> On Apr 13, 2012, at 8:08 PM, Hannah Chadwick wrote:
>>
>>> Cindy,
>>> I have done everything that I've been told to do. I have vision, but
>>> not enough to see objects, and I never walk her around objects, it's
>>> always the other way around.
>>> I just don't want to end up going through what Daniel did with his dog.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Cindy Ray
>>> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 6:05 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
>>>
>>> How do you correct Princess? Also, I don't know how much vision you
>>> have, but have you used that vision enough that the dog doesn't think
>>> she has to work around things? That could happen, so I'm not asking it
>>> as a way to criticize at all. Do you always correct when she runs you
>>> into things, even if it is just a brush?
>>>
>>> When you correct, you might want to make her work it again; make her
>>> take you around it and don't just give her a leash correction or
>>> verbal one. Make sure you even correct her if she grazes your arm on
>>> something. Don't save it for the larger infractions.
>>>
>>>
>>> CL
>>>
>>> On Apr 13, 2012, at 7:59 PM, Hannah Chadwick wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hey all,
>>>> I know that bonding can take up to a year, but I also know that
>>>> Princess shouldn't be walking me in to things. I honestly don't know
>>>> what to do any more because I don't feel like correcting her is
>>>> enough and that after a while she forgets about it altogether.
>>>> Today I went to visit the University of Santa Cruz and we went on a 
>>>> tour.
>>>> Princess for some reason walked me in to a pole and as usually I
>>>> corrected her. This has occurred a few times since I last posted
>>>> about it, and it's getting more difficult for me to trust her. I
>>>> don't feel safe walking at night or in the dark now, and it's a 
>>>> horrible
>> feeling.
>>>> Any thoughts, suggestions, advice?
>>>> Best, Hannah
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>> m
>>>
>>>
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