Hello Hannah-
I sympathize with your situation with Princess. It is very difficult to make
the decision to either go back to for more training and or to retire the dog
due to work and or health issues.
I am facing this very issue at this moment. I have a 5 year old GSD whose
work is exemplary, however, her health is not good at this time. The vet and
food costs have become very expensive and she is having a very hard time
eliminating. So, I have had to make the difficult decision to retire her and
apply for a replacement dog. This decision was not easy for me and because
her guide work is excellent it makes the decision even much harder, but I
have to do what's in the best interest of the dog as well as myself. These
decisions go along with being a guide dog user and they are not by any
means easy. However, in the end, you have to do what's in the best interest
of the dog and what's best for you. I know that it's tough but I think you
need to ask yourself some questions about what you want in a guide.
1. What was your purpose in obtaining a guide?
2. What expectations did you have when you obtained the dog?
3. Is the dog meeting your expectations? Why or why not?
4. Is the dog enhancing your travel? Why or why not?
Hannah, I am not trying to be hard on you, or have you make a decision. I
just want you to have a good working relationship with your dog and if you
really sit down and honestly answer the above questions, I think you will be
comfortable in making a decision one way or the other. Whatever you decide,
we're here and will support you in whatever you decide to do. In the end,
you are the only one who can make the decisions that concern you and your
dog. If you need me, I'm here. Fill free to write me anytime.
Warmly:
Tina
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Hannah Chadwick
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 9:21 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
Jenny,
I know how you feel because I've lost many important people in the past 9 or
so years. This is a difficult decision and I keep thinking it will get
better, and maybe it will or maybe not. I keep telling myself if I try
harder and keep at it, it will resolve itself, but I could be wrong. I'm
going to keep trying for a few more months and see if there is a pattern,
and if nothing resolves, then well I will have to make my decision.
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jennifer Perdue
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 7:06 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
I'm not mad at all. I got him from Southeastern, and I wouldn't recommend
them tro my worst enemy.
that kind of heart break of bonding with a dog that probably shouldn't have
been issued and have it not work out is the worst feeling in the world.
I'd rank it up there to losing my husband.
>From experience, if your school will not come to you, and you can't trust
Princess, my opinion is to let her go now before the bond in your heart
becomes even stronger.
She won't be your last guide, and though it may be hard, it's better than
you not being able to trust her fully ever, or you getting seriously hurt.
Please don't think I'm being cruel here. It's just my opinion. I just wish
I had never taken Brooks home with me, but I didn't know what I was doing
and I felt since they had trained him specifically for me, which I just
found out they didn't, I took him anyway. Trusting that the school was
right, that it would get better and it didn't.
Pray about it if you pray or think about what you need and not what other
people tell you, including me. This has to be your decision.
Jenny
On Apr 14, 2012, at 8:00 PM, Hannah Chadwick wrote:
> Jenny,
> I'm sorry to hear that you have to retire him so early. I know how you
> feel, and I think it's stories like yours and others that have been
> making me think about the seriousness and importance of a guide. I
> wish I know if Princess will ever get better at it,and I wish I knew
> the answer because I already feel super attached to her after a couple
> of months. What school did you get your dog from? I know this
> shouldn't matter, but it does seem to me that some schools are better
> than others. Please don't get mad for thinking I'm trashing schools
> because I'm not, but from all the people I've talked to, well...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Jennifer Perdue
> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2012 3:25 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
>
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the welcome.
>
> I worked Brooks for almost exactly three years but a little over.
>
> He just stopped wanting to take me around obstacles and with his right
> side clearance issues always being a problem even in class, that just
> got worse too. To the degree of almost knocking down a display at the
grocery store.
>
> He ran me into almost everything and everyone at church the following
> day and I knew he was done. It was going down hill with some warning
> signs, but to tell you the truth, he never should've been issued.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I love him more than I can express. The thing is,
> I never fully trusted him because of the right side clearance issues,
> and had I corrected for every infraction of that kind. We never
> would've gotten anywhere within a reasonable amount of time.
>
> The school told me it would get better but it never did.
>
> Trust is a big factor in the relationship between you and your dog.
>
> JMO,
>
> Jenny
> On Apr 14, 2012, at 12:42 AM, Hannah Chadwick wrote:
>
>> Hey Jenny,
>> Welcome to the list. I haven't been keeping up with all the emails so
>> I didn't see yours about retiring your dog. How long did you keep her?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Jennifer Perdue
>> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 6:30 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] walking in to objects
>>
>> Hi Hannah,
>>
>> I'm Jenny, the one who had to retire my guide dog.
>>
>> Brooks did that from the beginning too. He wouldn't clear my right
>> side properly from the beginning, even in class. I was unable to
>> trust him fully the entire time I had him and that was a bitter pill
>> to
> swallow.
>>
>> If you haven't tried it yet, contact the school and see if they can
>> send a trainer out to help you., but I can say from experience
>> though, if you don't and can't trust your dog. You might want to
>> consider sending your dog back and getting one you can trust.
>>
>> I know now, having been through it with Brooks, I would've and
>> should've done that in the beginning, but wanted to try and work
>> through
> it.
>> Unfortunately though, some things you just can't work through.
>>
>> JMO,
>>
>> Jenny
>> 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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