[nagdu] Working a dog beyond where others think it should have been retired

[Karyn & Thane]

Some of you know me from other lists, but I realize many of you are just 
getting to know me. I have been working combo trained service dogs since 
1998.
I know in hindsite, that it probably seemed really clear to some that Met 
should have stepped out of harness and worked only in the home environment 
that last year of his life.
I am sedentary and didn't have all the facts. He was my first combo trained 
service dog who adapted to my disabilities as they progressed. It was too 
hard for me- I was too close- and granted I had an incompetent vet during 
the last several years we were together.
The only thing that helps me now in dealing with what I feel I did not do 
right by him, was that I learned from that experience. Twice, I have had to 
temporarily remove Thane from public access or at the minimum restrict where 
I worked with him. Though the reasons are now resolved and I'll be getting 
him better medical care in the future, the promise I made to myself and Met 
as he was stepping out of my life, as well as to Thane, when he came on to 
be trained as my first successor dog, was that I would always put my dogs 
needs above my needs in the future.
I formed some remarkable memories that last month Met was with me for which 
I will always cherish- memories of him out of harness, leash guiding as I 
navigated with a cane for the first time until he was sure I could navigate 
independently in my community without him. Once that took place, he stepped 
from his role and out of my life. It was something he needed to do from his 
perspective of things. It also helped me in the process of letting go of my 
first service dog.
When I look back on it, I just see the happy part of that last month. I 
don't see the mobility training he was doing with me from a sad perspective, 
but from the perspective of my amazing service dog.
Now, however, with Thane, I am able to see more clearly. I'd like to think 
it is because the experiences of Met have enabled me to grow as both a 
handler and trainer; taught me how to look outside of my bond and my needs 
to his needs.
It has been a real rough time with Thane though (especially since I knew 
what was wrong and noone would listen). Trying to navigate independently as 
a deafblind incomplete quad has had its rough spots for sure. I'm grateful 
to have Thane back at my side, eager, willing, and most of all capable of 
doing the job after finally getting the diagnosis of the condition I knew he 
had.
We need to remember, that when we look at someone else's choices about 
retirement, we have our years of experience that taught us to see things 
from the perspective of the dogs needs. We also only know what is shared in 
the email to the list/ forum. Often times we are just guessing about 
lifestyle, how hard the dog is working, and whether or not the dog is able 
in some circumstances but not in others. Sometimes also, when a partner is 
struggling with the condition of their dog, there is the instinct to vent 
about it- only sharing the negative and occasionally, unintentional as it 
may be, the email may actually in reality be conceived in a manner that 
exaggerates how bad it really is.
I will be the first to admit, I don't have all the answers. I strive to 
learn as much as I can from my mistakes in my partnerships so the next dog 
benefits from the lessons learned. That is all I can ask of myself.

Karyn and Thane