[nagdu] introduction

Mon Jul 9 19:04:45 UTC 2012

Danielle.
Lori is right, having a guide dog will change your life.
I worked two dogs, and use the cane now.
Both my dogs were very special to me. I'm glad I had them and I had some very cool experiences with both.
You need to know that when you get  a dog, the dog will need food, excersize, work and love every day.  Depending on your lifestyle, this is not as easy as it sounds.
You will need to remember to bring food with you or be home so you can feed your dog.  This isn't difficult, except when your plans change and you want to stay out later.

I'm in my 30's, and it's very nice to be able to stay a few extra hours at the pool, the zoo, a friend's house, the mall, whatever.  My daughter is a big girl now and I love the freedom of not being tied to a schedule.  I didn' realize how liberating it was to not need to think about the needs of a dog until I didn't have one anymore.

Your dog will also need medical care, sometimes at short notice.  You'll need to be willing to devote the time to do this.  At this point in my life, I am not.  I'll do it for my daughter, but not for a dog.  I simply don't have the bandwith to give.

Many people will tell you that building the dog's needs into your life isn't difficult. And they are right, depending on what you are doing.  You can't just take a few minutes to take the dog out while you're batheing a child or are doing lifeguard duty in the pool.  You may not want to take those few minutes if you and your child are talking or cuddling or playing.

You are probably years away from having children, but I don't know you, and we had some of my high school classmates get married and have babies shortly after graduation.

You will need to make sure the dog is properly supervised when you leave it. This doesn't mean you put the dog off to the side while you go ride a roller coaster, march in a band, dance, fly or whatever, like you do with a cane.  You need to make sure the dog is home in  a secure environment or under the care of someone you trust to take care of the dog properly.

I say all this not to discourage you, but to offer a different perspective.   This list is made up of people who use dogs. They will of course tell you that it is wonderful. In many ways it is.  Walking with a dog guiding you when you both are in synch is beautiful.  Both my dogs have left their impacts on me and on people I knew while they guided me.

You do want to understand what you're signing up for when you get a dog. They are wonderful, though you need to remember that they are not "cane but better".

They have needs that a cane doesn't. You need to be willing to meet those needs.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of loriandleo
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2012 12:19 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] introduction

Hi Danielle,

Welcome to the list. It's nice to meet you. You will love havinga guide dog
especially if this will be your first dog. There's nothing like working with
a dog the freedom and independence a dog will give you and having a dog will
change your life for ever. By the way, my name is Lori and I live in Ohio.
I'm currently working with my 7th dog my fourth lab and my second dog from
LeaderDogs. I'm working with a three year old male yellow lab named Gipp.
Gipp and I were matched up together on December 1, 2010 at LeaderDog for the
Blind. Like I've said I'm working my 7th dog but my fourth lab and my second
dog from LeaderDogs.

I hope you will enjoy it hear. Take care.

Lori and the Gipper

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