[nagdu] where to buy guide dog harnesses

[Mardi Hadfield]

Hi Ken, Mardi here from Arizona. I am an owner trainer. I had a dog before
I got a white cane. I suffered from cortical vision impairment for over 20
years before it was properly diagnosed.This was caused from a motor vehicle
accident along with other injuries.I was unable to walk for many years but
am now able to walk but not long walks,so I continue to use a wheelchair
most of the time and walk when I can.I had a service dog that I trained
myself and when I got Macular degeneration and was told I was legally
blind,I trained my dog to leash guide me. I could not get a guide dog as at
that time as there were no schools that trained guides for people in
wheelchairs. I had a private trainer help me to train my dog to be a guide
dog.I made my first harness and bought my second. I had a trainer help with
my second guide.I have bought a lot of guide dog equipment and now I make
my own as I continue to train my own dogs.I do this because there are no
schools that train Siberian Huskies,or Belgian Shepherds as guides.These
are the dogs I have chosen to work with.I am training my fourth dog,a Husky
named Neechee. My current guide is a Belgian Shepherd named Shaman.My first
2 guides were Huskies,Lily and Nala.I have on occasion trained dogs for
other people.I do enjoy training my own dogs and they are trained to do
what I need them to do to also help with my other disabilities.This is what
works for me. When the time comes that I can't train my own dogs any more,
I would probably get a school trained dog as there are a few schools that
now train for wheelchair users. I would have to accept whatever dog they
would give me,and I could live with that,but for now I will continue to
train my own.There are many people that don't get diagnosed properly with
whatever blindness issues they have just as I had problems getting a proper
diagnosis.There are also people that have other disabilities as well as
blindness.Some schools are getting better at providing dogs for these
people,but there are many who must train there own or do without a dog.I
hope this explains why your ideas on getting harnesses and canes and other
equipment won't work for every one. I wish things were simpler but that is
just not the case. Take care,  Mardi and Shaman and Neechee,GDIT.
http://wolfsinger-lakota.blogspot.com/
http://wolfsinger2-thegoldendragon.blogspot.com