[nagdu] dog day stories

[Daniel Sweeney]

Hi and Happy Anniversary to Me Today! December 16.

It has been a year today since I graduated from GDB Portland with my girl,
Cass.

I was very reluctant about getting another dog after my first experience
with my LD scout. Most of you already know that story, but after getting hit
by the truck, I didn't know if I really wanted to go through all of that
again. Together with health problems I found myself in a sad mood in 2012.
Yet I applied and waited for what I requested as the "perfect dog". Not a
lab, shepherd, boxer or poodle - just a good dog that would take care of me.
The first day I received Cass was the 2nd day at school. We had only 3
students for the 2 week class. As I picked up the harness and moved forward,
it was like slicing butter. I had no idea that this is what a well-trained
guide was all about. We were a perfect match from the beginning. Our first
day out I fell off a foot high curb, face down in the street. It was my
instructor's first class and I was more concerned about her than I was about
me. I just had a couple of bruised ribs - nothing unusual for me, the klutz.
Cass will be 3 on the 23rd of December, and I hope she is with me for the
next 10 years (or more), or at least as long as I am here.
I think the best thing about the girl is that she realizes what a bumbling
walker I can be at times and she is so careful at every step of the way to
ensure I do not trip or bump into anything in a crowded place, sometimes a
little too careful - but we are still working on this.
What a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.
I thank my lucky stars for puppy raisers, trainers and the schools that make
it possible for us to receive such fine animals prepared to work for us and
take care of us.

Happy Holidays to all of you,

Daniel Sweeney and Cass
Lakewood, Colorado


> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laurel and
> Stockard
> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2013 12:56 PM
> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
> Subject: [nagdu] dog day stories
> 
> Hi all,
> I'm usually a list lurker, but a discussion we're having on another list
> prompted me to start the same discussion here.
> 
> I know dog day experiences are different depending on the school, your
> situation, and the dog. I know we haven't discussed this in awhile, and I
> would love to hear from each of you about your dog day memories. I'd love
> to hear about your memories with your current dog, or a previous dog that
> really stood out, and I would especially like to hear those of you who've
> attended more than one school, how were your different dog days similar
and
> how were they different.
> 
> Since this thread could get long and crowded, let's try and post all of
our
> individual stories in one message each, and if we respond to people, let's
try
> and respond to more than one person per message. That'll help keep this
> thread from totally cluttering the list.
> 
> I'll start with my story.
> 
> May 24 of 2010, I went to guide dogs for the blind's Oregon campus to
> receive my first guide. I told GDB that I wanted a yellow dog, because I
> can see lighter colors better, and I wanted to see my dog's face. I was
the
> only first timer in my class, and the youngest by 30 years. :-) After
lunch,
> they brought the entire class into a room and read the names of our dogs,
> colors and breeds, for each class member. They told me that I would
> receive a female yellow lab named Stockard. I thought, Stockard, Stockard,
> where did that name come from! It struck me as a weird name, and I didn't
> know if I liked it at first. We went back to our rooms, and while I waited
I
> googled the name Stockard and discovered the actress Stockard Channing,
> and I figured my dog was named after her, so I though that was cool. I
> waited for ever! I was the last person to receive my dog, and while I
> waited, I called all my family and friends to update them. Finally, it was
my
> turn. I went down to the instructor's office and handed over my leash. The
> instructor went away and came back with my dog! She handed me the leash,
> and I could feel Stockard wiggling around on the end. :-) The first thing
I
> felt was Stockard's soft, long ears. She almost immediately gave me her
> belly to scratch, and I rubbed it while the instructors told me her
birthday,
> parents, and described her for me. I thought she was beautiful, and it
only
> took me half a second to love the name. /grins/ I took her back to my room
> and sat on the floor with her, and the rest is history.
> 
> 
> I can't wait to hear the rest of you all's stories!
> Laurel and Stockard
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/daniel.sweeney1%40com
> cast.net