[nagdu] Guide Dog Age and Retirement

[Darla Rogers]

Dear Ava,

	It may be getting close to retirement for your dear Coco, but there
are no real answers to this; different dogs slow down at different rates,
and I have been told by a couple of schools, dogs who work in very confusing
usually urban environments tend not to work quite as long.
	I would try not to worry too much unless you know you want another
dog as soon as you retire Coco; if this is the case, ask the schools you
apply to how long they will hold on to your application materials; this
could be a great way to get a tasks out of the way when you are thinking
more clearly; you're not retiring her right now; you are merely putting
yourself in a movable position to get another dog.
	Ultimately it is your choice, but if you have any real medical
concerns, I would have her musculoskeletal system checked thoroughly and her
eyes and ears.
Darla & Precious Roxy


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
avapup.7 at gmail.com
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 5:42 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dog Age and Retirement

Hi,

I have a question I hate to ask, but I guess my curiosity overrides my not
wanting to know.

How old were others' guide dogs when they first began to slow down a bit,
and how old were your dogs when you retired them? Does anyone have a guide
dog who is still working (or has been in the past) at 9 years or older?

My Lab guide Cocoa is 9 years old, and I know she is slowing down a bit.
Though she still loves to work, her energy level is slowly dropping, and I
am nearly certain she will retire perhaps by the end of this year, maybe
early in 2014.

My first dog retired at 6, but from a minor medical condition that didn't
affect her quality of life a bit, just meant guiding wouldn't be the best
idea.

Is 9 young for a Lab to begin slowing down? Is 9 or 10 young for a Lab to
retire? I will do what is best for Cocoa, and when retired, she will still
stay with me at home, though I may wait to apply anywhere for a successor
dog until (a long time from now) when she passes on, I'm not sure.

I just don't know -- 9 sounds so young, yet so scarily old, for a big dog.

Thanks.
Ava and Cocoa

Sent from my iPhone
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