[nagdu] Guide Dog Age and Retirement

[Rachel Krieg]

Hi, Ava.

My husband's dog is 9 and she hasn't slowed down a bit, so I think it 
depends on the dog.
Rachel and Lady
On 6/9/2013 3:42 PM, avapup.7 at gmail.com wrote:
> 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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