[nagdu] [NAGDU] Guide Dog Age and Retirement

[Sheila Leigland]

hi, that is good advice. That is what I did also but the funny thing is 
that when he didn't seem to want to go, he would want me to stay also 
and if I needed to go out anyway he would be mad at me and wouldn't come 
to me when I came home.
On 6/11/2013 9:36 AM, JULIE PHILLIPSON wrote:
> I don't think it's unusual to start slowing down around that age, but it
> doesn't always mean it's time to retire.  You might want to consider giving
> your dog more time off and leave him or her at home more often.  It really
> depends on what your life style is.  If you are a person who goes out every
> day to work then it would probably do what you intend to do.  On the other
> hand if you say work at home or do not go out much then it may not be time
> to retire as long as there are no other medical problems.  I have had 3
> dogs one died at 9 from cancer, the second was with me in good health until
> the age of 11.5 and retired a few months before that. the third was with me
> until the age of 12.5 and was in good health and workinguntil about the age
> of 12 Again though I left him home when ever I haddd to travel or be out
> after there tenth birthday. Once they turned 10 years old it was time to
> give them time off.  I worked them enough to keep them happy but many days
> we both stayed in side in the air conditioning.  If it was too hot or to
> cold to go out we just waited for a better day.  My current dog is 4 and
> pretty full of energy but I have noticed he has settled down more already.
> He is behaving much more seriously sinse I got him 2 years ago.    He still
> gets pretty silly though and acts like a puppy just not as often or as long
> as he use to.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> avapup.7 at gmail.com
> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 6:42 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 dog's 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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