[nagdu] Retiring a dog early

Thu Feb 27 16:42:06 UTC 2014

Yes, what Tracy said.  

My first thought on this thread was...what exactly is early?  If it's time, then it's time annnnnnnnnnnd it doesn't matter how long you've been working with the dog.

i had a pretty easy time when I retired Belle and then transitioning to Monty.  Belle was very, very done.  it was obvious.  There was no guessing or gray area to navigate.

Now I'm preparing to transition to Jetta and I find myself wondering if it was the right time.  Monty still wants to work, he's healthy and I still enjoy working with him...most of the time.  I know in my head that it's the right time, but in my heart...I'm not quite there yet.

I'm going to see Jetta next week.  I'm very excited to see here.  I'm also looking forward to having her back home and working with her.  i have absolutely no reservations about Jetta.

It's strange how I can be a bit sad about moving on with a new dog, but at the same time I love JJJJJJJJJJetta and look forward to her.  my situation is different, I know and perhaps that makes a difference in coping with the changes.  

I'll miss some of the things Monty does.  He's an extremely intelligent dog.  often it feels like he can read my mind.  he just knows where to go intuitively.  However I won't miss worrying about him worrying.  I won't miss his dragging his feet all the way to work and then when we go somewhere fun hisoverly enthusiastic efforts.  He's a great dog, but he also can require a lot of management.  I think I'm ready for an easier dog.
I guess maybe what I'm trying to say is that it's okayyyyyyyyyyyy to have all sorts of feelings that seem to contradict one another.  It will work out the way it is meant to.  Just keeping putting one foot in front of the other and do the best you can.

Julie

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 27, 2014, at 10:06 AM, "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Darla.
> It's very tricky, as I'm sure you know.  And different people make different decisions.  I've known people to retire a dog for something I'd try to work through, and I've tried to work through things longer than I probably should have tried.
> I try to keep firmly in mind that I have the dog to make my life easier, and, if that's not happening, it could be time to retire and try again. Easy to say, hard to do. But what a relief, when I get a dog who really wants to do the job, and doesn't require endless effort on my part.
> 
> Tracy
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Darla Rogers" <djrogers0628 at gmail.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 3:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Retiring a dog early
> 
> 
>> Dear Tracy,
>> 
>> I wish you had been around for a couple of dogs I kept and should
>> not have; your advice to Jewel is almost like mine, and I wish her all the
>> success with the next dog.
>> Darla & Happy Huck
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 1:47 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Retiring a dog early
>> 
>> Hi Jewel.
>> I'm very sorry to hear this.  I had to retire my dog Nestor early.  He just
>> could not deal with the stresses of the big city.  I tried very hard to make
>> it work, but it wasn't meant to be.  I'm pretty stubborn, and I hate to give
>> up, but it had to be done.
>> Really, my next dog was a relief.  I didn't constantly have to monitor the
>> situation anymore.  We could just get out and go.  And, since I retired
>> Nessie with my folks, I knew that he was feeling much happier as a pet than
>> he had been as a guide.  It was a wrench to give him up and admit defeat,
>> but in the end, we were both much better off.
>> Until Faye retires, just enjoy the time you two have together.  Enjoy the
>> good stuff, while looking forward to being done with the bad stuff.
>> Good luck.
>> Tracy
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jewel" <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
>> To: "the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 1:11 PM
>> Subject: [nagdu] Retiring a dog early
>> 
>> 
>>> Retiring a dog early
>>> An instructor from my school came this weekend and assessed Faye's
>>> behavior issues, specifically scavenging and sniffing. We decided together
>> 
>>> it would be best to return Faye to the school and start the intake for a
>>> new dog. I put so much love and time into this relationship over the past
>>> eight months I have had her, I am having trouble dealing with this. Is
>>> there any advice on how to enjoy the last of the time I have with her and
>>> how to let go when I must? I am also afraid of not being able to put as
>>> much love into my next guide dog relationship. Did you find it easy to
>>> fall in love with a successor dog?
>>> Jewel
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/carcione%40access.net
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/djrogers0628%40gmail.com
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/carcione%40access.net
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/julielj%40neb.rr.com