[nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog

Thu Jul 3 18:46:56 UTC 2014

		Yes, Buddy, all this. Very well said. Also, there is enough
in life that we *have* to do. Using a dog when one doesn't want to do so
isn't one of them. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan via
nagdu
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2014 11:24 AM
To: Nicole Torcolini; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog

Some dogs definitely take retirement harder than others, although even so, I
think they can and do adjust to it. When I retired Karl, he went into
retirement mode and I think was kind of relieved. He really did just switch
off, almost like, "OK union, I've done this long enough, it's your turn
now", and he had roughly six years of kicking back, putting his feet up
(virtually of course) and taking it easy. Chet also was fine with
retirement, since he pretty much decided he was done as well. I mistakenly
thought, however, that he wouldn't like some other dog doing his job even
though he didn't want it, and he very happily went off with Melanie's cousin
for a year. Long story there, but we thankfully got him back, and he was
absolutely fine with retirement. I think maybe sometimes we project our own
feelings about retirement onto our dogs. Sure, sometimes they don't want to
give up the work, even though they have to for health reasons or what have
you, but dogs are a lot more flexible than we sometimes give them credit for
being. 
On Jun 29, 2014, at 10:51 AM, Nicole Torcolini via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Without having more information, I can't comment on your situation 
> with your second guide dog. However, I will say that what you and your 
> dog experienced is not always the case. I have not retired a dog yet, 
> but I have heard from others that staying at home and/or living with a 
> new owner can be very hard for a newly retired guide dog.
> 
> Nicole
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Star Gazer [mailto:pickrellrebecca at gmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 7:35 AM
> To: 'Nicole Torcolini'
> Subject: RE: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog
> 
> Meaning that if she or anybody decides that a given dog or the guide 
> dog as an overarching concept doesn't work for them, the dog in 
> question and the concept won't hold a grudge.
> My second dog didn't care one bit when I decided the cane was the 
> better option for me. She was literally fat dumb and happy at my parents
house.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nicole Torcolini [mailto:ntorcolini at wavecable.com]
> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 1:05 AM
> To: 'Star Gazer'; 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of 
> Guide Dog Users'; 'Marsha Drenth'
> Subject: RE: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog
> 
> The dogs won't care? Uh???
> 
> A rather baffled Nicole
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer 
> via nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 11:25 AM
> To: 'Marsha Drenth'; 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of 
> Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog
> 
> Buddy's response was great!
> You'll also have an emotional transition. Some of your friends won't 
> like dogs even those that say they do. You'll become friends with 
> people who do like dogs even people you might not otherwise have anything
in common with.
> People will expect the world of your dog, things the dog isn't capable 
> of doing. Educating them can be difficult.
> There's nothing like the feeling you'll have when you meet your first dog.
> Enjoy it, no matter how the relationship ends, which it will do at 
> some point.
> You don't have to always use a dog. It's ok to leave your dog home 
> from time to time. It's also ok to decide at whatever point in your 
> life that a particular dog, or a guide dog as a concept is not good 
> for you. The dogs won't care and the schools shouldn't.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marsha 
> Drenth via nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 11:26 AM
> To: Buddy Brannan; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of 
> Guide Dog Users
> Cc: clarebearwest at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Adjustment from working with a king to a dog
> 
> I like buddies response. And I would totally agree with the 1.5 brain
part.
> :-) Yes Claire, there is an adjustment period. with practice and 
> working a dog you will learn your dogs body language, and what your 
> dog is trying to tell you. Unfortunately as Buddy also said, sometimes 
> you're not going to read what your dog is telling you right. And you 
> will be the one who is wrong. I've been working several dogs, and 
> sometimes I have no clue what my dogs have been telling me. It's not 
> often. But it is important to understand or try to understand what your
dog is telling you to do.
> Claire, you're definitely not the only one to have these concerns 
> before getting the dog. You'll be fine. Remember to listen to your 
> instructors while in class especially when your dog is trying to tell you
something.
> Remember those things when you get home.
> Hope that helps,
> 
> Marsha drenth
> email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com
> Sent with my IPhone
> Please note that this email communication has been sent using my 
> iPhone. As such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to
mitigate errors.
> Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as necessary. 
> 
>> On Jun 26, 2014, at 11:18 AM, Buddy Brannan via nagdu 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> Your dog will probably not tell you much of anything if he's off leash.
> The leash and harness are pretty instrumental in communication between 
> you and your dog. When your dog is off leash, he is probably not working
anyway.
>> 
>> I remember before I got my first dog that I wasn't sure how one would
> coordinate the working of six legs and two brains. (In my case, maybe 
> 1.5 brains at most.) Anyway, the legs aren't really a problem so much. 
> The brains sometimes are. Sometimes, you'll get into arguments with your
dogs.
> Just remember, sometimes, you're the one that's wrong. It's all OK though.
> This is all stuff you learn in class and refine over the following 
> months and years.
>> 
>>> On Jun 26, 2014, at 11:10 AM, Clare Westlund via nagdu 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>>> 
>>> afraid that I will miss something that the dog is trying to tell me 
>>> when off leash. Thank you all for your guidance and advice! Clare Hi 
>>> everyone! I am preparing to get my first dog next month and I had a 
>>> couple questions. I am nervous about the adjustment from working 
>>> with a cane two then using a dog? What was it like for you? I am 
>>> nervous that I will not understand what the dog is trying to tell me 
>>> when and and or out of harness? I don't want to interpret the body 
>>> language or mannerism of the dog in a bad way? Since I am totally 
>>> blind I am
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>> 
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