[nagdu] Need advice on dog retirement planning

[Danielle Antoine]

Well, both of my retired dogs ended up in the same place. Fagin was to
go to my daddy but ended up on the land so to speak. My parents got a
divorce and they were next door neighbors. LOL! and my grandmother
wouldn't let him in. He lived 5 years in retirement and I can relate
to Shannon. Eden has been retired for 4 years now and I am hear with
her. My mother has decided that she doesn't want dogs inside anymore
so that is why I haven't replaced yet. I had coworkers willing to take
Fagin but I left work to raise my son and shortly after we moved to a
new city. Thanks Mrs. Maureen!

Truthfully, I was going to give Eden back to the school for placement
but they allowed me to keep her. I really did need her as I was going
through many many life changes and transitions at that time. Know that
this is never an easy decision to make. Hugs to you and prayers that
you will be led in the right direction.

Danielle and Eden, who says "Woof! Woof!" to Hammer and Ace


On 7/17/14, Shannon Dyer via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi, Alysha.
>
> This is such a hard thing to have to go through. I've done it twice.
>
> I kept my first guide. My partner took over most of her care, and that
> worked out really well. We were on opposite schedules, so the dog wasn't
> alone for long periods of time. This was especially important since she was
> prone to having seizures.
>
> My second guide went to live with my grandmother after I retired her. The
> plan was that my grandma would foster her until one of my aunts could take
> her. Sadly, the Caroline dog died young and never did get to live with my
> aunt.
>
> I had some trouble having Caroline cared for by my grandmother. She let her
> gain a lot of weight and didn't groom her. I talked with her about it, and
> she said she'd try to do better. I think Caroline would have been better off
> with my aunt. I would have kept her myself, but she was super possessive,
> and would have been very upset watching me work with a new dog.
>
> I wish you luck with your decision.
>
> Shannon and the Acelet, who hopes his retirement won't come for a long time
> On Jul 17, 2014, at 6:23 PM, Alysha via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I unfortunately think the time is approaching when it will be best for my
>> first guide, Hammer, to retire. He's still healthy, but I've noticed him
>> slowing down a lot and becoming more hesitant and less enthusiastic when
>> he
>> works. Sometimes, I take him for walks off harness with a sighted guide,
>> and
>> he seems to enjoy these outings much more than he does when he has to
>> work.
>> So I'm evaluating my options for what to do when he retires, and I was
>> hoping those of you who have gone through this process before could share
>> how you decided your dog's retirement plans and how it worked out.
>>
>>
>>
>> I've always wanted to keep Hammer for his entire life. I think it would
>> make
>> the process of getting a successor dog a lot less emotionally draining
>> for
>> me, and he would be able to stay in a familiar environment with me. I
>> know
>> with me he will always eat the best food and get the best vet care
>> possible.
>> He is very laid back, and I honestly don't think he would be upset seeing
>> another dog working with me. But I have a full-time job, so he would be
>> alone all day. I would likely have to get a dog walker to come in the
>> middle
>> of the day because he is a frequent reliever. I live in a condo, so I
>> don't
>> have a yard or lots of space for him to run and play. I have two pet
>> birds,
>> and I'm afraid I might be spread a little thin with having the two birds
>> and
>> two dogs.
>>
>>
>>
>> My aunt and uncle have expressed interest in adopting Hammer after he
>> retires. They're huge animal lovers, have a ton of land in Nebraska, and
>> my
>> aunt owns her own accounting business so could take Hammer to the office
>> with her to hang out during the day. After my grandfather passed away,
>> they
>> took care of his elderly dog and were quite patient and good with him
>> until
>> he also passed away. She has a new rescue dog now though who acted
>> aggressively toward Hammer and made him very nervous on our last visit.
>> I'm
>> not sure if the dogs would get used to each other or if it would be a
>> continuing problem. I live in Virginia, so I can't really work on
>> introducing them over time. I know another great family who might be
>> interested in adopting Hammer after retirement, but they work full-time,
>> so
>> Hammer would be alone during the days there too.
>>
>>
>>
>> I just want to do what's best for Hammer, but I'm having a tough time
>> figuring out what that might be! So I'd love to hear your experiences and
>> any advice anyone might have about this huge decision. Thanks for
>> reading!
>>
>>
>>
>> Alysha
>>
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>
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