[nagdu] Need advice on dog retirement planning

[Kathy Davis]

It was great that I could keep my first guide dog when my husband could take
her to work with him. However, after he died I didn't think it would be fair
to take my new dog to work with me and leave my retired one home alone all
day. This is why I opted to let one of my grown children take them and that
has worked out beautifully. It's just so very difficult to keep your retired
dog and to walk and care for two dogs when you live alone. 

Best of luck to you,

Kathy Davis 


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Shannon Dyer via
nagdu
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 7:45 PM
To: Alysha; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Need advice on dog retirement planning

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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