[NAGDU] {Spam?} Our Introduction

Wed Mar 16 12:44:36 UTC 2016

Hi Lisie,

I also live in NJ, but attend college in PA. I am currently working my
first guide, a yellow Lab/Golden cross from the Guide Dog Foundation.
He turns four at the end of the month, but he has only recently
decided that he is no longer a puppy, most of the time anyway. My
sister is also raising a yellow Lab/Golden puppy for GDF, and they
love to spend time together.

I've never heard of anyone who had the opportunity to raise and train
their own puppy with the help of a training program, and it sounds
amazing.

Danielle, Thai, and Bonnie (GDF puppy in training)

On 3/16/16, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Lisie.
> How marvelous to raise your own pup, and get help from a school in training
> him!  He sounds great!  And I love his name.
>
> I'm Tracy, with Krokus the golden/lab cross--the big blond.  He is my 7th
> guide, and 2nd from The Seeing Eye.  He is 3 now, and still something of a
> handful, though he's turning into a fine guide and pleasant companion. I
> live in Jersey, and work in New York City.
> Welcome to the list.
> Tracy
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lisie Foster via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 5:26 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Lisie Foster
> Subject: [NAGDU] {Spam?} Our Introduction
>
> Hi!
>
> OK, I was a bit nervous to join the list though I've lurked for a
> while!
> I wasn't sure we belonged here; but, I sent a note to to the amazingly
> kind Marion Gwizdala who assured me that we would be welcome, and so here
> is
> our intro!
>
> My name is Lisie Foster (I'm using my middle name, for privacy reasons,
> since the list archives are public) and I'm partnered with my third
> hearing service dog and cross-trained guide dog named Finn. Finn was
> trained
> by a small ADI-affiliated school in Ohio, and because I live so close to
> the
> school, I was able to choose and "adopt" Finn as an 11-week-old
> puppy, become his puppy raiser, "co-trainer", and eventual
> partner! He's an almost 15-month-old, light blond Golden Retriever,
> 23" tall and just over 70 lbs. He is such a goofy, sweet, funny,
> intelligent dog and is the most gentlemanly dog I've ever met!
>
> The program that trained Finn taught us how to do hearing alerts and
> service
> tasks. Right now I have a severe hearing loss, but my hearing loss is
> variable and progressive, and it's impossible to know how far it will
> progress. It's caused by Meniere's Disease in combination with a
> pre-existing mild, genetic hearing loss.
>
> My hearing loss is strange. At high pitches and low pitches, my loss is
> severe/profound. So, I won't hear a fire alarm or tornado siren; I
> can't typically hear growling dogs or thunderstorms. But, the sounds in
> the middle ranges -- like people's voices, especially women's --
> are
> still in the moderate loss range. So, as long as I can see the person
> talking, and the environment is fairly quiet, I'm able to follow along
> fairly well.
>
> He also helps with medical assistance because the chemo treatments I
> underwent in 2010-2011 caused permanent heart failure, so I have problems
> with exercise intolerance and fatigue, despite being on two medications.
> But, because of Finn, I was able to go from walking about 100 feet alone to
> now, easily walking 1/2 mile with him walking in guide position, either
> while guiding or while exerting the same pull that he does while guiding
> (he
> never pulls me, like a mobility dog might; instead, just a straight pull
> into harness somehow counteracts the fatigue I experience).
>
> Next, to show how Finn is even more eerily mature when working, he is also
> cross-trained as a guide dog. I did this part of his training; he's
> actually the third dog I've trained as a guide. Knowing my vision had
> the potential to deteriorate due to progressive myopia, I studied, learned,
> and worked to teach both of my first hearing service dogs to guide, as
> well.
> But, Finn is my first true guide dog. Even though he doesn't guide
> full-time, he loves every chance he gets to guide (usually every night) and
> performs this role beautifully. The rods in my eyes are damaged either from
> progressive/degenerative myopia and/or radiation, chemo, and the adjuvant
> medical treatments which didn't fully end until early 2015. This means
> I
> have a severe deficit in night vision; I can't see well enough to
> navigate in dim and dark conditions on my own. I am nearly totally blind,
> but with light perception, under those conditions. But, my daytime,
> best-corrected central visual acuity is still 20/30 (decreasing but at a
> much slower rate). The night-blindness I experience is a strange condition:
> I can't walk around my own neighborhood at night without my dog
> guiding,
> a person walking with me, or without using a cane to navigate, unless
> I'd like to fall (which I have *grins*). But, once I come into a
> brightly-lit area, my vision goes back to 20/30. So, say I'm on a long
> walk at night and, after crossing a dark parking lot, I would reach a
> brightly-lit building. I'd have walked there and crossed the parking
> lot
> with Finn working as a guide dog, but then, after entering the store and
> allowing my eyes extra time to adapt to the change in lighting, my vision
> would go right back to 20/30, and Finn's role would change from guide
> dog to hearing service dog! Ha!
>
> I believe Finn thinks that humanity was created to adore him, to pet him,
> and for him to kiss, especially kids. The hardest part of for us has always
> been turning down people who ask to pet him, because it makes him so happy!
> But, I can only allow this to occur at the right time and right place, or
> else I end up with a Golden Retriever lying upside down, wagging
> exuberantly, with people petting his sparkly tummy feathers while his mind
> goes ... wherever Goldens minds go when they're being social Goldens!
> He
> has more than enough off-duty time -- most of his time is spent not working
> -- to be a totally unprofessional-looking sweetheart of a dog!
>
> His favorite toy is his plush soccer ball, which he once used to ease his
> gums while teething, but now still loves the feel of while holding it in
> his
> mouth. He prefers elk antlers over deer antlers, though if the deer antlers
> are an interesting shape, then he likes them a bit more, though I do have
> to
> stop him from throwing his antlers at me (he likes to throw his toys and
> his
> aim is far too accurate for his targets to be accidental -- he likes
> throwing his toys at me and into his water and even from across a room, he
> can do it).  He is equally adept at play and working retrieves, is an
> amazing swimmer who is a bit water-obsessed, is the only dog I've ever
> had who never slips on icy surfaces, is best friends with a yellow Lab who
> the demo dog at the program where we trained, and has had two dogs who he
> appointed his "girlfriends". I thought it was interesting that
> both of them, the only two dogs he's ever shown any romantic-type
> interest in, were both black, female Golden/Lab crosses with fur more like
> a
> Golden's than a Lab's, and that one was a Service Dog in Training
> and the other was an adolescent being raised for CCI. He shows his crushes
> he loves them by constantly following them around, looking at them
> adoringly, and bathing their faces as much as they'll let him. It was
> an
> interesting day in advanced obedience class when the instructor had to call
> out both Finn and I, and his "girlfriend" and her raiser, to try
> to get Finn to pay attention to me while she was there. *laughs* I really
> didn't appreciate the day in that class, either, when Finn -- who had
> won the "beginning obedience" class's contest to see which
> dog
> could hold a down-stay for the longest period of time -- broke a down stay
> first, then ran across the ring to his girlfriend, diving and sliding at
> her
> like a baseball player sliding headfirst into home plate, stopping  right
> at
> her face so he could bathe and worship her. Really, Finn? Really? I was
> mortified. It happened about six months ago, and I'll never forget it!
>
> I believe his favorite part of his "work" is guiding. Note: I put
> work in quotes because I don't think he quite realizes he's
> working;
> he enjoys learning, thinking, interacting, and what most would call working
> so incredibly much that it's actually a very integral part of his life
> and his existence. Without that, he would NOT be a very happy dog! I have
> tested his guiding under sleepshade, with and without simultaneously using
> my cane, and he is absolutely incredible. He stops at the apron of
> down-curbs, which at first I confused for him stepping into the street, but
> I soon realized was simply a part of his very precise way of working. Just
> last night, I realized that one obstacle he has always worked around, which
> I'd always assumed was a fallen tree branch on the sidewalk, was
> actually a place where lightweight overhead tree branches hangs down not to
> FINN'S level, but hang down to where thy would be an overhead obstacle
> at MY level. He's done this for at least a month; I only finally
> figured
> out what it was last night because I happened to turn my head to the left
> and lean down at just that moment to check something on his harness,
> causing
> the branches to brush against the side of my head. I had no idea he was
> looking for overhead obstacles. I don't think I give him enough credit
> sometimes! Two weeks ago, now, we had our first natural traffic check and
> Finn responded as he'd been trained, acting so swiftly, decisively, and
> accurately that I hardly knew what was happening until, safely back against
> the curb we'd just stepped from with Finn beside me, I saw the lights
> of
> a car swing around the street corner and drive swiftly over the part of the
> street where we had just been crossing!
>
> That was a long introduction; I apologize for that! Sometimes, I think I
> could write for hours about my dog *grins*. Thank you so much for having me
> on your list, and if you've read my story before, but with a different
> first name, more than likely, it was me using my first name. But, out of
> concern for privacy and safety for my dog, I'm using my middle name
> online now instead. But, if you want to be sure of who I am, feel free to
> send me an off-list email and I'm glad to reply!
>
> Sincerely and thank you,
> Lisie and Finn
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lisie and Finn, CGC, NTD
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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