[NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog

Cindy Ray cindyray at gmail.com
Fri May 27 18:51:58 UTC 2016


I have had to go back three times, but I had never really bonded with the
dog.  I was sad about it, sure, but I wanted a dog that would work for me.
It is painful, but my problem was more a sense of failure, and they worked
with me on that. I think you are going Monday and are anxious; also, I think
you are over thinking it. I am going to truthfully say that some of the cons
I had in mind never really went away for me. For instance, I got sick of
people interrupting conversations I was having with people to ask me
questions about my dog even though I might be having a serious conversation.
And people talking to me instead of my dog was a problem. Some of the things
I dealt with better as time went on, but I grew weary. For some people these
aren't issues, so don't please think that I think you are making a mistake.
I would also say that now that I'm not using a dog, I miss to some extent
the easier movement with the dog, though right now I'm not sure it would be
available because I'm having trouble walking. Strangely though, when I went
to get a dog, well when I was deciding, I said I didn't want to stand out,
look different. Chuck suggested that I already did because I am using a
cane. True enough. And now I feel like I am standing out because it is hard
for me to walk and I am sticking my cane out so far to make sure I don't
have any serious mishaps, so much of it turns out to be trade offs. I think
you will be thrilled with your dog. Don't over think it; relax; have a grand
time at the school; keep us posted when you can on the dog. Next week at
this time you will have had your furry companion two days, almost three.
Cindy


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rachel Grider via
NAGDU
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2016 1:09 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rachel Grider <rachel.grider at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog

I think I will definitely have a hard time with giving up my cane. I love to
be able to learn about my environment with my cane, and I am used to being
in total control. With a dog, I will have to give up some of that control,
but I will hopefully be trading control for better speed and grace when
walking through hazardous environments.

Last week, I began wondering if I really should get a guide dog because I
thought that maybe the worries I had and the possible issues I could foresee
were just too much, and maybe a guide dog just wasn't the best thing for me
at this time in my life. I made a numbered list of all the personal benefits
of getting a guide dog (which I am still adding to as I think of more, by
the way) and another list of all the possible problems and inconveniences
that a guide dog would create. I was greatly encouraged because the pros
greatly outnumbered the cons, and I have even taken some of the cons off the
list altogether as I think of ways to get around them.

I still have a ton of questions, but I think that as long as I have a guide
dog that fits my personality and lifestyle, everything will work out. My
biggest worry at this point is that somehow the dog they choose for me will
end up being the wrong choice, and I will have to send it back for a new one
after having already bonded with it. Does that ever happen, or am I being
paranoid?

Thank you,

Rachel

On 5/27/16, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I think the hardest thing for me with the first dog was giving over 
> some of the responsibility that I used to take using a cane to the 
> dog. I wanted to know all of the things about my environment that I 
> used to know with the cane because I trusted me more than the dog. Now 
> I sort of wonder why I felt that way, having retired the dog and gone 
> back to using a cane.
> Lots of wonderful times and happy trails, Rachel.
> Cindy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rachel 
> Grider via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2016 5:28 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Rachel Grider <rachel.grider at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog
>
> Thank you all for your advice! This makes me feel better. I am leaving 
> for NJ on Monday and should meet my new guide dog on Wednesday.
> Getting excited!
>
> On 5/24/16, Star Gazer via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 			I like the compromises others have suggested. In
> public, I'd bring
>> the dog, your friend doesn't get to decide that. At home, in her 
>> home, then she does as do you.
>> Really, you need to realize that relationships always change, people 
>> get married, have children, move away, find hobbies. Only you can 
>> know if you want t his change to happen. If no, then don't get a dog. 
>> If yes, then get one.
>> I no longer have a dog. When I did, a good friend and I weren't very
> close.
>> When I stopped using a dog, we became close. He just doesn't like 
>> dogs and that's fine. It put a crimp in our friendship while I was 
>> using one but he was never a butt head about it... he just didn't 
>> want to hang out when my dog was present, and I didn't want to leave 
>> the dog just
> for him.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tara 
>> Wiseman via NAGDU
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:40 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Tara Wiseman <thflute at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Questions About Getting My First Guide Dog
>>
>> Hi, first of all I want to say congratulations! I have loved having a 
>> dog from the Seeing Eye! My brother has allergies to dogs and is also 
>> not a dog fan. Here is the compromise that we have come up with. If 
>> he is hosting a family dinner, and I have family taking me to and 
>> from, I leave any at home.
>> If we were meeting at his house to then go somewhere where I would 
>> need to use Emmy, or if I were coming to his house on my own, I would 
>> be OK to bring Amy. I didn't make it totally clear at the beginning, 
>> but Amy is the name of my dog. Congratulations to you and keep us 
>> posted!
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On May 17, 2016, at 4:01 PM, Rachel Grider via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello, Friends!
>>>
>>> I don't usually post to this list because, having never used a guide 
>>> dog,
>> I have nothing productive to contribute. This is shortly going to 
>> change, though, as I will be going to the Seeing Eye to train with a 
>> new guide dog in two weeks! I am very excited, though this decision 
>> has been a very long time coming. I am still unsure about some 
>> things, but I know that I will need to try it out in order to know 
>> for sure if a guide dog will be the best mobility aid for me.
>>>
>>> I have a few questions for y'all about adjusting to a new guide dog.
>>> I
>> will probably think of many more as I proceed, but here are a few 
>> with which to start:
>>>
>>> 1. I teach private voice lessons. I have already notified my 
>>> students that
>> I will be away for most of June, but I have not yet told them why. I 
>> know that it would probably be common courtesy to let them know that 
>> I am getting a guide dog before they show up to my studio and see my 
>> dog there. I am nervout about telling them because I don't know what 
>> kind of reaction I will get. What have some of you done in similar 
>> situations, and how have your students/clients/associates reacted?
>>>
>>> 2. I happen to own a cat who is not only quite territorial but also
>> extremely emotionally attached to me; I mean, when I am home, this 
>> cat literally follows me around and is always trying to get me to 
>> either play or cuddle with her. The man who did my home interview 
>> didn't seem too concerned about her adjusting to a dog, but because 
>> the emotional well-being of my cat is extremely important to me, I 
>> cannot help being worried. I know this sounds really stupid, but I am 
>> afraid that because my dog will go with me whenever I leave my house, 
>> and then return home with me, my cat will begin to associate me with 
>> the dog and instead of growing used to my dog over time, she will 
>> resent me and not want to be around me as much. Am I reading too much
into this?
>> Regardless, what are some ways in which you have made the transition 
>> easier for your pets?
>>>
>>> 3. I have two good friends who are allergic to dog hair. Both of 
>>> them are
>> not worried about being around me with the dog, as long as I keep it 
>> brushed, but I am concerned that despite their reassurances, my 
>> relationships with them will suffer. One of these friends told me 
>> that service dogs have been brought to her house before, and as long 
>> as the dog stayed in the back yard, everything was fine. Is that 
>> appropriate to do with a guide dog? How have some of you dealt with this?
>>>
>>> That will be it for now. Any advice would be appreciated. I am 
>>> counting
>> down the days until I will get to meet my new guide, but I still want 
>> to make sure that all proactical considerations are made.
>>>
>>> Cheers!
>>>
>>> Rachel
>>>
>>> http//www.rachelgrider.com
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