[NAGDU] Old dog, new trick.

Charlene Ota caota4 at gmail.com
Thu Mar 23 00:31:07 UTC 2017


Hi, Rox, thanks so much for sharing this. My vet has given me the same
advice now that Irish is 12 years old, to let him work as long as he wants
and of course we make concessions for him like the lift on the paratransit
vans and a ramp for vehicles, but he was very encouraging to let him work as
long as he wants to and as long as he does his job. His trainer also gave me
the same advice. Right now I am recovering from rotator cuff surgery on my
left arm so I've had to leave him home and he doesn't like it at all. He's
actually started doing things I've never seen him do before, rummaging in
things when I'm not home and shredding stuff and I caught him the other day
and gently scolded him and he slunk away, poor guy, so I consoled him and
assured him his days laying around home wouldn't be too much longer, he
could soon come lay around work with me. Because he is so gentle and doesn't
pull on me, when I get out of my sling I will be able to work with him
again. Initially, when I fell and dislocated my shoulder and tore up my
rotator cuff, I was afraid that was going to be it for him, I'd be laid up
for so long he might not be working any more and that just broke my heart
because I didn't want his work to end that way with a big fall that he was
very concerned about. After a couple of weeks, I could work with him up
until the time I had my surgery, and now I'm in the 6th week of recovery and
probably in the next week or so I will be out of the sling so he'll be at it
again. I've taken him out to church a couple times because that is easy and
very little work and I could handle that and he was so happy he just could
hardly contain himself but I think it has reassured him that he's still my
boy.

But thanks for reaffirming that if it's what the dog wants, to let them work
to their ability when they're getting old. And thanks for sharing your
stories!

Charlene

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of The Pawpower Pack
via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 4:38 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: The Pawpower Pack <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Old dog, new trick.

Mostly she is telling me she's restless and wanting to do something. So I
will find a way to bring her along for a lil adventure that won't overtax
the old dear.  I am having dinner with a friend Friday and I'm contemplating
taking her to the gourmet hotdog/beer garden across the road from my house
with a very dog friendly outdoor seating.  This will give her enough walking
and outside time without  making her too miserable from pain in the morning.

Most of my dogs have retired from Physical issues and have still wanted to
work and my vet strongly encourages me to find things they can do that are
still within their physical limits because he believes it is good for their
mental and emotional health.  

 Rox and the kitchen Bitches: 
Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
Pawpower4me at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 22, 2017, at 1:52 PM, Lisa via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Rox,
> 
> 
> thanks for sharing. So, Mill'e is still a responsible old girl...
> 
> 
> Lisa
> 
> 
>> Am 22.03.2017 um 19:47 schrieb Tracy Carcione via NAGDU:
>> I've been able to keep my last 3 retired dogs.  They were a bit surprised
>> not to be coming along with me at first, but, if my husband wasn't coming
>> with me far, he'd snap the leash on the retired dog and take him or her
for
>> a walk.  Didn't take long for them to start thinking it was just as much
fun
>> to go for a good, sniffy walk.  And I'm sure, when I was heading out with
>> Krokus some cold, wet morning, I could hear Ben laughing to himself
because
>> he was staying home cozy and dry.
>> 
>> But it is sweet Mill'e wanted to go with Rox.
>> Tracy
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via
>> NAGDU
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 2:31 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Joe Orozco
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Old dog, new trick.
>> 
>> :) That's a sweet story. I don't know how I would do it if I had to
retire
>> one dog and keep the former one around. I would find it heart-wrenching
if
>> the first dog wanted to get into the harness but could no longer carry
out
>> the work. I know scores of people do it. I just wonder if I'll ever
possess
>> the capacity to stand it. Most likely I would let one dog pass away
before
>> returning for the next.
>> 
>> Joe
>> 
>>> On 3/22/17, The Pawpower Pack via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> So for those who don't know, I have 3 dogs. Soleil, 6 year old lab,
>>> working dog and agent of chaos.
>>> Laveau, Doberman mix and retired with kidney disease.
>>> Mill'E, 14.5 year old retired (spleenless, kidney-failing, 3-legged,
>>> spinal-degenerating bossdog) This morning I got ready for an
>>> appointment and went into the front of the house to harness Soleil.  I
>>> leave the other dogs in the back of the house so they can't look out
>>> the front window and disturb the peace with barking while I'm gone.
>>> So I feel Soleil brush by my leg as I open the door to the front.  I
>>> close the door behind us and get out her harness.  My dog stands on
>>> either a high couch or bed so I can harness her without bending and
>>> triggering my vertigo.  Only Soleil is not jumping up for the harness.
>>> I feel her next to me but no jumping.  So I reach down and it's old
>>> Shouty Mildred who has snuck into the room with me and thinks she's
>>> going to get the harness on and work but she can't jump up any more to
get
>> harnessed.
>>> Unlucky for her I found her out, and swapped her for a very confused
>>> Soleil who was waiting by the door to the front of the house, very
>>> excited to learn that I was not leaving her home after all.
>>> Mill'E was not very happy but I gave her some pumpkin treats and left
>>> her to plot how she can try and pull one over on me again.
>>> Classic example of the mind and heart willing but the body failing.
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  Rox and the kitchen Bitches:
>>> Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
>>> Pawpower4me at gmail.com
>>> Sent from my iPhone
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