[NAGDU] questions on when to get a dog and how it affects international travel

Thu Mar 15 12:38:19 UTC 2018

hi there 
I would agree with the comment from Julie I think, I am in work at the moment and am busy enough which is good.  Again welcome to the list.  Its hard to say when to apply for a guide, when I was diagnosed with R>P> awhile back it took me awhile to adapt to the OMI training with a kane before moving to working a guide I applied for my first guide a year after my R.P. was diagnosed.  
It is a personal choice when to apply.  In regards to International Travel, I can only speak for Ireland you would need to get documents signed off from your Bet frames, flee and worm treatment at least 48ours before traveling to Ireland you would need to inform the DOA in ireland my email that you are traveling with a guide dog, you will be met at Dublin airport by inspector from DOA who will check your dog’s paperwork and that is it for your dog coming into Ireland, a bet to Ireland might be required for your return trip to USA I always do this when traveling overseas.  Again at least 48hours before return trip.
hope this has helped
Gabriel

> On Mar 15, 2018, at 11:56 AM, Julie Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Welcome to the list!
> 
> When is it the right time to get a guide dog?
> That's kind of like asking when is it the right time to have kids! *smile* I don't think there's one right answer that applies to everyone, or even makes sense to try to apply to everyone.  It has to be the right time for you.  You do need to have basic cane travel skills, be able to know where you are and have a sense of what you need to do to get where you want to go and feel a dog would help you.  I suggest spending some time with someone who uses a guide dog.  Go for a walk with the person and their dog, see what the dog does and doesn't do, ask some questions and get a feel for if a dog is for you.
> 
> Most blind people don't have guide dogs.  I heard somewhere that something like 10% of blind people have a guide dog.  That's just a number rolling around in my head and may be off a bit.  I've been to a lot of blindness events though and the 10% number feels about right.  So if you never get a dog, that's totally fine too.
> 
> You can travel to other countries with your dog, most of them anyway.  You have to check the laws where you are going to know exactly what you need to do.  Different countries have different requirements.  Generally it's going to involve a lot of paperwork, up to date vaccinations/deworming/flea treatments, a trip to the vet before you travel and probably a meeting/interview when you arrive in the other country to review your documents.   If you're good at advance planning, you'll be fine.
> 
> On the topic of leaving the dog behind for a week or two while you travel, I think I'm probably in the minority here, but I think it's okay.  It's better if you can do this further along in the working life of the dog.  It's not a good idea to only have had the dog a month or two and then leave for a couple of weeks, but if you've had the dog for a year or two and need to do this, it's much less of a problem.  I think it also depends on the individual dog.  Some dogs are going to adapt to this better than others. Where your dog would be staying with familiar people in a familiar place, I think it's less of a problem.  A dog isn't going to lose it's training after a week or two of not working.  It takes months for the training to deteriorate to a problem level, at least with an experienced dog.  Again a new dog is going to struggle with this more.
> 
> Again welcome!
> Julie
> On The Go with Guide-and-Service-Dogs.com <http://guide-and-service-dogs.com/>
> http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com <http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com/>
> also find my products in the Blind Mice Mega Mall
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> -----Original Message----- From: Ryan Boudwin via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2018 4:18 AM
> To: NAGDU at nfbnet.org <mailto:NAGDU at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Ryan Boudwin
> Subject: [NAGDU] questions on when to get a dog and how it affects international travel
> 
> Hey everyone,
> 
> I was recently diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. I'm pretty early in the
> progression; my mid-periphery is gone but I still have reliable central
> vision and some far periphery, but it will get worse over time.
> 
> I am now using a cane and have stopped driving. At what point would it make
> sense for me to consider getting a guide dog? I'm 33 and pretty active. I'm
> employed in IT management and I like to go hiking a lot. I walk very fast.
> I am assuming I have too much usable vision to get a dog right now but I'm
> wondering at what vision loss threshold should I look into it?
> 
> My other question is that I travel for work from the USA to Ireland 1-2
> times a year for 1-2 weeks each time. I may end up needing to travel to
> Singapore occasionally as well as we are opening an office there.
> Maintaining my ability to travel for work is important to my job and I
> enjoy travelling internationally. How do you take a service animal on a
> long haul flight like that? Should I just revert to a cane for trips like
> that? If I did that how would my dog handle my absence? I have a wife and
> three kids, so the dog wouldn't be alone but I've heard guide dogs struggle
> with absences sometimes.
> 
> Ryan Boudwin
> ryanboudwin at gmail.com
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