[NAGDU] Retirement

[Tracy Carcione]

Krokus is my 7th dog.  You'd think I'd be totally able to deal with
retirement decisions by now, but no, it doesn't get any easier with
practice.

A few weeks ago, we Seeing Eye graduates got an email from Admissions,
advising anyone who thought they might need a successor dog in the next year
or so to put in an application, so Admissions could plan and manage the
waiting list.  Krokus is 8 and a half now, so I started the application
process, with a hold until some time next year. 

He's always been "Poky Krokie", and I've always had to remind him to keep up
a decent pace, but now I'm reminding him a lot.  He was OK yesterday, when
we went somewhere different, and he was great when we were in a familiar
place we hadn't been in for a while, but, when we got into an unfamiliar
place, he got hesitant, and wanted to follow my husband.  When I have to
wait a couple minutes for a traffic signal, especially if I miss a turn and
have to wait again, he lies down, even if it's not hot.  

He's always been somewhat hesitant and prone to mysterious stopping,
especially in unfamiliar areas, which makes me crazy, because I have to
figure out if there's a reason like a curb or big obstacle just out of
reach, or he's looking for someone to follow, or he wants an unscheduled
relief stop.  I hate it.  It confuses the heck out of me every time.  He's
also very likely to creep up to curbs and exits, often stopping feet short
of a door.

I think he still enjoys working, but mostly if it's not hard and it's not
long.

So I guess I'll take the hold off my application.  

He'll be bored not working, though.  He can go for walks with my husband and
sniff as much as he likes, which he will enjoy, but then Jerry will have to
worry about him scavenging something he shouldn't, another thing he tries a
lot.  Oy.  I hate retiring a dog.

Tracy