[Nyagdu] Introduction

[Heather Bird]

Hello, list.

My name is Heather. My current guide is Ilsa, a black and tan German 
Shepherd Dog from the Seeing Eye in Morristown New Jersey. Ilsa is my 
second guide from TSE, my previous Seeing Eye dog being Frieda a black 
and tan coated GSD who just retired in August of 2016. I have had two 
GSDs, Paisley and Drew, sable and black and tan respectively, from 
Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation and my very first guide dog who I got at 
age 16 was a yellow Labrador retriever named Brittany, from Guiding Eyes 
for the Blind in Yorktown Heights New York.

I grew up with guide dogs as my mother, Bernice, has been working guide 
dogs for almost 40 years. When I was an infant my mom, essentially a 
single parent, did such a good self-advocacy job that Jeff Lock agreed 
to make her one of GEB's first home placements, and the first of her 
dogs that I met was a black lab named Brenna. Now my sons, Jeremy 8 and 
Caleb, 3 in January are growing up watching me work my dogs, which is 
great because both of them are visually impaired. I had Paisley when 
Jeremy was born and I brought Frieda home just after Jeremy's third 
birthday. Caleb still asks where Frieda is, but he is adjusting to Ilsa. 
My biggest challenge is convincing my toddler parrot not to repeat all 
of the commands that I give to Ilsa while he rides in a baby carrier on 
my back.

My husband, Jim is a service dog handler as well. He is sighted, but he 
uses a psychiatric service dog, a smooth coat collie named Dante, a dog 
we jointly owner trained to address Jim's combat-related PTSD. Jim is 
supportive of guide dog handlers and is quite savvy about the different 
schools, the guide dog/service dog laws and he and I help one another 
not only as spouses, but as fellow service dog handlers.

Jim and I are both members of IAADP, International Association of 
Assistance Dog Partners. Jim, Bernice and I are all members of NFB 
Rochester as well. Jim and Bernice are also joining NYAGDU and one or 
both of them may or may not join the mailing list in future.

I am a total guide dog geek, I admit it. *smile* I love to learn from 
and be inspired by more experienced guide dog handlers, and I love to 
teach/mentor less experienced guide dog handlers. I am a big preponent 
of my current school, the Seeing Eye, but I am also supportive of the 
rights of owner trainers and I am very interested in the constant 
changes in the guide dog world, including the areas of strength and 
weakness, growth and change  at all guide dog schools including my own.

I have a passion for working dogs of all types as I believe that 
generally speaking, dogs are happier, healthier and more fulfilled when 
they are guiding, herding sheep, pulling sleds, finding drugs, 
identifying bombs, rescuing people who are lost, partnering with police 
officers, serving in the military, providing animal assisted therapy, 
helping hunters bring home dinner, or performing service dog tasks. I 
contend that a trained dog is a secure dog, a working dog is a fulfilled 
dog and as we all know, a tired dog is a good dog.

PS, as an icebreaker for me to get to know some of you other listers... 
If you were a dog, what breed would you be and why? I would be either a 
German Shepherd or a Dobermin Pincher, as I am intelligent, but also 
very vocal, a little bit dramatic, a little bit obsessive, and these 
traits often work to my advantage, but sometimes work against me. My 
older son would be a standard poodle, my younger son would probably be a 
golden retriever, my mom a Labrador and my husband would be a 
golden/doberman cross, civilian self combine with military self.