[Nyagdu] Introduction

[Tracy Carcione]

I forgot to say that the NAGDU list also has several owner/trainers, if that
aspect of guide doggedness interests you.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: Nyagdu [mailto:nyagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Heather Bird
via Nyagdu
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 10:51 AM
To: nyagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Heather Bird
Subject: [Nyagdu] Introduction

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.

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