[nagdu] Need advice on dog retirement planning

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Alysha.
I too am getting ready to retire a dog.  My husband and I frequently work 
from home, so we can keep Ben.  One of us can go into the office while the 
other stays home with him.
A couple dogs back, we kept my old dog and hired a dogwalker to come in at 
lunchtime.  She took Amba out and walked around the neighborhood with her. 
The dogwalker's grandmother worked at the nearby bakery, so the gal took 
Amba over there sometimes to get a bit of cookie. Amba was very popular.
We interviewed several dogwalkers before picking the one we did.  One guy 
almost hit Amba with the door when he was taking her out.  He seemed very 
careless of her welfare, so we didn't pick him.

I have heard some people say that guide dogs are not used to staying alone 
every day, and that seems true.  However, Amba did not seem to mind, so far 
as I could tell, and to be content with getting a good walk around 
lunchtime. You know your dog, and how he feels about being alone.

Your family's place sounds like a good alternative, too, but I'd be wary of 
placing your dog where there is an aggressive dog.   My mother had a bitch 
who decided she hated black labs after one came in the yard when she had 
pups.  Most of the time, Kate was really nice, but she would unexpectedly go 
after my black lab on occasion.  Luckily, I wasn't living there, just 
visiting, but I always had to be cautious.
HTH.
Tracy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alysha via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 6:23 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Need advice on dog retirement planning


> Hi,
>
> I unfortunately think the time is approaching when it will be best for my
> first guide, Hammer, to retire. He's still healthy, but I've noticed him
> slowing down a lot and becoming more hesitant and less enthusiastic when 
> he
> works. Sometimes, I take him for walks off harness with a sighted guide, 
> and
> he seems to enjoy these outings much more than he does when he has to 
> work.
> So I'm evaluating my options for what to do when he retires, and I was
> hoping those of you who have gone through this process before could share
> how you decided your dog's retirement plans and how it worked out.
>
>
>
> I've always wanted to keep Hammer for his entire life. I think it would 
> make
> the process of getting a successor dog a lot less emotionally draining for
> me, and he would be able to stay in a familiar environment with me. I know
> with me he will always eat the best food and get the best vet care 
> possible.
> He is very laid back, and I honestly don't think he would be upset seeing
> another dog working with me. But I have a full-time job, so he would be
> alone all day. I would likely have to get a dog walker to come in the 
> middle
> of the day because he is a frequent reliever. I live in a condo, so I 
> don't
> have a yard or lots of space for him to run and play. I have two pet 
> birds,
> and I'm afraid I might be spread a little thin with having the two birds 
> and
> two dogs.
>
>
>
> My aunt and uncle have expressed interest in adopting Hammer after he
> retires. They're huge animal lovers, have a ton of land in Nebraska, and 
> my
> aunt owns her own accounting business so could take Hammer to the office
> with her to hang out during the day. After my grandfather passed away, 
> they
> took care of his elderly dog and were quite patient and good with him 
> until
> he also passed away. She has a new rescue dog now though who acted
> aggressively toward Hammer and made him very nervous on our last visit. 
> I'm
> not sure if the dogs would get used to each other or if it would be a
> continuing problem. I live in Virginia, so I can't really work on
> introducing them over time. I know another great family who might be
> interested in adopting Hammer after retirement, but they work full-time, 
> so
> Hammer would be alone during the days there too.
>
>
>
> I just want to do what's best for Hammer, but I'm having a tough time
> figuring out what that might be! So I'd love to hear your experiences and
> any advice anyone might have about this huge decision. Thanks for reading!
>
>
>
> Alysha
>
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