[nagdu] Why, or why not?

[daniel]

Thank you all for all the input! One thing that I've knowticed is that the
overall feeling that the public asks too many questions. I think it's
probably because I'm pretty straight forward and say what I'm thinking. So
if they do get on my nerves (unlikely) they'll know. But I do generally
enjoy educating the public so that's not an issue for me. Even though I have
had a dog (all be it shortly) in the past another thing I'm worried about is
exploring new places from time-to-time. When I got my first seeing eye Dog
the first 2 months or so back home I didn't really want to try exploring new
places without someone sighted to at least have had seen roughly the area I
would be going so I could know kinda sorta what to expect (it should be
noted that at that time I had just moved into a new apartment so I had to
learn new places). But after that initial 2 or 3 month period is when my dog
started having issues with vehicles so I tried my hardest to avoid any type
of transportation therefore I didn't really get to go new places. Anyway,
the upshot of this is this: I feel that some people really push me to only
stay on routes I know unless I have sighted assistance that can help me with
a otherwise unseen route. This just doesn't mesh with me though; I like to
get out and find something new from time-to-time, maybe go walking downtown
and find a new place to eat at (Austin has a lot of amazing restaurants). So
I'm kinda curious about what yalls thoughts are on going new places with
your dog? What do you do in this situation if maybe sighted assistance just
isn't available? I'd also be interested in hearing from anyone that has
decided that a dog just really isn't for you and the reasoning behind it. I
know that isn't related to this topic so if you want, you can email me at: 
Gutz2020 at gmail.com
Thanks a bunch,
Dan G!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer via
nagdu
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 6:11 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: Star Gazer
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Why, or why not?

				Daniel,
I'd suggest that if your previous dog shed *that* much, then she had a
medical issue, I'd guess hypothyroidism(sp?) I had a dog like this, and I
didn't know what was going on. All I knew was that I would cringe because I
heard "You need to brush that dog more" and I could have brushed her
literally all day everyday and still gotten lots of hair out. 
I did take her to the vet and they swore up and down she was healthy...
because the school wouldn't send "you home with an unhealthy dog". This was
nearly twenty years ago, and I lacked the resources to dig into what was
really going on. I still feel a little guilty about that. 
Now that we've gotten the shedding licked (sorry I had to go there) what are
your other concerns? I ask because you're not wrong for having them. I no
longer use a dog, and you aren't wrong if you decide you don't want to. 


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of daniel via nagdu
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 12:05 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: daniel
Subject: [nagdu] Why, or why not?

Hey guys, I haven't posted to the list in a while mainly because I don't
have my dog anymore; she was terrified of cars and couldn't do work properly
because of it. I know this is going to come off a bit negatively but I don't
mean it that way: I feel as if, guide dog users we have a tendency to extol
the greatness of using a guide dog, we always say how amazing it is and
wonderful having one by our side is but I feel that the cons aren't ever
really discussed. I retired my dog roughly a year ago and, at the time, it
was pretty tramatic (I literally cried for like an hour at a time). I'm now
really contemplating going back to The Seeing Eye again and am really
honestly wondering what kind of cons or negative things yall have ran into
while using a dog? I know there is a huuuge range of people from just
starting out to have had a dog for the past 20 years so I feel like I can
get some really good feedback. I know one for me was (and this may sound odd
or vain) was excessive shedding. I could brush and comb Irene for 30-45
minutes every evening and morning and yet, every time I got in a car there
would be fur everywhere and when I vacuumed I could've probably made a
pillow every time. I have literally never in my life seen a dog shed as much
as that and am quite frankly not sure where all the fur came from off a 45
pound dog. However, I think I could deal with it again if I were to get
another guide dog; I would just have to get even better at managing. I have
a few others but I'm wondering what are some for yall?

Again, I really am not trying to be negative just really trying to get the
whole story.again. 

I'm also (obviously) trying to decide if I want to go back again (that's a
whole other post though, I think). I'm also not really trying to say (nor do
I want yet another debate) that canes are better than dogs or vice versa.

Thanks,

Dan.

 

P.s: This is a sort of spinoff from "would I ever give up having a dog?" 

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