Category: Animal House
Hi All, How many of you have guide dogs? Is this yoru first, second, third, what? How do you like it? Has your guide dog changed yoru life? I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a guide dog when I'm older. Also, I thought this would be a nice place for people who might get guide dogs to ask some questions. Caitlin
My dog's name is Jasmine and she's a black Lab. I got her last July from The Guide Dog Foundation and she's my first. Everybody says this, but she really has changed my life. She's an excellent navigator, maneuvering through everything from school to New York City with ease. Se usually doesn't get distracted easily and she's jumps right into new situations. Out of harness she's very loving and playfull and she's a great favorite of my friends and family, and me of course. I was reluctant to get a dog at first, but now I'm really glad I did. I think she'll be a great help in college next year.
See, stories like that inspire me so much heh. I can't wait 'til I get one. I just hope my mobility skills are up to it. I'm not bad, but I'm not great either. Caitlin
I'm planning to get a guide dog next summer. I'm working on my O&M though, because it definitely needs improving. LOL.
Well when my sight goes a little more I might apply for a guide dog. That also means if I'm A. voluenteering on a large campus where I use to attend school. or B. when I go back to the university campus. where there's too many buildings not to mention the buildings are a 10 minute walk and your cane arm gets tired out quickly.
I am not getting a guide dog. I love my cane and plan to stick with it. You don't have to be responsible for a cane. Like you don't have to feed it, take it to poddy, etc.
Troy
Well I don't know Troy, what if your cane gets hungry? Are you just gonna let it starve/ Lol just jokng. But, in theory, there is some responsibility with a cane, because you have to keep "updating" it, per say, to make sure it's long enough, though I guess when you're an adult that stops being so much of an issue. But for kids, as we grow, we have to keep getting new ones. And then there's canes breaking or getting damaged and worn down. And plus you can't establish a relation ship with a cane, though I've named my cane Walking Willie. Actually that was my old cane, that got stomped on and broken. Oh well. Goodbye Walkin' Willie...
Caitlin
Scotty is my right hand man friend and eyes and I cant imagine how i managed without him i'm total from birth and for years i swore i'd get around with just a cane and everything i'd spent years learning but due to several horrible scares i decided on a dog and along came Scott he is the most incredible animal and we are convinced he's been here before. smile..................
my cane is called Michael as you can imagine everyone groans at that 1
I haven't named my cane he...my dad has a dog, so does my mom...dad's name is Jaylee, my mom's is charleston. I like them both. How could someone stomp on and manage to break a cane?!
I've had canes named He, She, Candy, Charlote, Dallas, Chicy (for Chocago), Orleans, and just plain cane. There are probably more but I don't remember them.
well I guess I'm not very creative grin someone else has had a cane named Candy. I now work a guidedog. He's my first and we were matched last august. He came from southeastern in florida. It is a tremendous amount of respnsibility, no more sleeping in the dog has to go out to busy. It can be very stressful/embarrasing when he missbehaves which unfortunate is frequent. My dog is quite highstrung and sitractable. He can be a marvelous focused worker too. It just depends on the day. Someties like yesterday running through the mall ahead of my friend with a cane I was glad we were together he wove aroundngs and people and it was fun. But this morning he didn't want to go under the seat on the bus it it took well it felt like forever to get him down and settled while the driver waited on us. I think though that now after after almost 5 months we are starting to come together and the rough times are being balanced by smoother ones.
They really do look like candy canes sometimes don't they?
I"m gonna name my current cane Pepsi. I just thought of that right now. Hehehehe. And Alison, a cane can break 'cause when you use it you kind of use it at an angle and if it gets stepped on it'll like snap. If that makes sense. Heheh.
Caitlin
Lol, you guys really crack me up, the business about the canes and naming them: any how, if you need tips on guide dogs let me know and perhaps I can assists, I have had many breeds, hopefully I can answer your questions.
I was wondering ... is it possible for a person to do track with their guide dog, or even just to jog with them? Lol random question I know...
I have a guide dog from Southeastern guide dogs in Florida. She has really changed my life. I don't know what I would do with out her. I feel like I can go any where and do anything. For me the cane couldn't allow me to do that. My guide dog is always a friend and commpainion.
I have a dog from Seeing Eye named Walker. And as everyone has said before, he brings confidence and self esteem to my life. Walking with him lets me lift my head high and stride with confidence and strength. I named my cane POS...fill you're own conclusions.
Darby is my first guide dog. I received him from guide dogs for the blind, nearly 12 years ago. Woah, 12 years exactly! Gall, I was so scared back then. I think I would be better now...lol! My yellow lab has been amazing! I'll never forget that first walk. It was almost like flying, floating along the sidewalk. We walked so fast, just the way I like it! I would say it was about 6 months before we got our groove. There is a lot to get use to. The whole experience feels so different. I've heard too many stories of people giving up in the first few months. All I can say is I have been so fortunate to have Darby in my life. I love and respect him so much. I think the most important word in the guide partnership is consistancy. Grin, my little Darby Do Da Day! Waggalicious!
I've got a very wonderful golden retreiver named Tolly from the Seeing Eye! I'm so glad I took that step and got a dog just over three years ago! I've never really had a lot of confidence while trabeling, but the little furry guy by my side has changed that. All of the extra responsabilities that coenside getting a dog guide, IMO are quite worth it. :-) :-)
I have a golden retreiver Named Laddy. I got him from the seeing eye about 3 months ago. He is a very good dog and loves to play also. I love him so much.
I've a golden lab and I got her from our major provider of guide dogs in Australia hehe, Guide dogs. I've had her for, hmm, nearly 24 hours? and so far so good. She's been absolutely perfect, this far, I think she's trying tu lull me into a faulse sense of sacurity hehe. Her name is Teagan.
I've had my Abbie for just about 15 months now and honestly, she's an incredible blessing. I've never been more confident or excited to go places in my life. I got her from Seeing Eye and as prissy as i am, i don't mind all the chores that come with having a dog. the way i see it is that she does so much for me, the least i could do is feed her or pick up after her. ~bella
I got my first dog from Seeing Eye this summer. In fact, both Jade and I know Lori and Laddy very well, as they were in our class! She's made things so much better for me. I feel much better about myself, and she's opened new doors for me. I've become much more confident even socially. I'm not sure why, but it's great that that came with it. As long as you're willing to take on a few responsibilities, a guide dog is one of the best decissions you'll ever make.
I've had Dawson for 3 years now, wow, has it really been that long. well he is my second dog, A black lab about 80 pounds.
Dogs are good, a lot of responsibility and every once in a while a complete night mare. grin. I still use my cane from time to time sometimes it's just nice not to have a animal around. but over all it was a good investment of time!
I'm currently in the process of applying for a guide dog/seeing eye dog (I haven't decided which organisation to go with yet). I had an assessment with the seeing eye dogs australia ppl a few days ago and it was awesome. I had the opportunity to walk with two chocolate labs around the city and it was amazing; they dodged groups of people, read traffic flow when i was crossing the road, found seats in cafes etc. I hope the application is successful... it's all so exciting!
Cheers, Lauren
i have a friend who always says her guide dog is her best friend and she could never live without her :)
I'm seriously considering getting a dog, I mean I already talk to my cane like she's a dog (named her Wynona, BTW), but... I dunno. You can't fold a dog and shove it in the overhead bin when you fly, but a cane's not gonna see those hanging branches when you're walking down the sidewalk.
Wo, so much to say. First of all, there is no such thing as a golden lab. That's one of my pet peaves. There are yellow labs and golden retrievers, and crosses of labs and golden retrievers called goldadors or gladors, depending on your preferences. Then again, perhaps the termenology is different outside of the states, as I know that different national breed clubs of various countries have different standards, and different names for the same breed of dog. Choosing a school can be hard, but I would highly reccomend Fidelco. I believe that most of the schools in the US have been steadily declining in quality since the nineties, but you can have wonderful or terrible dogs from any school regardless of it's reputation. I would reccomend that you do a lot of research, not just sending for the schools' informational materials or visiting their web sites, but talking to graduates of all of the schools that you are interested in. That's interesting that you were able to try out some chocolate labs. None of the schools in the states lets you, test drive a guide dog. I think that's an idea with some merrit. I didn't have much luck with GEB and my first dog, a yellow lab named Brittany, but that's a long story. If anyone wants to hear about it, let me know and I'd be glad to post it. Wags to all and to all, have a wagfull day.
Hi, I haven't the time to read right now as I'm at work, but I'd like oo know all websites of guide foundations ailable in canada ans US.
I'm making a research for work and I need your he^lp.
Thank you.
I have had my guide dog Luke for 4 years. He is my first guide dog. He is a cross Yellow Lab with a golden retriever. My family don't like animals and my mum says it is depressing all the dog hair. Luke does cast quite badly. Michelle
Aww, I was just on the zone and saw this topic, and was charmed by the fact that I wrote it when I was guide-dogless. I now have a black lab named Lancaster from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, and I'm happy to say that he has changed my life for the better, and that he is sooo totally much better than a cane. Go Lannie! Heeh.
Caitlin, for some reason I never read this board the first time around, but as you know am glad that things are working out for you and Lannie.
I currently have Shelley a German Shepherd, she's 6, and I had her for 4 and a half years. She's my second gide dog, the first was Lex, a yellow labradoor who was actually like a honey colour on his back, and white underneath. He worked until he was 10 and then lived until a month before he was 14, when he had to be put to sleep.
Both my dog's have been great, they've allowed me to achieve things in a more relaxed way, though I'm not someone who wouldn't have done the things if I'd had to do them with a cain. I won't ever go back to cain use full time unless circomstances were such that it were advisable, though I spent a year between dog's waiting for my prefered breed, the GSD and would gladly do so again.
From which school did you recieve a German Shepard? I currently have a Shepard, and I find it difficult to find people with whom to talk Shepards. Feel free to drop me a line. I'd love to hear all about yours.
I got her from Guide dogs for the Blind in the UK.
Wow, just reading back over this topic that I posted in nearly two years ago. Since then, quite a lot has changed, including that I no longr have Jasmine. She was a wonderful dog and we stared off very well but as I started at a new college and left home we began having a lot of mobility and distraction problems. Plus, I wasn't sure if I could be responsible enough to take care of Jazzy, something I really should've thought about before I got her. Those and several other things led me to give Jasmine back to GDF last January. Since she was only about three at the time and still considered young enough to be retrained, she went through some more work before being reissued to someone else. I don't know who she's with now, but I've been told she's in Florida. I miss her, but I think I did the right thing for both of us. In retrospect, I think I shold've waited till I was in college for a while before getting a dog. It's very hard to put your trust entirely in someone else who you also must care for entirely, and I'm not sure I was ready for that at 17. For now, I'm going to stick with my cane, but I won't rule out the possibility of working with a dog again. Give your pups a hug for me!
Kerri, It's awesome that you are able to honestly admit to what happened, and how. Thank you. guide dogs aren't for everyone, and sometimes we make mistakes. You realised yours, and were brave enough to rectify it. I hope one day you feel able to get another guide.
Thanks Kev!