Category: Animal House
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to share with you guys that I have gotten home from The Seeing Eye on August 9th with my new dog Verona. She's a small black lab and a cute little girl. She's about 21 and a half inches tall and weighs 50 pounds. She's a hell of a worker though. She's fun to play with, and at times, she can be independent, but also wants to be petted and cuddled a little. Every trip we've taken out here, we've never gotten lost wich is a good thing, thank God. With the times I've gone out with my second dog Chelsea, it was kindda scary because I never knew weather we'd get lost or not. But she was a good worker to. But she had to retire due to medical problems, and that might've been the reason why sometimes she didn't work as well. I hope she'll find a good home. Anyway, I thought I'd update everyone since I haven't been on here in ages.
Talk to you guys later.
Wow that's a little Lab. She sounds cute. I'm sorry about your other dog and I'm sure that is hard, but glad you have another Labbie.
Well done for getting your third guide dog. I am going to appeal for guide dogs. They wnt let me have a second one. My first one luke had to retire due to medical problems to.
Well I've amde a little progress with mine. I've at least chosen the three schools I'd like to apply to, now I'm just deciding on references I can put on the applications. But since I'm in the process of looking for work and in fact trying to schedule a job interview for one of them I'm a bit leery about applying. I mean I suppose I could tell the person doing the interview that I am in the process of attempting to get into guide dog school and that if I were accepted I would need four weeks off while I went into training, but then there'd be no guarantee in this economy that if I left my job for guide dog training I'd still have a job when I got back. I mean yeah I could look for work again and do my best to keep myself and the guide dog in practice but still.
For your references, you could try contacting previous mobility instructors.
and congrats to the original poster on getting your third dog. That's the same size as my lab.
People have commented that she looks like a puppy and are surprised when I tell them her actual age.
Oh I plan to use a prior mobility instructor, one who's known me now for almost twenty years. It's the rest of the references that are proving slightly troublesome to think of.
on 08/28/2010 i got my first dog. her name is sarabelle, and she also is 21.5 inches and 50 pounds. oh yes and she is also a black lab. to say the least i love the experience. at age 53, this is my first dog. i don't know how i survived without one for all those years.
I've heard that a lot. And someday I hope to find out if I'll become a member of that club.
She sounds like a beautiful dog. Congratulations.
Congradulations to both yourself and Turricane. Brian, I also hope you get to join the club soon. I also have a little black lab named Astra, who turned 4 on September 28.
Part of it's going to depend on finances of course since while the dog won't cost anything the supplies will. But my fiance is really encouraging me in that regard, so I think once I get a bit more established I'll fill out the applications again.
Wow! You guys have small pups! LOL
In July/August 2010, I trained with my second guide, a female golden retriever/German shepherd cross. She's around 75 pounds and stands at about 25 inches at the shoulders.
Wow. Cool.
Well, vet bills will cost a lot yeah, and actually, if you think about it, the supplies from the school are cheeper than they would cost at the pet store. It depends to, if the school you go to will have a gift shop. I spent almost a hundred bucks in there, lol. But The Seeing Eye covers your first year of vet bills, if you can't aford it, and I think they have a funding program where they'll help you pay for something after the first year, but you have to pay them back. So when Chelsea was sick a lot I took advantage of that first year, even though it made me feel kindda bad for doing it. But it really is hard on figuring out where you'd wanna go since there's so many schools out there, that's why it's good to have 3 schools in mind when you're applying. So I'm glad to the person who's thinking about applying, that you're doing that. But to update you all on Verona. She follows me everywhere! lol. Sometimes she gets on my nerves, but I've gotta give her credit for wanting to be so loyal to me, so early in our relationship. And she loves her squeaky ball. I thought she'd tare that thing up in a minute, since she's a hard chewer, but I guess not. She's still a great worker, and kind of a sensitive dog. She reminds me a lot of my first dog, Vernon. I can't wait for Vernon and Verona to meet when I go to visit my family this winter. Yeah, I know, what a tongue twister. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for my guide dog conference I do twice a week? Most of the time its open forum, but sometimes I'll throw in topics in there, but sometimes it's hard to think of some. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Talk later.
Cool. you were in class with a friend of mine, Bo.
I went to the seeing eye and got my first dog in May. she's a 54 pound sheperd.
I loved it there.
Verona sounds adorable! :) Congrats! :) I hope you guys have a long and happy team! :) Happy gu8iding to all!
Jenna with black lab guide Bilko (he was 23.5 inches I think at graduation from GDB in august 08 and 64 lbs, he hasn't changed all that much)
Congratulations on your third dog!
I got my first one in May of 2010 in Oregon at GDB. He is a yellow lab named saunders. Let me tell you he is full of energy which at times runs me crazy. he is such a loverboy though standing at 24 inches tall and weighing 77 pounds.
how did you find the two week program? where are you from? saunders sounds like a nice big and handsome gentleman.
GDB in Oregon has 2 week classes now, so that you can get more one on one time with the instructor. The California campus classes are 3 weeks I think. Since I went to a different school, I don't know the details. Maybe someone who went to GDB can answer that. I'll tell you one thing about labs though. My lab loves paper towels, and socks. She got out of the underware faze I think. So now I've just gotta worry about her getting into my paper towels, or socks. But I hide the socks from her, and she hasn't been getting into trouble much lately, so I'm glad. I think she's just bored, because we don't travel much in the winter, but things will be back to normal soon when I go to Ohio to visit my family. I try to get her out twice a week still, if the weather here in MN isn't too bad. And for the person who also went to seeing Eye and is friends with Bow, tell him I say hi. He always commented on how good I smelled all the time since I brought some perfumes and locions with me. lol. Anyway, if I don't get on before the holidays, everyone have a great holiday and new year.
hey. i've got a germanshepperd. since.2009, her name is Mya. smilely. it will be two years in october..... she's fivetwo. tall. and about70 pounds! she's a good worker.
bringing this topic to the top of the page
once again bringing this Board Topic forward
So much mis-use and non-fair treament
maybe someone logging on here will remember their pet, guard dog, working dog...
anyhow,
Unfair treatment? What do you mean? I could understand if someone was abusing their guide dog but just having adog trained for gidework? zi fon'y drr yhsy sd nrinh vturl. I plan on getting one at some point, though exactly when I'll apply I don't know. I've retty much decided what schools I'll be applying to, it's just a matter of getting back into practice and deciding what references I'll use. It'll be interesting to see how my cat will react if I do bring a guide dog home. He's genrally a pretty good-natured kitty but you do somethhing he doesn't like and he'll do everything in his power to annoy you. He's already not allowed in our bedroom and while he's made some effort to get in since we moved into this apartment four or so months ago he's really seemed desperate to get in these last few days. It'll be interesting to see how he reacts to a dog moving into what he perceives as his space. I just hope he'll accept him or her, because I really don't want to have to get rid of my kitty. Then again since a guide dog is likely to be a lot calmer generally than an ordinary house pet it may be somewhat easier for Max to adjust.
..sounds as though things are working out
yes i took the three week program in california and got my dog sarabelle. i tried the two week program but it was too fast for me. i didn't get a dog then but i went back and here i am. it is working well too
good to hear
Bringing Board Topic re:
I got my 3rd Guide Dog
like Leader Dogs for Blind
Rochester, Mich ??
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ah yes,
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Bringing Board Topic re:
I got my 3rd Guide Dog
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A golden shepherd cross? Was it one of the amazing experamental dogs that TSE did with crossing goldens and shepherds for 2 litters worth of pups? I thought that was earlier, or was it a donated dog at another school? I hadn't heard that any other schools were trying that cross, but very interested if you care to share. Ok, so ways to aford guide dog stuff, here we go. The Bobst Animal Medical Center in NYC provides free vet care to guide dogs, so if you need an expensive procedure, traveling there may be worth it for you. Never assume that flee and tick preventative or heartworm preventative or bowls, tie downs, etc are cheeper from your school or your vet. They may be, but rarely is anything from your vet cheeper. 1-800 Pet Meds is your friend, also amizon for some things, also doing your research before buying anything to find the best price. Feeding raw is better for dogs and can cost less than feeding commercial dry dog food. Some dog food sites have discounts for service dog handlers. Joining IAADP, International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, offers discounts on avid chipping, discounted pet insurance, provides a way to get free heartworm and free flee and tick preventatives, and other resources. Hope some of that helps.