Category: Animal House
Hi all!
after many years of consideration, I decided to apply for a guide dog. I did so back in September to the seeing eye guide dog school in NJ.
To my surprise and delight I got accepted! My tentative class date is June 16. This is my first ever guide dog and to be frank my first time owning a big dog. I've always grown up with animals from little yorkies to birds however this'll certainly be different.
Any other people on here going to the seeing eye in June? Anyone ever been?
There are so many boards on here about dogs that I am sure going to read over. lol a little overwhelming.
I look forward to replies to either here or you can qn/pm me anytime!
Cool hope all works out for ya. Never been there but my uncle gets all of his guides from the seeing eye.
wow..very neat!
That's awesome, I'm from the UK so don't know the seeing eye but I hope it works out for you. I'd never even owned a dog before I got my guide dog, so I understand what that's like!
how cool and congratulations and I remember receiving my first dog and we don't have seeing eye but another service which is called guide dogs and I wish you all the best of luck with getting to know your dog, I love dogs as well as cats and other animals, smiles.
I love cats as well! :) Thank you both so much!
yeah I love them too they are so sweet and can be very entertaining as well as other animals, smiles.
Your most welcome, smiles.
I hope thigns are still on schedule to have a guide dog in June. I met many sog guides from the Seeing Eye not too long ago. Nice dogs!
Oh neat! Yes, any advice would be greatly appreciated! I feel bad though a few on here have contacted me and I just haven't gotten back to them. :( Been busy during the day and at night I totally forget to.
and yes, things are still on schedule.
So what makes you want to go to that school? What about it draws your desires to it?
I hope you get a great dog.
I can suggest for you to sign up now to guide dog email lists and start learning about them now. I found I learn a lot more about having a guide threw my friends and these lists than I did from any school. They teach you how to use the dog but there are so much more you can get from your friends...
best of luck.
And remember, just because one person had a bad experience either during training with their dog at a certain school, or afterword with their dog at home, it doesn't mean that will happen to you. People can advise you to their heart's content, but you spend 24/7 with this dog andwill do what is best for him or her. *smile* Kind of similar to parenting in a way; people tell parents how to do their job often, and for new parents, or parents of toddlers, I've heard that can be very frustrating. Anyway, best of luck, and thank you for keeping us posted.
Thanks so much reyami!! I appreciate that and can somewhat understand what you're saying in relation to a guide dog and new parent with a child.
Speaking of that, my mom keeps saying something along the lines of, "this dog will be like your child." It kind of annoys me; maybe it's her tone of voice..I can't explain it or why it bothers me somewhat that she keeps saying it. thoughts?
Let me clarify.
The dog will be like your child in the way you constantly worry about it, care for it, and love it unconditionally. It will be like your child in the way that now, your schedule works around your dog, especially if your dog gets sick. You must accommodate a relief schedule of taking your dog out 4-6 times a day, and feeding it twice a day.
Other than that, I don't find my dog similar to a child. This is coming from someone who can't stand children, but has 6 nieces and nephews. Take it for what it's worth.
Yes, you must clean up behind it if the dog creates any messes. You must be sure to provide it with proper diet and medical care.
But personally, I've taken care of 2 dogs, and that is far easier than 1 child. Given, these were 2 adult dogs, not puppy or adolescent dogs. Adult dogs are more content with themselves, and don't demand as much of your attention as young children do. They will go lay down for a few hours without bothering you. Adult dogs still need 17 hours of sleep, whereas a young child sleeps for only just over have of that.
Having an adult dog is like having a mentally challenged teenager because they are content with spending time sleeping or keeping to themselves. They can eat independently after you put down food, and they have complete mobility and cognitive skills. However, you still must clean, and provide a source for their food and part of their entertainment and intellectual stimulation.
Very interesting. Thanks! :)
Raven, looking at this post... what do you mean by mental stimulation? I've never heard thta phrase used with dogs...
Sword of Sapphire is exactly right. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that when she says intellectual stimulation she is referring to play time and learning. These dogs are VERY smart so you might want to switch up the route every now and then or teach them a new command like clean up or shake. Also, games like find it or hide and seek are great stimulation for intelligent dogs.
Reyami: I totally agree. When I first got my dog someone swore that my dog had an ear infection (she said that there was a strong smell). I didn't smell anything but also didn't know what it would smell like so rushed my girl in to the vet. She was in perfect health. So Unique above all my advice to you is to do your own research and not listen to the advice of everyone. I trusted this person because she fosters dogs and has had them forever. But after reading books and doing research about dogs, dog health, dog training etc, I feel confident enough to ignore people who just want to have something to say. And believe me, everyone thinks they're experts.
My dog knows how to play hide and seak, where I hide and she comes to find me. She loves the game. She also likes to play hide and find the treats... I hide them all over the house and tell her to go find them. This keeps her going for about 15 minutes.
I got her a puzzle toy recently. It looks like a bee hive kong. It is hard plastic with a small whole on one side. The bottom is heavy with sand to make it like a (weeble wobble) I think is what they are called. If she knocks it over, it pops back up... she loves this toy.
I have taught her to do what I call (say hello) or shake for everyone else. She shakes your hand with her right paw.
She had gotten bit by a snake last summer on her left paw, so if I ask her (where's the snake bite?) she will give you her left paw.
I have a (shake it off) command I give for her to shake off water.
I have taught her to drop down and role over to play dead when i point my finger at her like a gun and say (bang bang).
If you pat your chest and say (hug) she will jump up and give you a hug.
There is so much you can teach them, but you have to make it fun and not force it on them.
I have had that issue with the ear infection stuff. When you don't know what to look for and someone keeps telling you that you have an issue and you don't know enough to decide if it is or not... Apple Citer Vinegar is great with clearing up those ear infections.
Thanks for the input!
I change up the route to work on a fairly regular basis, sometimes going the long way, sometimes the short... and occasionally this has less to do with giving my girl mental stimulation and everything to do with how crappy the sidewalks will be on the short route.
I am teachign her new things all the time so she doesn't get bored, and this seems to help with her guiding as well... and she LOVES her toys... I can ask her "Where's your squeaker?" and she'll go running through the house trying to find it. LOL
Kate
intellectual or mental stimulation can be as easy as stuffing some treats like peanut butter, their food etc in to a kong and let them have a play on it. They can amuse themselves for quite a long time while keep themselves occupite and mentally stimulate. In a very hot summer day, you can freaze the kong overnight and give it to them during day time. That will help them to cool down as well as having fun.
I;'m not sure about hiding treats in different place idea though. For me, i think, that will encourage the dog seeking for treats on the ground when they are on working mode as well as on playing mode. Of course, you also got to careful as to what kind of treats you give to them. As they are working dogs, their diet is somewhat control and restricted to what sort of treats they get.
If you say they are like a child, then when they become teenagers they will start asking for $100 every once in a while, want a cell phone, want a Facebook, and so on.
Oh and then they will stay up all night and not get up till noon.
See, my daughter moved out. Now what do I want to take care of a dog for? Lol
Seriously, best of luck to you with this. And your parents may be telling you that if you are still young, lose your phone charger, forget to charge your phone, can't find your stuff, don't have anything to wear, and so on. The daughter recently got a cat, she and her friend. First thing that came out of my mouth before her mom said 'be nice', was: "What did you go and do that for?" As a parent I'm thinking: you'll lose the cat like you lose the phone charger.
Maybe unfair. And doesn't apply if you're, say, over 24 or so. But yeah that is probably why your parents responded that way. Right or wrong, and we are often wrong, some of us not too proud to admit it though.
awe I like the things mentioned about playing hide and seek and the paw shakes as I taught my dog to do that and I also like the one where the poster mentioned they would say hug and the dog would give them a hug that is so neat, smiles.
Now I use to get a tissue and clean the inside of my dogs ears so as to prevent him getting infections and I have to agree that it is nice to give them treats but just be careful in what you give them, I didn't give mine a whole lot but I did give him some bones which he enjoyed but they also help to keep the breath and teeth clean.
I taught ditra shake, but she doesn't always do it when I tell her. She'll bat at your hand with her paw or loop her paw around your wrist when she feels like it, and only when she's in a sitting position. lol
awe that is cute and I use to do that with my cat which was quite fun to do, smiles.
An update! I thought to do that instead of making a whole new topic.
My guide dog's name is Dazzle. She is a female. She's 20 months old, with her birthday being October 18 2012. She is a jet black shiny lab. When she isn't in the harness, she is very playful, friendly, sweet, loves to give kisses and likes to chew on her bone whenever the mood hits. When the harness is on, she is a very prudent worker, being careful to do what she is trained to do. She really likes praise and scratches on the chin and ears. Also likes her sides and belly patted and rubbed.
If anyone has questions about anything, feel free to ask here or pm/qn me!
Oh, congratulations! So thrilled for you!
Give Dazzle snuggles and wrestles from a black Lab named Jenny!
Aww, I will thank you!
nice to hear things are going well for you and your dog and that you've bonded well too, smiles.
thanks so much! :) We're getting there, it is def. a process! Day by day one!
your welcome, smiles.