Category: Animal House
HI all, I would like afew perspectives on something here. My current guide dog is dew to retire within six months or so, and there is a strong possibility of getting a new one. Up till now, when one of my dogs has retired, back home, they have been rehomed, however, this time i am seriously considdering keeping my old one as a pet as well as having the new dog. I am trying to weight up the pros and cons of both options. I@m not sure what to do on this one.
I would keep my dog, but if you live in an apartment you might have to pay a pet deposit which can be pretty expensive.
I have kept my previously retired dogs. the things you need to consider are:
Having two dogs how are you going to manage to walk both of them? you cannot work one dog while walking another, so you will either have to walk them separately or both together but on leads. It's my understanding that guide dogs in the states are not free run, so the retired dog will still need to have some exercise - how will you achieve that?
I am currently on my 3rd guide dog, and have kept both my previous ones. My first dog retired when she was eleven, but my second dog was five as he retired due to behavioral issues. It's worked but there are those things that need to be taken into account.
also, if you keep your dog then you will be the one that ends up having to make the decision when she becomes old and potentially sic, as to whether she should be put to sleep. I had to make that decision for my first dog about eighteen months ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. hth.
I live in the uk, my partner has assured me she will help take up care of april when she retires. the same rule applies here where I couldn't walk both dogs at once. It is hard to know what to do untill there is a new match found, april is still working for now, but it is something to ponder on later on. Cheers
I'm in the UK as well, and I do think on that score we're at an advantage because guide dogs here are free run so it's possible to still maintain a decent level of exercise without having to walk for miles with a dog on a lead.
If you have a supportive partner then that is good. Just one other thing - do you work? if so then guide dogs will need some convincing to let you keep her.
my dog is four. i hope it will be a long time before i have to retire myfirst guide. when it happens, my husband would love to keepher as a pet and be responsible for her care.
Hi, i do work but i'm self employed and work from home, therefore that won't be an issue, it's hard to know how things will pan out, though i am leaning towards keeping her. I saw one of my former guide dogs afew years after she was rehome, sadly she died a month or so later, it was a shame though, she had become so over weight that she couldn't play games like she used to, I know if april stayed with us, that is hardly likely to happen.
Hi, I live in the UK to, my guide dog has been retired for years but if I get a new I will have to rehome Luke the old one. I don't want but my mum doesn't want to big dogs in the house. She doesn't like them.
Hi that is a real shame, some folk aren't very keen on dogs in the house. I also feel having a second dog around will keep april young and fairly active. the instructor tells me if she says with us they will still help with food and such as well as the working guide dog's food and vet care so that helps also.
Ah yes. My mom was the sae way. She wouldn't allow me to apply for a guide dog while I wass living in her home because she refused to have a big dog in her house again after my sister's Blue Heeler. My folks agreed to let Lenore stay with them with the understanding that it would only be for a year and it ended up being several years until my sister was able to take her. And this was a very rambunctious dog who also happened to be somewhat dog aggressive. After that my mom was adamant about no more big dogs, even though a guide dog would be far better trained than a pet. Sort of ironic really since now she's got Kaley, a 40+-pound Boxer with tons of energy.
Hi Kt, like SugarBaby I am also on my third guide dog and have always kept my retired guide dog as a pet. at the start (when you come home, with your new dog) it will take some time getting used to things (but that's like everything isn't it) *smiles*
I am in Ireland and like you guys in the UK we can free run our dogs! so this will be a huge help to you with your retired dog!
All the best! ! Sabrina :)
HI cheers for that last post, I quite believe it will be fun trying to adapt with two dogs around, april might feel a bit left out unless she is introduced to the new dog first, though I@m sure the instructor will help us out there.
hiya again, that's no problem! awe yeah I'm sure the instructor will help out there too!
Next month I will be working with my current guide a year and my old girl is here and they both are very happy! I wouldnt' change things for the world!
After I had posted my previous post, it came to me that you guys get home-training across the water! this will probably be a good thing for April as she will see you and the new dog going out on roots! :) again dont' worry and enjoy! and it is totally fab you have a supportive partner!
to be honest I would try not to over analyse things. If your older dog is ready to be retired then she will take it in her stride, and it really doesn't take long for them to adapt to not being the current working dog any more - as long as she's able to get out.
Don't put to much expectation on one dog to keep the other one young - if there is a big age gap they are unlikely to play much together - maybe in the beginning, but if your dog is older then she'll soon get sick of a younger puppy-like dog pestering her.
My first dog retired when she was eleven and we had her for another 3.5 years. As it happened my second dog was withdrawn within that time (issues with other dogs), and I almost ended up in a position where I had three dogs, but she died the month before I got my new dog.
Now I have two, and they do play well together but that is because they are only four years apart in age.
oh yes totally same here in that my girl she is ten and my new guy is just two! and she wants her own space! ha ha and tells my little guy to shove off! :)
Now Kt I did want to address a point that sugarbaby also came up with also! a few years ago too I had to put my first retired guide to sleep he was so ill. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. The grief was with me for ages.
But in saying that ... I am so glad I have been able to keep my retired guides.
Best wishes and I'll stop natterring now! lol! Sabrina :)
Hi, april is nearly nine now and while she does like to play with other dogs she does love her space, or should I say her bed more than anything else. everyone's perspectives have been very helpfull, as I type this, she's curled up by the coutch where i'[m typing this. The guide dog instructor did say also that april will be quite happy to stay home and let the new dog go out in the crappy weather lol.
Hi all just a little update on my board. Since my last post, i've been matched with a new dog. She's a black lab cross called Winnie, she's only 19 months old and she and april have been introduced already, Winnie has already proved to be a rather playfull pup and april has already made it plain where she stands on winnie's playfull side. I start resadential training on Monday coming, april only has afew days to work left then she will retire for good. The girls do get along okay and i'm sure they will in time, but now All I can do is see how things develop.
Is your dog from GDB? Someone said that they didn't know if Guide Dogs would let you keep her. If she is, you have my sympathies if they give you any hastle. One of the major disadvantages of GDB and some other schools, is the parental, punative and everlasting school ownership of the dog agreement. To the poster who mentioned seeing their dog overweight and unable to play properly. Better you than me. I'd have taken the dog back that day, reported the family to every guide dog school to suggest that they not ever consider this family for placing release dogs or retired dogs from their school, and there would be much verbal abuse taking place. An overweight dog is a very very serious thing, and I shudder to think that perhaps, had they not let your former guide get so overweight that they might have lived several years longer. I will be keeping my current guide when she retires. For one thing she is a GSD and she is encredibly bonded to me, Jim, my mother, my son, my whole family. For another, I feel like she is the kind of dog who would suffer greatly and never completely adjust properly to a new home at an advanced age. As to the problem of excersize, I'm not sure what you posters in the UK mean by free run. No, it is not suggested that you just let your dog loose any old place, here in the US, but in a fenced area they are allowed to run and play like any dog should be. A retired dog could play in a fenced backyard, in the fenced inclosure of a dog park when there are no other dogs there, in a friend's fenced back yard, etc. Also, one can heal the dog and use a white cane. To another poster whose mom doesn't want 2 dogs in the house. Tough. Seriously, move the hell out of there. You owe it to your previous dog, stand up to her or move out. If you are old enough to have a dog retiring, then you presumably aren't a teenager. That's no way to repay such loyal and devoted service "Oh, my mommy doesn't like dogs, nevermind that they've probably saved my life dozens of times in our working partnership, if mommy doesn't want them in the house, then I'll rehome the retired one." Some people have good reasons, valid reasons for rehoming retired guides, and, sorry, but "My mommy said no." is not a valid reason. To another poster, wow, your school pays for food and vet care, and will do so for your retired dog and current dog? Holy crap. That's insane. That must be nice. I mean, yeah, Seeing Eye will help you with a no interest loan if you desperately need vet care and can't afford it, but, paying for all of that, for two dogs? I think, as easy as that'd be, I'm glad my school doesn't make a regular practice of that. A crate can be a great retreat for an older dog who doesn't feel like playing with a rambunxious younger dog. Something else to consider on a general note is that home training can make it even harder for the retired dog to adjust to the new dog and for the bond to solidify with the new dog. It can be hard to properly focus on the new dog with the guilt, sadness, anxioty, mixed feelings, etc associated with transitioning between dogs hanging over your head. Add in the presence of the retired dog while trying to train with the new, and oof, that could be very difficult for some handlers and some retired and new dogs. Also, how a dog adjusts to a new dog would depend a lot on breed and personality. For a really bonded, driven GSD for instance it would be far more difficult than for a laid back, love to work, but love to sleep, whichever sort of dog, labrador. Finally, congradulations, I bet she's a handfull. You're a brave brave sole. You couldn't pay me to take a 19 month old dog, I like them to be at least 2, my current dog who I got in late July will be 3 in December, and that's the way I like them, especially with a small child in the house. But, of course, that's just me personally. Everyone's different. She sounds like fun and like a real sweetheart. Enjoy.
I tink a lot of schools maintain ownership of the dog, but GDB is the only one I've heard of that have the parental, punitive policies as you put it. I agree with that and that's just one reason I won't go with them if and when I get a guide dog.
HI again all, winnie is settling in fine now, we qualified almost two months ago. April and her get on pretty well so long as winnie doesn't play rough. For a dog so young, winnie is quite laid back, so much so I sometimes wonder if april is the pup, free run means taking the dogs to the park, an inclosed park, I will walk winnnie in harness, then take april across to the park that is right across the road from our house. I am blessed to have my girls around, I wouldn't want it any other way now.
My dog is 5 and hopefully I won't have to worry about this for years, but if so my dad has said from the time I came home with my dog that he wanted him when I retired him.
As far as the posts about GDB not letting you keep your retired dog, that's bull crap. I know several people that still have their retired dogs and a working guide. Also, GDB gives you the option to own your dog if you want to. It really doesn't make much difference, considering the handler still gets to make the decision about where the dog goes when it is retired, but it's nice to actually truly own your dog. Sure you can't apply for ownership until you've worked with the dog for a year, but that's a good thing in my oppinion. I know someone that had to give the dog back after having it for a week at home, because the home environment ended up not being right for the dog. I think the person left the dog at home and one of his family members (little one) gave him a ton of food. Nobody knew this would happen, so it wasn't something GDB could have taken in to account when issuing the dog, but I still think there are situations like these where it is good that we have to wait a year for ownership.
JMO
Jenna
Well then they must have instated that policy after my home interview, because the lady I had said interview with said absolutely nothing about being able to apply for ownership after a year. As for not being allowed to keep the dog after retiring it I'm not sure who said hat on here. But I've always understood that you could indeed keep your dog after retirement if you so wished. That's one thing I've always been told by every school I've considered.
Hi KT, congrets on your new guidedog, and your decision of keeping your old guidedog. Do keep us update with the progress with the new dog and hope April will be with you for at least another few years.
hi, on thursday I have my six week aftercare visit with guide dogs with an instructor, winnie is settling in very well now, she's becoming more affectionate and she and april get on okay, they still have the occasional falling out but one expects that. I am sure back in new zealand i could have kept my previous dogs when they retired, but when olga retired i was living alone and single and the second dog, Kate was a handfull, consiquently, she didn't work out, this is my first experience of keeping the retired dog and I have no regrets. April has made it plain she's still my dog, she sometimes waits to be taken out in harness but that's only on good days lol.
GDA gives you ownership right after graduation, though they expect you to take care of your dog and follow the few rules they have. When I retired my second dog, I let the school find a home for him because I live in an apartment and wouldn't of been able to keep him. I'm kind of glad I didn't, because with the tight bond we had, it would of been hard to bond with my new dog. Glad evrything is working out with your new dog, and hope you have many happy years.
Kim