Category: Let's talk
Hi everyone,
First of all i would request that no posts other than specifically related to guidedogs be posted in this thread, so nothing about radios or cars or anything of that nature unless they directly relate to guidedogs please.
Now my question. I am considering seriously applying for a guidedog having been independantly mobile with a cane around my local area and city centre now for nearly 3 years, i still live at home with my parents.
So what i'm looking for here is any feedback whatsoever, good, bad, indifferent, and in particular how having a guidedog has impacted people's lives, i'm extremely interested to hear from anyone who is a guidedog owner and still living with parents and siblings, how is this working out?thanks very much
pisces
i don't get the bit about not posting other stuff to this board than stuff regarding guide dogs. this kind of post would be off topic for a start in a board about guidedogs.
Hi. I had a guide dog for about a year and a half after being a lifelong cane user. She was a wonderful dog, with only a few distraction issues that we probably could've worked on with more training, but I returned her to the school I got her from because I didn't feel like I was able to take care of her and because I felt I was a better cane user than dog handler. There are a lot of amazing and rewarding aspects to life with a guide dog, but before you get one really put some thought into your decision. Where are you in your life right now? Are you also considering other life changes, such as a new school or job? You say you're currently living at home. What sort of impact will your family's presence have on the dog? My family loved my dog, sometimes a little to much. My dad would often spoil her, feeding her extra treats and even human food even though I continuously asked him not to. And how confident do you feel as a cane user? Even with a dog, you'll still need to have a good grasp of the areas you visit most. When you interview with a school, they'll most likely take you on a walk so they can learn what your mobility strengths and weaknesses are.
All that said, keep up your research, and if you have any further questions I and any other current or former guide dog handler would be happy to answer them.
The previous poster has a lot of good points. Other family members often spoil guide dogs no matter how many times you explain the rules to them. I live at school most of the time, but spend vacations with my mother and little sister. They're great with my dog, but other family members need reminding of the rules every now and then.
Being a competent cane traveler is very important if you're considering a guide dog. The cane technique itself is not necessarily important, but you need to have good orientation skills and the ability to be aware of your environment in other ways than just through tactile landmarks. That bus stop pole you use as a landmark will be considered an obstacle to the dog, and unless you train the dog to target specific objects, it will take you around them. Some people find this to be a difficult adjustment.
There is also the additional expense of having a dog. Do you have the budget to pay for a premium food each month? Can you pay for anual heartworm, tic and flea preventitive? Vet expenses? Toys? Lots of schools provide some or all of these things free or at cost, but not all do.
You will also need to play with your dog. You can't just take its harness off and forget it when your day's done. It'll want you to snuggle, to toss its kong or ball around, to play a game of tug. You might be so tired, but that playtime, that time off duty with you is the dog's reward, and it's important to consider whether you want to deal with that or not.
How long do you plan on living with your parents? Are you planning on any major life changes soon? New school, job, etc.? If so, I'd advise waiting until after you're comfortable in that situation before getting a guide dog. If you're stressed out by a new place and the relatively new bond with the dog, the dog will most certainly channel that stress. This does not always happen, and many teams survive upheaval just fine, but many, many also fall apart.
Another thing to consider is what school you'd like to attend. If you're in the U.S., gdui.org has a great survey that breaks down the training methods, policies, graduate services, Etc. used by each school in the United States. If you're in the UK, well, you've only got the one option, really.:) A lot of Canadian schools have kind of... meh reputations, but I've heard good things about BC Guide Dog Services.
Hope my novel helped a little. Haha. Feel free to ask more questions here or shoot me a PM.
I got my black Lab guide dog from GEB. I've had him for a little over a year now. He's an awesome dog and GEB is a great school, but that's just my opinion and others might say different. I much prefer and find it easier getting around with a dog than cane, but again, that's just me. I always hated the cane when I was growing up, but I waited until I felt I was responsible enough to take care of a dog full time and without help, before looking into each school and deciding on one and what breed of dog I wanted and not just pick a school because its the closest one to you. You have to be sure you are able to buy food, toys, grooming, pay vet bills, etc and the way I see it, its like having a child in some ways I mean as far as the responsibility goes. But they will take care of you too and they will work hard for you in return for your care and love.
I love my mom to death, but when I was living with her, she always spoiled my dog by giving him way too much food and treats and pizza and things like that. She also thought she had to keep reminding me when to take him out to do business, even though I already had my schedule with my dog. So yeah, sometimes
parents mean well, but they forget that your guide dog is your responsibility not theirs, so maybe you should move out on your own before getting your dog.
agree with posts three and four. My parents and brother were really good with Steven in the house. I lost him because he developed a rare form of cancer and am still adjusting to life without him. My brother will need reminding that my next dog is my reponsibility, not his. Steven only got little pieces of meat which were wrapping pills he had to take to ward off infection after a surgery he had to remove some small masses for further testing.