Re: starting guide dog training.
I hope things work out Dan.
I'll admit things weren't easy with Reever for the first while, basically because she just plane did not want! to be with me, and spent a long time just wanting her trainer, she literally lay by the door for the first three weeks if I went to stroke her she'd turn around and walk off.
Ironically the thing that started to fix that was doing something the guide dog trainers definitely wouldn't! approve of getting reever to lie on the settee with me while I played core exiles sinse just being close let her know I wsn't so bad. It's one of these things that the association aren't fans of, though now Reever's got a code of she's allowed on furniture when asked.
Reever's standing off completely changed over time and now it's the other way around, she literally won't be without me, but it wasn't an easy process at first.
The guiding end didn't worry me as much as get
ting on with a dog, sinse it's all just muscles. What made the major difference for me was the factor of effort involved. It's not that I didn't! go places previously, indeed I was a long cane user from the age of eleven to 28, I just found that with a dog, the amount of shear concentration I needed to expend dropped exponentially.
For example, if I get off a train and need to find the stairs up, with a cane I'd end up wandering around looking for them, with Reever I can just say "Find the steps"
Similarly with obstacles, crowds? posts? no problem, I no longer need to be awre of things are and can concentrate on routes etc.
My main tip is be aware that it won't start working flawlessly for a good six months, so you need patience, when something goes wrong, calmly turn around and try it again don't get pissed off, but don't ignore it either, I use "watch!" in a fairly stern tone if reever makes a mistake such as letting my shoulder hit a door or trying to get around a post where there isn't space, I say "watch! back" then do it again, although that happens very rarely. Also don't be afraid to try teaching the dog other things, reever's learnt to find doors, seats, steps, post boxes, bus stops, lifts, even people! A very experienced trainer once told my mum there are only two reasons a dog will do soemthing as unnatural as guiding, either because it's petrified (which isn't good), or because it wants to.
@Gene, I didn't worry myself about taking care of a dog having had a bull terrier pup when I was 13, but I was concerned a dog would have enough exercise etc with me. The interesting thing however is because the guide dogs association are so careful about matching dogs to people they managed to find something that worked. Reever is this weerd combination of being very! very! lazy, but also so relaxed she doesn't mind crow
ded and very busy places.
Thus, even though when I'm inside working on my research she'll get a 40 minute walk each day, (plus a run around the field at the back of my flat block or a none guiding walk up a small lane near me), there are occasions when I am literally running up and down the country, going to vocal studdies courses or performing or whatever, indeed I just yesterday did a charity singing thing for guide dogs association (and you can imagine how many dogs there were around there), reever just takes everything in her stride and is highly relaxed.
With a more active dog with more energy it probably wouldn't work, sinse my commitments are too intermitant, so it depends upon dog vs life style.
The only slight issue is that I always have to get up at 7-30, no matter what I've been doing the previous night or where I've been, because reever needs to go out and needs food, which can be a bit of a pest sometimes, but it's somethi ng I'm used to.
In fairness a guide dog isn't for everybody, but there is just nothing mobility wise that works half as well so I'd recommend everyone at least consider it even though it's not the perfect thing for everyone, plus of course, dogs are just good company, I've got a plaque on my wall that says "the more people I meet, the more I like my dog" .
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