Guide dogs :) I filled out the application!

4kids4cats · Aug 2, 2005

We decided as a family to go ahead and apply to raise a guide dog for the blind.

We just bought a new house and now want a dog. After thinking about it we decided to do this instead. The entire family is in agreement on it, so we did it. Hopefully in the next couple months we will know if we are approved or not. After reading up on it, it seems to be a longer process than I thought, but that's okay. I have ALWAYS wanted to do this, and now we are finally at a point in our lives where we can.

We would get the puppy at 8-9 weeks of age, and have to give it back at 18 months.

Wish us luck!

Bobbie

caprice · Aug 2, 2005

Wow, that sounds really interesting. Good luck and please...keep us updated!

arlyn · Aug 2, 2005

Kudos to you, I hope you get accepted.
I'm not sure I could do it myself, giving up a puppy I had raised would be so hard.
I commend anyone that can do this though, as well as those fosters that take in the guide dog brood mommas,

loveysmummy · Aug 2, 2005

Good for you!!

The BEST Thing about being in the program is you can take your dog ANYWHERE!!!
You can take them in banks, stores, public transit, restaurants, etc...

Good luck!

beckiboo · Aug 2, 2005

My previous babysitter raised labs, and she would train some of them to be seeing eye dogs. They have very rigorous requirements, because it is so important that they be well trained and used to many situations.

It would be very difficult to keep a dog for that period of time, then to give it up. What if the dog fails, and they do not use it for seeing eye, would you get the option of keeping the dog?

I think it is a wonderful thing to offer to raise a seeing eye puppy. I hope you get to do it!

4kids4cats · Aug 2, 2005

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

Good for you!!

The BEST Thing about being in the program is you can take your dog ANYWHERE!!!
You can take them in banks, stores, public transit, restaurants, etc...

Good luck!

That's one of the things that originally "sold" me on the idea. It would be so nice to be able to take a puppy everywhere with me. It also educates the public on guide dogs.

I am sure I will have no problems giving the puppy up. After all he or she won't really be mine anyhow. I am sure I will be sad, but it will all be worth it. Then I can just train another one.

I hope they call back this week to get the process started. The kids (ages 14,14,11,10) are REALLY excited and curious about the whole thing.

Bobbie

4kids4cats · Aug 2, 2005

Beckiboo said:
What if the dog fails, and they do not use it for seeing eye, would you get the option of keeping the dog?
QUOTE]

They sell the dogs as pets for $600. There are actually 3-4 year waiting lists for these dogs, that "don't make the cut".

Bobbie

beckiboo · Aug 2, 2005

It would be nice, though, if the dog didn't make the cut, if you had the option to keep it, but I guess that isn't possible. I know my sitter's dogs had such perfect behavior, they would be a joy to have as a pet. And the seeing eye people do cut a lot of excellent dogs, because the job of seeing eye dog is so challenging.
Having so many kids as helpers would be a good asset. I hope this all works out for you!

4kids4cats · Aug 2, 2005

The puppy training part of the web site was down most of the day. It is back up and I was reading some more about the puppies. It says there that if the puppy doesn't make it as a guide dog you do have the option of keeping the puppy.

You also get to see the dog at training graduation with it's new owner. So, when the time comes to give the puppy back, at least we know we will see him/her again in a couple of weeks.

The kids want to get the dog tomorrow....LOL

Bobbie

ravyn · Aug 3, 2005

My boyfriend is blind, so I must say, kudos on your decision! I want to be a puppyraiser too but work refuses to allow me to bring the dog to work. There ARE places you cannot take your dog with you. Until they are trained, they are not guide dogs and do not fall under the laws that apply to guide dogs. Grocers and restaurants have no legal reason to allow you to have the puppy in with you. They CAN make the decision to let you, but they don't HAVE to.

Puppies that don't make the grade are first offered back to their puppy raisers. Also, when the dog retires, it is offered first to the person who used it as a guide (or to anyone in that person's family or circle of friends that they *the person* chooses). If for whatever reason the guided person cannot keep the dog, it is then offered back to the puppy raisers. If they cannot, it is then put on the adoption waiting list and adopted out.

My boyfriend's dog was just declared retired. He could not keep her, but she went to his grandparents that live next door, so he will still get to visit her every day. He goes down at the end of this month to California to meet and train with his new dog.

All the best of luck!

beckiboo · Aug 3, 2005

Originally Posted by Ravyn

My boyfriend is blind, so I must say, kudos on your decision! I want to be a puppyraiser too but work refuses to allow me to bring the dog to work. There ARE places you cannot take your dog with you. Until they are trained, they are not guide dogs and do not fall under the laws that apply to guide dogs. Grocers and restaurants have no legal reason to allow you to have the puppy in with you. They CAN make the decision to let you, but they don't HAVE to.

Puppies that don't make the grade are first offered back to their puppy raisers. Also, when the dog retires, it is offered first to the person who used it as a guide (or to anyone in that person's family or circle of friends that they *the person* chooses). If for whatever reason the guided person cannot keep the dog, it is then offered back to the puppy raisers. If they cannot, it is then put on the adoption waiting list and adopted out.

My boyfriend's dog was just declared retired. He could not keep her, but she went to his grandparents that live next door, so he will still get to visit her every day. He goes down at the end of this month to California to meet and train with his new dog.

All the best of luck!

Thanks for the clarification. I'm glad your bf's dog can stay in the family. I know how close we all get to pets, but to have a dog by your side all day every day...it would be heartbreaking to say goodbye to such a beloved companion and helper. Best of luck to him as he meets his new dog!

4kids4cats · Aug 3, 2005

Ravyn,

Thanks for the info. I am sure it will all be explained if we pass the interview process. I see training puppies in various stores around here, so hopefully I will not run into many problems if I get a puppy. Luckily I live in a very big town and guide dogs are pretty common here.
I do not plan on bringing the puppy to work with me. Actually working does not disqualify someone from puppy raising. Having to leave a puppy alone for long periods of time does. There are only usually a few hours a week that someone isn't home here, so we should be okay for that part of it.

Can I ask how old your boyfriends dog was when it retired? Did the puppy raiser stay in contact?

Thanks for posting. I appreciate it

Bobbie

annabanana · Aug 3, 2005

Congratulations.. I'm sure you'll get a dog!

I hear it's very addicting & people often do take other dogs after their first. I don't know if I'd have the heart to do it. But, I guess because you know the dog is going to be given away you can go in there with that mind set.

Good luck & keep us updated!

ravyn · Aug 3, 2005

Originally Posted by 4kids4cats

Ravyn,

Thanks for the info. I am sure it will all be explained if we pass the interview process. I see training puppies in various stores around here, so hopefully I will not run into many problems if I get a puppy. Luckily I live in a very big town and guide dogs are pretty common here.
I do not plan on bringing the puppy to work with me. Actually working does not disqualify someone from puppy raising. Having to leave a puppy alone for long periods of time does. There are only usually a few hours a week that someone isn't home here, so we should be okay for that part of it.

Can I ask how old your boyfriends dog was when it retired? Did the puppy raiser stay in contact?

Thanks for posting. I appreciate it

Bobbie

I work four tens, and I live alone, and that's far too long for a young puppy to be on its own. I wonder, however...I've just moved to a complex where a coworker of mine lives. Her husband is off on the days she and I work. I wonder if they wouldn't mind watching the puppy during the day, or even just making a visit and taking it out...hmm. I'll have to ask her

My boyfriend's dog Layla (who actually has a guide dog law named after her) is eight years old. Guide dogs usually retire between eight and ten, but Layla is being retired on the early side of that due to neck problems. The vets still don't know if she has cancer or not, but her neck is tender and swells and it hurts her to have the harness on. Also, she is becoming more and more erratic in her behavior (ignoring commands, walking him into objects, wanting to go BACK home instead of work) so they feel she's just done working. As for the puppy raiser staying in contact, that I have no idea of. I don't know if they would stay in contact with him personally, or with Guide Dogs. I'd have to ask him.

sweets · Aug 5, 2005

My friend's guide dog was retired at the age of 13. She wouldn't give up! He finally retired her in March and got his new dog in May.

On Monday Valkyrie was sent over the bridge. She developed kidney stones and arthritis in her hips. They were so painful, she lost control of her back legs. The pain was so bad, she tore her bed apart last weekend. But if her family came in the room, she would just lay her head in their lap and sigh.

If you are accepted, my friend would be so touched if you would name a pup Valkyrie (Kyrie for short). A Valkyrie is one of the maidens of Odin (a Greek God) that lead the warriors that died in battle to their reward in Valhalla.

4kids4cats · Aug 5, 2005

Originally Posted by Sweets

If you are accepted, my friend would be so touched if you would name a pup Valkyrie (Kyrie for short).

She sounds like she was a wonderful dog. I am glad she is no longer in pain.

I wish we could name the puppy (if we get one) ourselves, but they already come with names. I would have named a puppy after your friends dog. That's a cool name. Hopefully if we get a puppy it will have a nice name. I am not big on "fluffy" names.

I am signed up for puppy class for August 15. They ask you to attend classes even if you don't have a puppy yet.

Have a good night!
Bobbie

hopehacker · Aug 6, 2005

That's a noble thing to do. For me, it would be too difficult to give up the puppy, after raising it. I would be too bonded and too in love with it, to be able to give it up without a lot of pain and a lot of cryin.

hopehacker · Aug 6, 2005

That's a noble thing to do. For me, it would be too difficult to give up the puppy, after raising it. I would be too bonded and too in love with it, to be able to give it up without a lot of pain and a lot of crying.

wellingtoncats · Aug 6, 2005

Aw good on you

4kids4cats · Aug 15, 2005

Tonight was "puppy class". Yah!

We got to attend our first "puppy class". There were about 18 dogs there. The youngest was 2-3 months and the oldest I saw was about a year.

Amanda(10) and Krista(11) got to "train" Logan, an 11 month old, Golden Retriever. I got to play with the youngest puppy most of the night. A 2-3 month old Golden named Roberta Rose.

So we are now on our way to becoming puppy raisers

WOOHOO!
Bobbie

Guide dogs :) I filled out the application!

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