Sadly I have Retired Shaman, and decided to get another dog to work as a guide dog.

Sadly I have retired Shaman, My wheel chair guide dog.  He has been unable to work all winter and I feel it is best that he retire.I have searched the Internet looking for a female Shepherd or Shepherd type dog to train as a guide dog.I will have to  to take out a loan to get this dog as I had to pay a vet bill for Nici my current guide dog.She and Tess, one of my foster dogs, got sick from eating something outside. I think one of my neighbors threw some thing, maybe bones over the fence and these 2 got it before the other dogs did.Luckily, the rescue paid the vet bill on Tess. They are both better now but I was left with out the cash to pay the adoption fee for the dog I wanted.I qualified for the loan and go Tuesday to sign the paper work and get my loan.I have to make an appointment with the rescue to go and see 2 dogs and will decide which one will be the best choice to be a guide dog.One is a female Shepherd mix. She is black and tan but mostly black. The other one is a Lab/shepherd mix. She looks almost like a white Shepherd,but is a light tan color.I hope I will be coming home with one of these dogs. My friend Dave has agreed to help with the socializing of the dog and teaching her to ride the bus.  I will be working with the obedience and house manners.When she is ready I will start the guide training.I think Shaman is OK about being retired.He seems to be enjoying himself. I just felt that with his severe allergies that it was unfair to keep working him as I think the stress from guiding me was triggering a lot of his allergy symptoms. He does seem a little better now as I think the Raw Honey treatments are helping him. His ears have cleared up now that I am using a different medication for that but, I know he will get another ear infection soon  that will have to be treated again.The vet calls it allergy ears. Shaman also has a cyst on his side that has gotten bigger and is right where the harness goes around him.The vet has told me that it can be removed by surgery, but will most likely come back.Shaman and Max, one of my retired service dogs are both still on their grain free food but most of their allergies are environmental so they are both on medications for that.Max is now 15 and almost deaf and has cataracts, and is getting senile.I sadly wonder how much longer he will be with us.I seem to have several older animals and I realize that some day they too will be gone. I lost Flathead my 15 year old cat  and  Pacman my 19 year old cat and Puff my 16 year old Bearded Dragon last year and it was very sad.I do have their ashes though to remember them . Well on to more happy thoughts. The new dog will be trained to work with the power wheelchair like Shaman did. Nici will continue to work with the manual chair and with me walking when I am able to walk.Nici has much shorter legs than Shaman,and just could not keep up with  the power chair.She is still a very good guide dog so I will continue to work her. She and I are very close and have a special bond. I love all my animals but  my guide dogs are always special.I have a list of names to go through when I get my new dog.I will have to see what fits the dog's personality.  To be continued..........