tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17028559564889114012024-03-14T01:10:50.593-07:00wolfsingerThis Blog is about the training of a guide dog for a wheelchair user.Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-6915524960399139882018-02-16T04:09:00.001-07:002018-03-07T01:14:47.554-07:00Bad newsIt has been too long since my last post, but my chair is still broken down and my insurance company is refusing to pay for it to be fixed. They have all kinds of excuses but most of them are lies! They keep saying it is not repairable and there are no parts for it. I have spoken to the manufacturer of the chair and was told that yes it is fixable and there are parts for it. It would cost far less to pay for the repairs than to get a new one. In the mean time, Sedona is not being worked with this power chair and is forgetting things she has learned already.I may have to get a lawyer to get this situation taken care of. I also had a major situation that ended up in another hospital stay. I was not feeling well and apparently had pneumonia and didn't know it in August. I passed out and found my self on the floor ,wedged between Sedona's and Cheyenne's crates. I could not get up off the floor. I kept trying to pull myself up using the crates but I just did not have the strength to pull my self up from the floor.I found my self in big trouble.I laid on the floor for 5 days before someone came to help me?? The dogs got into the dog biscuits and the garbage and anything else they could find and when all the water buckets were empty after 3 days, they got the lid up on the toilet and drank that water. I had no food or water or medications for the whole 5 days. I don't know how I survived but I did.I came home to a horrendous mess in the house, which was made worse by Johnny who was supposedly taking care of the animals but did a terrible job. I had not had any house keeping help in 2 months as my house keeper was sick in the hospital at the time.My house was messy and the dogs made a bigger mess and Johnny did also make it worse. Some of the dogs had diarrhea from all the garbage they ate and he took them to the vet without ever calling me to consult on what to do. I had medication for this but he put the charges on Carla's rescue account at the vets and created a very large vet bill.He did not even ask Carla's permission to do that.Then when Animal control showed up at my door,which was after I had the house cleaned up,thankfully, the officer said every thing was satisfactory except for Shaman who was very thin, and had hair loss from his allergies and she wanted him to be seen by a vet. She also wanted the dogs to be treated for ticks. Johnny had not picked up the tick dip when I had asked him too before all this took place. I explained that Shaman had severe allergies and had special food and vitamins and meds for this. He was not given any of that while Johnny was supposedly taking care of the dogs. There was plenty of food there for the dogs but Johnny just fed them milk bone biscuits in stead of their food. He got a rescue to deliver 4 large bags of food for the dogs but he kept 2 for him self and never opened the food for my dogs.Carla said she would take me and Shaman to the vets and then Johnny stepped up and volunteered to do it. He said that I did not need to go and I told him exactly what the officer wanted. He again put the charges on the rescue account and had the vet do every test under the sun ,driving the vet bill up to $450. All the tests came back negative.He has been telling people how bad the situation was. He took pictures of my house and put them up on the Internet. He told people how bad things were and that I should be put in a nursing home and not be aloud to live in my house or have my animals. He had all sorts of people come into my house to see the mess.H e told any one that would listen to him from the pharmacist to the people at the pet store where I buy the food for my Bearded Dragons. He has called the agencies that I got services from so now I have no services, no help. He never told me that the outside water spigot was leaking and I did not realize it until I had a large puddle in my front yard. I never use that spigot to fill the water buckets. I use the shower hose to fill them . He is the only one that uses it. Now I realize that things do wear out but he could have told me that it was leaking and I would have gotten a plumber to fix it right away. My water bill was over $1000 ! He has done a lot of damage to me and left me is such a financial crunch that I have had to go with out food and medicine just to pay my bills.This is exactly what he wanted to do so he could get my dog. He thought that Animal Control would take them away from me so he could go up to PACC and adopt Nici. That did not happen. I did voluntary give up 2 of my huskies and the Akita mix puppy because I just could not take care of that many dogs at that time.That left me with 3 dogs. Shaman, my retired guide dog and Nici, my current working guide dog and Sedona.I have severed the friendship as friends don't do to friends what he has done to me. I am still trying to recover financially from this.I have at least gotten the vet bill paid off and the water company did lower the bill do to hardship,but I have to give then $150 each month untill the bill is paid in full and if I am late -paying it,they will shut off my water. I still have not been able to get any services. My friend Nick, who is like a son to me has been the only one helping me around the house and yard, with things that need to be done. Carla takes me places when she can, but with out my power wheelchair, I can't get out to get my meds or food or to Dr, appointments, when Carla isn't able to take me. I am stuck in this house! Poor Sedona is not getting trained so that Nici can retire.I can not believe that Johnny could do this to me ,just to get my Nici? Johnny knew that I was not feeling well, but he waited 5 days to check on me? I laid on that floor hoping and praying that some one would come. I almost died. I would never have waited to check on a friend if I knew they were sick, and in fact, I have checked on several friends including Johnny. I still miss the dogs I gave up but, they have been adopted. I recently rescued a Dutch Shepherd from the Casa Grand Pound. I have given her to Nick to replace the puppy that I could not care for when I first got out of the hospital. Her name is Jade and I am training her to be a PTSD service dog for Nick.Jade really loves him and Nick loves her.She is a much better candidate for service work that the puppy was. I hope that things get better here soon. to be continued..................Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-57447014466851143372017-07-04T18:07:00.000-07:002017-07-04T18:07:04.584-07:00It has been a long,long timeSedona has been well started on her formal guide training and has done very well. When you bring out the harness, she will put her head right in and when it is on, she becomes a different dog. She is calm and ready to go to work, She is very good walking by my side and guiding me, when I am able to walk, and very good with my manual wheelchair. We have been in grogery stores,pet stores, restaurants and other stores,and she is very good. She gets distracted by people petting her though.I have a sign on her harness, but people just ignore it and pet her any way. Even while I am telling them to not pet her because she is working. They just don't care, they keep on petting her.I just have to keep working on her people distractions.My power wheelchair has been broken down for about 5 months now. The Preferred Home Care has had the chair sinse May and brought it back yesterday. It is still not fixed right.They did not change the batteries and did not check the belts that drive the chair. If the belts are frayed,they could break. If they need adjusting so they don't slip, well all these things should have been done and they were not done.Shoddy workmanship!!! The joystick box is still off. When you try to change the speed, it jumps around from speed to speed.so I still can't take it out. I could get stuck some where again. Poor Sedona is going to have to start at the beginning again with this chair. She gets nervous when cars whiz by us as they come pretty cloise. I have to roll it on the side of the street as there is not room enough for the wheelchair and the dog on the side walk. She has to get used to this. We are still working on overhead obsticles and people distractions.I need to work Sedona with the power chair,but I can't do any thing until it is fixed. I am not happy about this situation. I have also been training a PTSD dog for a friend. She is a Shepherd / Akita cross and is 6 months old. She is such a good puppy and is learning fast.Nick loved her when I brought her to see him for the first time. Her name is Cheyenne and she loved Nick also. She is a very happy puppy with her tail going all the time. Soon, Nick will be able to work with her so they can bond. I am kept quite busy working with 2 dogs, but it is what keeps me going. To be continued............<br />
<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-2425105469304321872016-08-13T09:38:00.004-07:002016-08-13T09:48:35.351-07:00Very Sad NewsMonday morning, on August 8, 2016, my beloved Wanagi Passed away. She was lying next to my bed and all of a sudden, I heard this blood curdling , in pain cry. I jumped off the bed to see what was wrong. Wanagi just lay there unresponsive, I called my friend Carla and she rushed over and she and another friend helped get Wanagi in the car. On the way to the vet, I had thoughts of my beloved Nala in my mind.As we sat, waiting for the vet to come out, I was wondering if this was the same thing that killed my Nala.I was right. It was the same tumor on the spleen that burst.Wanagi also had the tumor around her heart.. There was nothing that could be done for her , so she was put to sleep. She is no longer suffering, and I have her ashes. Neither Nala or Wanagi had any signs they the were sick. It was just very sudden . My heart is broken. This has left a huge hole in my heart. Rest in peace, my sweet, loving, presious Wanagi. I love you. To be continued.............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-86554815992754173652016-05-11T13:57:00.001-07:002016-05-11T13:57:03.603-07:00Sedona is now working with my power wheelchairJohnny and I took Sedona to PetsMart and worked her with my manual wheelchair. She did very well. I used a piece of PVC pipe and ran a short leash through it and hooked one end to the dog and the other end to the wheelchair.. I had hoped that this would keep her feet safe from being run over by the chair. Well, so much for that. She still got her toes crunched twice, but after that she learned not to get her feet so close to the wheels. I have been working her around the block with my power wheelchair now and she is doing great. No crunched toes either. This gives her some much needed running exercise. She has slipped her collar several times and gotten away from me while taking her out of her pen. She ran around with the other dogs,but I think they are still too ruff with her.I don't want her to get injured so I will wait until she gets a little bigger before I let her play with the other dogs. To be continued..........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-6230270027477752382016-03-14T01:28:00.001-07:002016-03-14T01:43:25.233-07:00Sedona's training is going wellSedona's training is progressing very well. I have fazed out the treats when she sits and lays down as she does not need them . She sits and lays on cue with no treat incentive. She really prefers verbal praise and some petting.We are working on the stay command. She will stay for a short period and she will stay when I put her in her crate,while I close the door. She no longer tries to run out of the crate.She does not mind being in her crate and she is very good when in it,but she would rather be out running around in the living room playing with her toys and getting tummy rubs from me. This puppy is so energetic! she is the most energetic puppy I have ever had. She wears me out some times.I love her and she is a very sweet puppy. She is also very smart.We are working on her house manners and obedience and socialization. She has a long way to go before we get to the guide training but I know she will make it. I am so glad I got this puppy.I am enjoying raising her and she is the second puppy I have raised to be a service dog.Lily was my first. Nala,Shaman and Nici were all older when I got them and even though they made great guide dogs,it is nice to be able to take the time to raise a puppy to be a special working dog. There is a lot of satisfaction in it.Shaman was still somewhat a puppy at 10 months,when I got him and he worked out wonderfully. I am still working him occasionally to keep him happy.Nici is working well and when Sedona is ready to work as a guide,I will transition her in to the work by alternating them. When Nici is ready to retire, Sedona will take over. To be continued...........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-41063104480161677482016-02-13T05:18:00.002-07:002016-02-13T05:21:03.810-07:00We took Sedona to PetsMart for socialization.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My friend Dave and I took Sedona to Petsmart for some socialization last Friday. Sedona was so good! She even sat 3 times when I asked her to,with all those people and dogs around her.She was wearing her red bandanna that says she is a future guide dog. She looked so cute! Johnny took some pictures of Sedona on Monday.I know she will be a great guide dog.She is so smart. She knows sit and down and she walks on a loose leash most of the time,till she sees something exciting. My house keeper,took a picture of Sedona at Christmas time. She has grown quite a bit since then. She is such a good puppy. to be continued................Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-10108997335474628952016-02-13T05:02:00.001-07:002016-02-13T05:03:50.263-07:00Shulamith went back to the rescue that she came from.Shulamith went back to the SanTan Valley rescue that she came from. They finally had room for her. Maybe they will have better luck finding a home for her. At least now she has good house manners and knows how to sit and lie down on cue.I hope they can find the right home for her..to be continued.................Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-72463618766611682602016-01-23T23:41:00.001-07:002016-01-23T23:41:09.388-07:00I don't know what to do with ShulamithI placed Shulamith with what I thought was a great home.I spent a lot of time going over her issues with other dogs and cats. I thought they understood that she can't be around other animals. Well......when they went to PetsMart to buy a crate and other things they needed,they took Shulamith with them . After I spent all that time explaining her issues with other animals,they took her to Petsmart. She went after another dog and the man got bitten trying to separate the dogs.Are people deaf or just stupid? How much plainer can you get when you tell them,she eats cats and hates other dogs.Well, she is back. Not even gone one day and she is back. I just don't know what to do with this dog. I want her to have a good home,but I just can't seem to find that home.Is there no one out their that wants a beautiful spayed female German Shepherd,current on all shots, that needs to be the only pet in the family. Some one that will love her and treat her with kindness and patience and work on her training and KEEP HER AWAY FROM OTHER ANIMALS???????? I just don't know what to do with her now that she has bitten . She never bit any one while she was in my home. She is really a people dog. But when she is around other animals she will go after them. To be continued............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-27731465339196462212016-01-23T23:20:00.001-07:002016-01-23T23:20:02.183-07:00Sedona is learning very fastSedona is walking on a loose leash and is well on her way to being house broken. The only time she goes in her crate is if I don't get her out in time.She has learned to sit on cue even with out a treat. We are now working on the down command. She also comes to me when I call her name.When I put her in the crate, she has learned to stay while I am closing the door. She used to try and run out when I was closing the door but now she stays.She loves to play with all her toys and has discovered the squeaker in the toys and she squeaks them non stop when she is out running around the living room. She lays on the blanket under the computer desk and chews on her white bones and squeaks her toys. Then she will start running around and tossing her toys in the air and catches them and runs some more.She has a multi colored bird and a Santa and and a squirl and a teddy bear. She also has a tennis ball,a hard rubber ball,a pear shaped hard rubber ball and a spiked dumbell and a hard rubber donut shaped toy. Do you think she has enough toys? She is now eating the small milk bones and she loves them.She has been having loose stools on the Taste of the Wild, Pacific Stream, puppy food, so I am changing her over to Purina Pro Plan ,Sensative Skin and Stomach. Max, my old Border Collie, RIP, did well on this food . He had digestive issues and that food really helped him. Sedona does not have any skin problems but maybe it will help her digestive issues. I am also giving her a probiotic and that is helping some.She has a vet appointment to get a stool sample on Monday. To be continued............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-19682794387573590412016-01-01T16:49:00.001-07:002016-01-01T16:49:25.970-07:00Shulamith is backShulamith was returrned to me. The man that took her did not do as he promised. He did not find a trainer to work with him and the dog.Evidently, he bought a cheap harness and put that on her and removed the collars I gave him with the dog. Of course he had no control on a very energetic, strong dog and she pulled him down.He returned the dog with out the collars so now I have to go buy a new collar for her.Right now I have a collar on her that was Shaman's and it is really too small for her. My friend Johnny and I put up some chain link fencing so I can keep her away from my other dogs. She is still being advertised so I hope the right person will want a very nice German Shepherd that need some more training and some one to love,and show patience with her. She deserves to have a nice home with someone who will really care about her and that has no other animals. to be continued...........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-88075058455955715442015-12-19T17:47:00.001-07:002015-12-19T17:47:03.211-07:00Good News !Shaman had his growth removed yesterday. It turned out to be a cyst and not a soft tissue sarcoma. A large fluid filled cyst and NOT cancer.I am greatly relieved, and he is doing fine.Shaman does not have cancer after all.I am so happy that my beautiful boy is OK !!!!!!!!!!! to be continued..........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-3179213268850139202015-12-19T17:41:00.003-07:002015-12-19T17:41:38.438-07:00Shulamith went to a new homeShulamith went home with a disabled Vet. She will be his companion. He is aware of her behavioural problems and is willing to work with her. I hope it works out for the both of them.Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-65751914693189549362015-12-12T00:16:00.001-07:002015-12-12T00:20:38.572-07:00Shaman has cancerI took Shaman in to a different vet to have his growth looked at and as I suspected, he has cancer. She called it a soft tissue sarcoma. I should have taken him in to get a second opinion when I was told it was a cyst and to leave it alone as it would only come back if the vet removed it. I won't make that mistake again. I made an appointment to have the tumor removed. I hope they can get it all out. Poor Shaman, he has suffered so many problems in his life time.He is only 7 years old. I will do what I can for him. He is such a wonderful dog. I am greatly saddened as don't know how much longer I will have him... to be continued............... Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-56651616289213209622015-11-25T22:35:00.001-07:002015-11-25T22:41:49.387-07:00SedonaCarla came over the other day and took pictures of the dogs and also Sedona. She also brought some collars and some toys for Sedona. Carla also took pictures of Shulamith so we can post her on craigs list. This is Sedona before her other ear came up.<br />
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<br />Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-83682682977738175762015-11-25T22:27:00.000-07:002015-11-25T22:27:11.045-07:00I have a new puppy !<br />
I have a new Puppy,but it is not a white shepherd.I had no luck with the white shepherd breeders. One turned me down because she said I already had too many dogs. The other breeder said she would sell me a puppy but, she would not have any until next year and she said she already had some reservations on that planned breeding that she had to honer. If there was a female left,then I could have that one.I decided to keep looking,because I need a dog that has the right temperament to be a guide dog. If there were a female puppy left after the people who already had reservations on what they wanted, well I don't know for sure if that one would be the right one for the job.I decided to look at Dutch Shepherds as that was my second choice after I found out that the Belgian breeders were not planning any litters for the next couple of years.I emailed several breeders. One was in Phoenix. The only one I heard back from was Aachen Kennels. Keely McKee emailed me back with in 5 minutes of her getting my email. Any way she gave me a real good deal on a female puppy.These puppies are temperament tested to see what they are best suited for as Aachen Kennels sells a lot of their dogs for police work,detection work,Dog sports and service and therapy work.The rest are sold as pets or for private security and protection.This puppy was classified as a pet.She did not have the drive needed for police work. The more she described this puppy,I agreed that she just might be right for training as a guide dog. My puppy was shipped by air and arrived on the 20th of November. She is absolutely beautiful,and is very smart. She is already walking on a leash pretty well. She also pees out side and we are still working on pooping out side.She is only 9 weeks old.She comes to her name and comes when I call her.Her name is Sedona.When she first arrived,she had one ear up and the other one sort of half up. It is now up all the way.I think she is growing each night. She is already bigger than she was the first day and is getting heavier to pick up. She is so sweet,I just love her so much. I have had some calls on Shulamith,but the people had other small dogs so I told them that she does not get along with other dogs. One woman called and wanted her. She had an infant child.When you have a small child, you do not have time to work with a German Shepherd that needs continued training. I also don't know how Shulamith is with small children. Shulamith is a very energetic dog and might knock down a small child. I still have hope that the right person is out there somewhere looking for a shepherd that needs love,kindness and training.Today when I was working with Shulamith,She sat, lay down and sat up again, on cue and off leash. She is a smart dog and enjoys doing the things I have taught her. She just needs some one who is patient with her and will work with her every day. She really is a nice dog. She just needs to live without other dogs. To be continued..........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-69677892045979611392015-10-24T06:07:00.001-07:002015-11-25T22:14:03.969-07:00I am thinking about getting a White Shepherd PuppyI have decided that rescue dogs are not the way to go when looking for a dog to train.I have had very limited success doing that. Lily was bought from a breeder,Nala was bought from a breeder and Nici also came from a breeder. The only rescue that worked out as a guide dog was Shaman.There were several dogs,all rescues, that did not work out. It is heart breaking to start training a dog and then realize that for various reasons, that dog is just not the right dog for the job.You have already become attached to this dog and now you must find another home for it.Then you have to start all over again,looking for the right dog.Well, I can't seem to find the right dog.When I think I might have found one and reply to the add,the dog is either already taken or no one even answers my inquiry.I am looking for a specific breed and most of the dogs in the shelters here are Pit Bulls or Chihuahuas.I am thinking about getting a puppy to train.I have always wanted a White Shepherd,but the White Shepherd Rescue here will not let you adopt one if you have more than one other dog. I am hopping that I can purchase a puppy from a breeder.I have filled out an application with one breeder so far. I will wait and see how that goes. If I get a puppy to train,it won't come to me with any bad habits that have to be untrained. I will have a dog that I can train to do the tasks that I need in my guide dog. A dog customized to my needs..If it is meant to be,it will happen. I am hoping it will....... to be continued......Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-35193781206450816802015-10-18T19:22:00.002-07:002015-10-18T19:22:30.292-07:00Shulamith is up for adoptionThe Rescue where I got Shulamith has said that I can find her a home as they still do not have room for her. Johnny and Dave have said they will help me find the right home for her. Carla also offered to help and so did my house keeper as she is also in Rescue.I should be able to find some one who will be the right person for her.I am still looking for that right dog to train.I am looking for another Shepherd, or possibly a Husky Shepherd mix. I hope I find a dog before the winter months are over. It is very hard for me to train in the Summer as the heat is just too much for me. I can do the Mall and go shopping while training but I need to be able to train for Traffic checks and curbs and over head obstacles and other obstacle avoidance ect. out side. These things can not be learned in a mall. I would really like to find another Belgian Shepherd,but it will have to be a female. I can't bring in another male. This would not be fair to Shaman.Most of all, I need a dog that can get along with and live with other dogs and does not fight. I need a dog that is tall enough and has long legs so that she can work from my power wheelchair with no trouble. I need a dog that is willing to work and learn all the things that a guide dog needs to know,so we can work as a team and keep each other safe. The hardest part of training your own guide dog is finding the right dog to train. It is very time consuming and if the dog does not work out,you have to find another home for it and start all over again. to be continued..............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-53713000753604860452015-10-01T21:41:00.003-07:002015-10-24T01:42:41.286-07:00New DevelopmentsSince my last post,there have been several new developments.I had another Hospital stay and I am still recovering.I had to put my 15 year old Border Collie, Max down. He was pretty much deaf and blind and he was senile. His allergies were so bad that he was ripping chunks of his hair out and had licked his paws bald. He was suffering and It was time to put an end to it. I still miss him, but at least he is not suffering any more. Shulamith has found her true personality,and it is not what I need in a guide dog.I guess because she had never lived in a proper home before, she has discovered who she is now. She has become very jealous<br />
around the other dogs and when I show them any attention ,she goes after them. She wants all the attention for her self. She has started barking in stores and it is hard to get her to stop.She has also been attacking poor Shaman.There have been several serious fights. This is not the personality I want in a guide dog. She is being returned to the rescue where I got her as soon as they have room for her. She needs a home where she is the only dog. She needs an owner that is willing to work with her,that is kind and patient. She is a smart dog and wants to learn but it is hard with other dogs around.She is not a bad dog by any means. She just has found her self and needs a home where she can have the attention she needs with out having to share it with other dogs.I think she will make a wonderful pet for a person that has Shepherd experience, and is kind and patient with her. I have taught her to sit, and lie down and to stay.Her house manners have greatly improved. She still gets into the trash can and chews papers into tiny pieces,occasionally. She is a very sweet dog when not around other dogs.I, how ever need a dog that will be able to live in the same house with other dogs and one that does not fight. So I must continue to look for the right dog to train as my next guide. The hardest part of owner training a guide dog, is finding the right dog. to be continued.............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-35924837296835678762015-08-02T01:13:00.004-07:002015-08-02T01:13:59.198-07:00Shulamith is OKShulamith is OK. She is no longer limping at all. I had to go to Petsmart to get some reptile bulbs for the Dragons and decided to take Shulamith along. Dave, a friend, handled her so I could use Nici for guiding.She was pretty good until a dog started barking at her.........She barked back and I had a time trying to get her to stop barking. She did stop though. I didn't use the Halti on her in the store.I will next time.We then went to the grocery store and I put the Halti on her. She was much better and Dave had no trouble getting her to walk on a loose leash. She had a wandering nose but was quickly reminded that is unacceptable behavior in a grocery store. For the most part,she was very good in the grocery store. We plan to take her again on Monday when I go to the bank and do my shopping. Dave will handle her again.I will also use the Halti as she is much better with it on. to be continued...............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-7860932927895017352015-07-29T23:47:00.001-07:002015-07-29T23:47:52.423-07:00Shulamith is limpingYesterday I noticed that Shulamith was limping. My first thought was the dreaded Valley Fever. Then I thought maybe she just got injured from playing roughly with the other dogs.Today, She is much better which leads me to think it is an injury from playing with the other dogs. Today,I don't see the limp at a walk, but at a trot I can see a slight limp. It was much worse yesterday,being visible at a walk,and much more visible at her trot..I will see if she improves more tomorrow and go from there. If she is limping worse again,we will have to see the vet. I am hoping that she will not have any limp at all tomorrow. to be continued.............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-78073179876670994862015-07-25T00:31:00.000-07:002015-07-25T00:31:01.947-07:00Shulamith is doing well with her trainingShulamith is doing very well with her training.Her house manners are vastly improved. She is better at waiting her turn at getting treats,no longer stealing them out of the mouths of the other dogs. She still has a habit of chewing paper and toilet paper, but that is getting better.We are still working the down command as she is still not good with it yet.I am still trying to get her nails down to where I can put the dog boots on her. I keep cutting little by little, but they keep growing little by little.I wish the vet could just chop them off and get it over with. Shaman has taught her to bark. She sounds just like him and I have to look to see which dog is barking.Shaman has gotten better about his barking but we are still working on Shulamith.She does not bark when she has her training vest on and we are out, but she barks at home,when people walk by the fence. Shaman has gotten better about being around her now. He still growls once in a while but there have been no fights.I have the basket muzzle ready in case I need to put it on him,but he has been good for a while now so.........I have been showing Shulamith what I want her to do when I say down by using Nici or Shaman to show her the down position. Sometimes she will do it,but not consistently yet.She is much better around food now. I can eat an entire meal without her even looking in my direction.If I can just get her to do the down consistently,we will be ready to try going to a restaurant. The training is going slow but she is doing well and I think we are both enjoying it. To be continued..............Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-36583928137776642332015-05-29T17:32:00.000-07:002015-05-29T18:14:30.635-07:00My new dog now has a name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfEMQk7Op1XPVTljr32psLhkSDFDrsa-lacXY1uupXf-KpBGqnjJf-6outE7tyqo-dJ3BiyiW8vevsdd2IoWxAJOO2mX-U7OiVq3ZUkunH8ABY-vx3N5XkMdnx9c3_9nbEFTcKDVv9PE/s1600/20150528_150202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfEMQk7Op1XPVTljr32psLhkSDFDrsa-lacXY1uupXf-KpBGqnjJf-6outE7tyqo-dJ3BiyiW8vevsdd2IoWxAJOO2mX-U7OiVq3ZUkunH8ABY-vx3N5XkMdnx9c3_9nbEFTcKDVv9PE/s320/20150528_150202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I had a long list of names and I chose several that I really liked and called her by those names. She responded to Shulamith.I kept calling her by the other names and she ignored them. When I called her Shulamith, she would turn her head and look at me or she would put her head in my lap.So.....she has picked her own name.She is doing very well with her house manners and the sit command. The down command is non existent at this point.We will keep working on it.She had no training before I got her,so things are going slow.She needs to figure out what I want her to do. When I show her, it takes a little while for the light bulb to go off. But I will let her learn at her own pace. I wish Shaman would not be so jealous of her. Things were going well between the 2 dogs,but my house keeper came yesterday and Shaman adores her. When Ashley said hello to Shulamith,he got jealous and attacked Shula. I got the dogs separated but I can't have dog fights here. I just won't put up with that. I don't want to find a new home for Shaman,but I may have to.I have a basket muzzle on him right now and he has made no attempt to go after Shula but I don't know what will set him off next time. Dogs have come and gone from here as I foster for a rescue.Shaman has never had a problem with any of them. He has seen me working with them on house manners and obedience to make them more adoptable. I just hope Shaman comes around.He has nothing to be jealous about. I love all my dogs,and spend a lot of time with all of them. To be continued..................Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-11668477332935898662015-05-19T16:34:00.003-07:002015-05-29T17:35:45.002-07:00I have a new dog !I went up to San Tan Valley this last Sunday to look at some German Shepherd mix dogs. The one dog I thought I would get, was a little too small. I would have the same problem of her keeping up with the power chair that I had with Nici.I looked at 2 other Pure bred German Shepherds. I really liked both dogs but I chose the one they called "Momma Shepherd". I think this dog is a good match for me. I have not settled on a name yet,but I am working on that.We are currently working on house manners and the sit and down commands.She is crate trained and potty trained. She also learned the first night, what "OFF THE BED" means and has remembered that . She also knows what "NO" means.She wants to please me. She is a very calm and quiet dog. Not a barker at all.Even when Shaman barks at something,she will look to see what he is barking at but, she doesn't bark.I really like this girl.She is predominately black with a small amount of tan on her neck,chest and legs. She is very pretty.I adopted her through Central Arizona Animal Rescue.She came out of very bad situation,from a back yard breeder. I am told the woman went to jail on neglect and cruelty charges. This poor dog lived in the same pen with 3 German Shepherd males and they probably bred her every time she came into heat. No dought the puppies in the litters had 3 different fathers. She was selling them for $300.The dogs were starving and living in filth. When I brought her home, at first Shaman was a little jealous, but he has come around and seems to like her now. All the other dogs have accepted her also.Every thing seems to be working out fine. To be continued...........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-4853065512502866562015-05-10T22:58:00.001-07:002015-10-24T02:02:38.507-07:00Sadly 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..........Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702855956488911401.post-18023625439833294852015-04-29T22:04:00.004-07:002015-05-07T13:37:37.116-07:00Dog needs a home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF8klPfP-f_uvcmvl2x9msE_LVFk4U0m2C4oFficMetoQEjgBygeh-UlEihPdfBjKvvjJda4Sjy7QPgAMoYvxndsnc9xSNR7YEvg3Hw_ZxCf8FCSJ860dZl-9Mbqrkqeswas59Fzxdhw/s1600/20130807_191423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZF8klPfP-f_uvcmvl2x9msE_LVFk4U0m2C4oFficMetoQEjgBygeh-UlEihPdfBjKvvjJda4Sjy7QPgAMoYvxndsnc9xSNR7YEvg3Hw_ZxCf8FCSJ860dZl-9Mbqrkqeswas59Fzxdhw/s320/20130807_191423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There is a very nice young dog that needs a home. Her name is "Feisty" and she is a mix of Australian Shepherd and Terrier.She was a rescue and is in need of a home with out other dogs as she is frighted of other dogs.She may be able to live with a very calm dog.She is very good with people and loves to be petted. She is also very smart and wants to please. She would make a good therapy dog or possibly a service dog. You can contact me at wolfsinger.lakota@gmail .com if interested in this very special dog.Mardihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848664246561410351noreply@blogger.com0