[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Guide dog!

  • From: Michelle Graham <vicisheps@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 16:19:37 -0500 (EST)


Here's a great video of my former son-in-law Sgt Matt Slaydon, Ret...wounded warrior getting his GSD service dog in 2010...here's the link "www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Wounded-Warrior-Gets-A-New-Leash-On-Life-96112974.html"

Michelle  Graham
RBIF CH Vici's Wind Walker, CH Vici's Windsong, Am/Can CH Vici's Abilene V ShadowValley, Vici's Wild As The Wind, ROM, B/Co-owner Vici's Heavenly Expectations, TC-#1 2008 M/F Bitch

On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 3:51 PM, Linda Terry wrote:

Years ago there was a woman who had some disabilities that precluded her from getting a guide dog from regular service organizations.  So, with the help of friends, she purchased a GSD puppy and trained him herself.  I competed with her at my very first national in Perry, GA, in novice obedience.  Her dog did a super job (placed second).  She was in a wheelchair.  She later founded and ran an organization that trained GSD's to be service dogs.  She felt that GSD's were the best dogs for service dogs because of their ability to tune in with their "masters", especially when needed as seizure alert dogs, etc.

She did share her understanding of why GSD's are not used more as seeing eye dogs.  One, they are generally more powerful, strong and bigger dogs than the labs and goldens and more difficult for physically handicapped people to have.  (Many blind people needing service dogs have other physical disabilities besides blindness or are not physically strong.)  Second,  GSD's find it more difficult to cope with the changes in ownership that occur in a seeing eye dog's life.  (8 weeks it goes to puppy trainer, 1 year goes back to service organization for intensive training, 18 months or so is given to blind person, 9 or 10 years old is retired and placed with someone else.)  Most GSD's do not readily switch allegiance to new owners if they have been part of a family and not just a kennel dog.

I've raised 4 puppies for two different seeing eye organizations.  The first two were labs from an organization in New York that pretty much only had labs.  The second two were from an organization based in Columbus, Ohio, and they use six different breeds of dogs, including the GSD, labs, goldens, poodles, and two others I can't remember.  I raised two GSD puppies for them.  The first one was offered back to me after a couple months of their training because her hips didn't pass inspection.  She's not dysplastic, but guide dogs do a great deal of walking and the organization requires good or excellent hip certification.  She is a wonderful dog and I am grateful to have her but still sorry that her hips weren't better because she would have been a wonderful guide dog.

I apologize for the long post, but GSD's as guide dogs are dear to my heart.  I know of several breeders that have donated GSD puppies to seeing eye organizations, so, be assured, the GSD is still out there as a guide dog as well as performing many other service functions.

On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 1:34 PM, < edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx')> > wrote: Just saw a commercial about a soldier who lost his sight as a result of fighting in Afghanistan! He had a German Shepherd Dog! You almost NEVER see a German Shepherd guide dog anymore, yet when I was a kid that's all you saw! why aren't our dogs not used very often! It's disappointing to me. when my ex-wife got a guide dog she wanted a Shepherd but was told her school ( Marin/ San Francisco school for the blind) no longer uses GSds... To this day that bothers me....even though she's had two great Labs, it's too bad GSDs have been fazed out.  Ed

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--
Linda Terry
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