(VICT) Re: My Decision on Met
- From: "DIANNE B. PHELPS AND PRIMROSE" <d.bphelps@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 14:01:51 -0700
Karen,
That is a sad decision, but I think you know that back stress is a common
work injury for our guides. It is so difficult to make definite decisions
when our dogs still show interest in what they are used to doing, but you
may find that for Met's protection, you may have to make the decisions for
him and teach him to appreciate his retirement time.
My Jalisa developed arthritis in her spine at age 10, and I worried terribly
that she wouldn't want to be at home and that she would miss going with us,
but when I had a new guide and Jalisa was back to live with us again, she
almost acted relieved when I would put her in my office on a tie-down and
tell her she needed to stay and look out for my house. She would lie down as
if to tell me she was glad that Storey had all the hard work and she could
be lazy and have more fun. she had been such a serious dog during all of her
work life and so totally devoted that it was good to see her enjoy being
lazy and then, having fun playing with Storey.
I wish you all the best with this as it is so difficult to know exactly what
to do.
Love and hugs,
Dianne and Primrose
----- Original Message -----
From: "metnme2" <metnme2@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vi-Clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 8:20 PM
Subject: (VICT) My Decision on Met
> As you all know I had decided last month to retire Met
> from public access, then he gave me the what for over
> it big time so I decided we would just cut back what
> he does. He had stopped wanting to wear a harness and
> obviously as a result stopped guiding but still seemed
> to want to do some of his job. He was still doing all
> of the indoor work with great enthusiasm. He was going
> insane without some of that public access work though
> quite literally. One does not want to experience an
> insane Border Collie trust me on that! So that was my
> decision with the inkling that he may bounce back and
> want to guide again. I was not kidding myself though.
> He will be 11 in 3 months and has outlived all but his
> mother in his family.
> Today I wound up rushing Met to the vet after he
> projectile vomited after only getting a pill he
> regularly takes. He had been acting off before that.
> In order to rule out any blockages based on my
> description of things- and her paranoia when she heard
> he had been on a raw diet for about 1 1/2 months (not
> my regular vet), along with the fact that there is
> extensive hereditary cancer in the family, we did some
> xrays. What I learned from this is his belly was fine-
> no cancer, no blockage, and his heart looked great she
> said. Not sure why she was concerned about it since it
> sounded good with the stethoscope but anyway... I
> degressed a bit there. Due to what Xray positions she
> was after she got Xrays of his spine and he has
> arthritis along his entire spine. Due to his issues
> with getting dressed in his harness I have realized
> today that he should never guide again. He eagerly
> puts on bandanas and he even let me put a lightweight
> ID Band on him recently,but one of his realms of work
> has hit the end of the road. He can tell me of curb
> cuts and of bumps in the sidewalk or things in our way
> or people passing by, but he just won't ever be asked
> to fully guide me. It's the right thing to do for him.
> Though the vet said most dogs at his age have this and
> it does not bother them, I know he has shown me in his
> own way especially during the rainy season (which is
> fast approaching) that for him it is a factor. The
> vets are used to pet dogs... not dogs who dawn a
> harness to guide this way and that like they are on an
> agility course the entire time they are out with you.
> She feels his belly problem stems from the issues with
> finding Met a proper food for him since all the major
> changes which began this upheaval and that he should
> improve after putting him on pepcid AC. As the years
> add up we two are becoming way too much alike! LOL
> I just got the embroidery back recently that was to be
> for new packs for Met's harness and its a pretty
> melancholy event knowing they probably will be for his
> successor.
> So that is the scoop from here...
>
> Karyn and Met
>
>
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