Great video! Sooner rather than later I'm planning on getting a guide dog. I have a lifetime of experience with dogs and cats. A guide dog would feel more natural to me than the cane. I am doing ok with the cane, just prefer the dog. Thank goodness I work for a vets office! I would also suggest to anyone who has a service/ guide (or any) dog to get pet insurance. I know when I get my guide dog, he's going to be covered. You would be surprised at what the dogs will try to eat!
This was a great video Derek. Everyone wants a puppy but then when they get that puppy and find the work that goes with it they often get discouraged. Now imagine your vision impaired and blind and all these responsibilities or yours. You don't just go and get a guide dog and then he goes to work for you. You spend more that time working for the dog. And I don't mean this in a negative way I am a dog owner. I grew up with dogs my entire life even before my visual impairment . They're no different than any of your other children under your roof. They basically need all of the same things you would give a child. Dogs are a big responsibility but worth every penny and every moment. I hope this video helps people really truly decide. It's not the hardest thing in the world to own a dog in fact it becomes easy after time. However, it is work and people need to remember that. But if you give that time, give your love, over time you will make a best friend beyond comparison. I don't believe any other animal is comparable to a dog. I've had many types of animals over the years as a child growing up and none of them felt as if being just another human being in the house I'm like my dogs.
Great video Derek and thank you for picking up after your dog and being a responsible dog owner! There are so many that don't, the area where I live you are supposed to pick up after your dog but most people don't. It really is upsetting!!! BTW I love your superman shirt!
Thank you for talking openly about every part of living with a guide dog (even the picking up part!). Seeing him happily wagging his long tail when you brush him is just so sweet. Have you tried putting the water bowl up a bit higher? I find that for big, tall dogs like Koa, having elevated food & water bowl helps them eat & drink easier, without having to fight gravity to swallow. Ever since I put my cat’s (not a dog but she’s almost dog-like in a lot of ways haha) water bowl on a little pedestal (just an old plastic food container with the lid off, like a mini Pringles can), she’s taken the initiative to drink a lot more water with me having to force her to like before. And since she’s a messy eater (like most dogs are), having the water bowl & food bowl far away from each other helps avoid food bits fly into the water and makes it dirty. Still, I change the water everyday because the bottom gets grimy (from saliva, food bits, fur, lint, house dirt etc.) in less than 24hrs. I wish you & Koa the best! I can’t agree enough on the importance of monthly flea & tick treatment, there’s so many tick/flea transmitted diseases cats & dogs can catch.
Hi Derek. This was a very helpful video for me and it came at a great time because I’m planning on applying for a guide dog in the near future and I was just thinking about some of the responsibilities and considerations and financial obligations that went along with having a guide dog and your outlining them was helpful.
I think you have the same food container as me! So cool! Is it the Vittles Vault? I loved your tip on how to place your foot towards the dog’s bottom when they poop so you can easily find the poop. That’s going to be super helpful because I’ve been doing the poo bag hand shuffle in the general area to find all the poop, haha! We found a really cool broom on Chewy that has rubbery bristles on it and it sweeps up all the dog hair into a pile. It’s been a huge help along with vacuuming. The Zoom Groom is awesome for bathing the dog too. I use a rake on Calvin since he’s got that thick plush golden lab cross coat. Such great tips, Derek!
How do you deal with people in public that try to distract your guide dog? When people try to pet or call it over to them how do you handle situations and what are our thoughts and the dangers of this type of behavior in public? I know there are people who take their pet into public and I know that is not right but what are your thoughts on that?
Dealing with the public when you have a guide dog is a mixed bag. I will say it's gotten a lot better over the years. If people try to distract my dog on purpose, I will say something to them and ask politely for them not to do that. If they are petting, I will direct them not to. If they are calling the dog, it depends on what is happening. If I can get past them pretty quickly, I'll just keep moving. If we are stopped, I'll most likely say something. It's really just a matter of educating the public about these sort of things. Some people simply don't know. And, while it's annoying, they won't know unless someone who does know tells them. Hope that helps!
Hey there! Yeah, I do use that command from time to time. Not sure it works...I'm usually saying it when it's cold and I want him to hurry up! lol...jk...I think he does respond to it though. Thanks for asking!
Great video!
Sooner rather than later I'm planning on getting a guide dog. I have a lifetime of experience with dogs and cats. A guide dog would feel more natural to me than the cane. I am doing ok with the cane, just prefer the dog.
Thank goodness I work for a vets office! I would also suggest to anyone who has a service/ guide (or any) dog to get pet insurance. I know when I get my guide dog, he's going to be covered. You would be surprised at what the dogs will try to eat!
This was a great video Derek. Everyone wants a puppy but then when they get that puppy and find the work that goes with it they often get discouraged. Now imagine your vision impaired and blind and all these responsibilities or yours. You don't just go and get a guide dog and then he goes to work for you. You spend more that time working for the dog. And I don't mean this in a negative way I am a dog owner. I grew up with dogs my entire life even before my visual impairment . They're no different than any of your other children under your roof. They basically need all of the same things you would give a child. Dogs are a big responsibility but worth every penny and every moment.
I hope this video helps people really truly decide. It's not the hardest thing in the world to own a dog in fact it becomes easy after time. However, it is work and people need to remember that.
But if you give that time, give your love, over time you will make a best friend beyond comparison. I don't believe any other animal is comparable to a dog. I've had many types of animals over the years as a child growing up and none of them felt as if being just another human being in the house I'm like my dogs.
Great video Derek and thank you for picking up after your dog and being a responsible dog owner! There are so many that don't, the area where I live you are supposed to pick up after your dog but most people don't. It really is upsetting!!!
BTW I love your superman shirt!
Thank you for talking openly about every part of living with a guide dog (even the picking up part!). Seeing him happily wagging his long tail when you brush him is just so sweet. Have you tried putting the water bowl up a bit higher? I find that for big, tall dogs like Koa, having elevated food & water bowl helps them eat & drink easier, without having to fight gravity to swallow. Ever since I put my cat’s (not a dog but she’s almost dog-like in a lot of ways haha) water bowl on a little pedestal (just an old plastic food container with the lid off, like a mini Pringles can), she’s taken the initiative to drink a lot more water with me having to force her to like before. And since she’s a messy eater (like most dogs are), having the water bowl & food bowl far away from each other helps avoid food bits fly into the water and makes it dirty. Still, I change the water everyday because the bottom gets grimy (from saliva, food bits, fur, lint, house dirt etc.) in less than 24hrs. I wish you & Koa the best! I can’t agree enough on the importance of monthly flea & tick treatment, there’s so many tick/flea transmitted diseases cats & dogs can catch.
Great video man, but probably not the one I should've chosen to watch as I sat down to eat my lunch! LOL! 🐕💩
Guide Dog Foundation says it takes about $100 a month for a service dog. That includes normal vet care and food.
Great video! There’s so much more that goes into the guide dog lifestyle then just picking up the harness and going.
Hi Derek! I am a Puppy Raiser for Guide Dogs in Fl. You are a FABULOUS guide dog owner!! Great video!
Hi Derek. This was a very helpful video for me and it came at a great time because I’m planning on applying for a guide dog in the near future and I was just thinking about some of the responsibilities and considerations and financial obligations that went along with having a guide dog and your outlining them was helpful.
I think you have the same food container as me! So cool! Is it the Vittles Vault? I loved your tip on how to place your foot towards the dog’s bottom when they poop so you can easily find the poop. That’s going to be super helpful because I’ve been doing the poo bag hand shuffle in the general area to find all the poop, haha! We found a really cool broom on Chewy that has rubbery bristles on it and it sweeps up all the dog hair into a pile. It’s been a huge help along with vacuuming. The Zoom Groom is awesome for bathing the dog too. I use a rake on Calvin since he’s got that thick plush golden lab cross coat.
Such great tips, Derek!
This is only a short snippy of what we need to do as handlers.
Thanks for the video
If only we *have* Guide Dogs here in the Philippines...
VIPs like myself can only dream of having one.
Very important!
What brand of dog food is everyone using?
How do you deal with people in public that try to distract your guide dog? When people try to pet or call it over to them how do you handle situations and what are our thoughts and the dangers of this type of behavior in public? I know there are people who take their pet into public and I know that is not right but what are your thoughts on that?
Dealing with the public when you have a guide dog is a mixed bag. I will say it's gotten a lot better over the years. If people try to distract my dog on purpose, I will say something to them and ask politely for them not to do that. If they are petting, I will direct them not to. If they are calling the dog, it depends on what is happening. If I can get past them pretty quickly, I'll just keep moving. If we are stopped, I'll most likely say something. It's really just a matter of educating the public about these sort of things. Some people simply don't know. And, while it's annoying, they won't know unless someone who does know tells them. Hope that helps!
Do you ever use the “do your business” command?
Hey there! Yeah, I do use that command from time to time. Not sure it works...I'm usually saying it when it's cold and I want him to hurry up! lol...jk...I think he does respond to it though. Thanks for asking!