Before I get A Guide Dog To Do List

by Chelsey Zumpano

After going to Guide Dogs for the Blind, (in Vlog61) I learned a lot, so I’m going to share it with everyone.

I realized it wasn’t as far away as I thought and this helped relieve some of my anxiety. I’ve attended their Life Style work Shop: once before when I was younger, but this time I feel like I got better information and I’m in a different mind set now. I have better coping skills for my anxiety and I feel more confident in myself.

I learned how to brush a dogs teeth and I’m going to try to practice with my dogs because we just give them dental bones. Yes, you can have other animals and have a guide dog. You introduce your dogs on neutral territory, like the park. If they don’t get a long at first you seperate them.

There’s one thing that I loved that they pointed out: which was that you should only give your dog a bath about once a month! This is something i’ve been telling people for years and no one believes me, the thing is my uncle is a vet, so I know this is true. This is for all dogs: service dogs and pet dogs. You can give them a bath more if they rolled in mud or something. The reason you shouldn’t give your dog a bath that offten is because the natural oils in their skin keep them warm. They have wipes that you can use for their feet and I’m pretty sure there’s doggy perfume.

I’m going to go to this awesome mobility program called, “Orientation and Mobility Immersion Program.” The program teaches you the skills you need to work with a guide dog such as auditory info, increasing your awareness for a guide dog traveler, doing a Juneau walk, (a pretend guide dog), and much more.

Now here’s my to do list!

1 do three routs independently

2 take Dial-A-Ride

3 sign up for the Orientation and Mobility program

4 get Ginger and Lucy a dog stroller

5 figure out where the dogs are going to sleep after I get the guide dog

I will come back and add more to the list and check things off as I go.

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