Walking dogs

[Nick88]

Hi.

This is my first post in a while/ever. Can't remember.

Ok so here's the problem. My friends and their dogs have moved in with me. I've known these people all my life and only walked the dogs on my own a few times but I always assumed it was because two people would make it easier since there were two dogs.
But since they've moved in they've made it very clear that they don't want me walking their dogs unsupervised even though I'm almost thirty years old incase I have a seizure.

In a way that seems logical - even though I resent the way they said it - but I don't understand how people have epilepsy dogs in that case. Surely they need to be walked.

Is me walking the dogs really the massive deal that my friends think?

Has anyone else ever had similar problems?

 

[Freda]

There is a whole world of difference between a service dog and an ordinary pet dog. Service dogs are trained to handle someone having a seizure and protect them whereas a pet dog could be totally freaked out and run off, perhaps even into traffic.
My daughter has epilepsy and I wouldn't want her walking my dog because he could be a danger to himself as well as road users. I think your friends are just being sensible for you and their dogs and probably didn't mean to offend you by what they said.

 

[CathyAnn31]

How often are your seizures?

 

[Nick88]

There is a whole world of difference between a service dog and an ordinary pet dog. Service dogs are trained to handle someone having a seizure and protect them whereas a pet dog could be totally freaked out and run off, perhaps even into traffic.
My daughter has epilepsy and I wouldn't want her walking my dog because he could be a danger to himself as well as road users. I think your friends are just being sensible for you and their dogs and probably didn't mean to offend you by what they said.

I'm sure they didn't mean to offend me but all the same their comments were thoughtless. I have known these dogs since they were pups are they're now very old and and only now am I being told that my epilepsy precludes me walking them.

Driving I can understand and even if I was seizure free for however long I wouldn't drive.
Most stuff that I can't do I understand. - BUT WALKING THE DOGS!?

By the way, one of my friends has mentioned getting looking into getting one of the dogs registered as a service dog. For anxiety not epilepsy but still it would be a service dog.

It has been me who has saved him several times when someone has left the door open and he's run into traffic. The others were totally oblivious.

Just out of interest, how old is your daughter? Does she know the reason you won't let her walk your dog?

How often are your seizures?

About three tonic clonics a month on average plus about ten partials. Plus status epilepticus last month but that was a one time thing.

 

[Freda]

She's 33 years old and totally understands walking a 132lb dog that could cause an accident would not be a sensible idea. She has tonic clonics around once a month and partials in between and in the event one may come on while in charge of him, no matter how unlikely, she would have no control. It's not just the size of the dog, her sister has to small terriers that she also doesn't walk, it's the safety of the dogs as well as the general public - we have very strict dog laws in England and a dog 'out of control in a public place' can be seized and euthanised.
When you own a dog you are its sole advocate and you look after its well being just as you would a child, any dog lover would not put their dog in a possible dangerous situation no matter how small the chance of a mishap may be.

I'm sorry you can't be afforded this simple pleasure and I really do understand how having epilepsy sucks, I also understand how therapeutic walking a dog can be and I think the idea of having a service dog would be wonderful for you. I hope you look into what's required where you are to qualify for one. Over here you have to have a minimum of ten seizures a month to be considered a candidate for a service dog, because their training is so extensive and expensive they are only given to people with very severe epilepsy.

 

[Nick88]

She's 33 years old and totally understands walking a 132lb dog that could cause an accident would not be a sensible idea. She has tonic clonics around once a month and partials in between and in the event one may come on while in charge of him, no matter how unlikely, she would have no control. It's not just the size of the dog, her sister has to small terriers that she also doesn't walk, it's the safety of the dogs as well as the general public - we have very strict dog laws in England and a dog 'out of control in a public place' can be seized and euthanised.

Ask her again if she understands in twenty one years. Or just ask her to imagine that she had been dealing with this for as long as she can remember. Its a little bit different.

Sorry if I seem pissed off at you. Its nothing personal, I'm just pissed off in general at the moment and the whole dog thing ... I just did not need that right now. Sorry for ranting on at you.

I also live in England. I was not aware of that law.

 

[Fedup]

Nick88

I am sorry to say but Freda is right, there is a very big difference between a service dog and a pet. I know the comment offended you and they were thoughtless, the funny thing is walking the dogs and driving have similler consequences, yes its unbeliveable and hard to understand. The thing is if you have a seizure while driving you will probabley at the best cause an accident, if you are walking a dog and he bolts because he sees a cat or a noise scares him he will pull you, you can fall, maybe hit your head and seizure happens just as the dog is pulling into the road in front of traffic and at best causing an accident. You did not mean it to happen and neither did the poor animal but it happens even if you do not have seizures.

What can happen if the car cannot stop in time to save you or hits another car head on, the results do not bear thinking about. A service dog will not go for a cat or try to pull you onto the road they are trained differently. Your friend might want to register his dog as a service dog but its not that simple, ever hear the expression "you cannot teach an old dog new tricks" well its true, it has to be from when he was a puppy. Best of luck to him trying to register the dog.

See what I mean when you say "It has been me who has saved him several times when someone has left the door open and he's run into traffic." Why did he run into traffic?

I have epilepsy since I was a child and I own a coker spaniel dog, like you I was brought up with dogs, beautyful and a friend forever I think. I walk my dog but not on my own for the obvious reason. I trained my dog from when he was a puppy and I know he would not let anybody touch me even my wife and he was never trained like that.

Epilepsy does not preclud you from doing anything and that includes walking the dog but itvdoes mean you have to think about about every thing twice as much as somebody without epilepsy, why, for your own safty and others.

BUT EPILEPSY DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM WALKING THE DOGS OR ANYTHING ELSE, IT JUST MEANS WE HAVE TO BE TWICE AS CAREFULL IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

[Nick88]

My friend wants to register her dog as a service dog for anxiety for her (he can then fly in the cabin of a plane apparently and she will not fly without him). I'm not trying to register the dog as an epilepsy dog.

 

[Fedup]

Nick88

I understand that and I understand not wanting to fly without him but its still not easy.

 

[Freda]

Don't worry nick you haven't offended me in any way and I can understand how peed off you feel with this crappy condition that practically rules your life - I'd be angry at times too. I don't think it's a question of how long you've had the condition though, dangerous situations remain the same regardless of time.
The Dangerous Dogs Act that we have here is not only about banned breeds like pit bulls etc, it's about any dog and a person only has to feel threatened for a dog to be seized, no matter what size or breed. It's a ridiculous law, hasn't stopped dog attacks at all and was brought in by a Tory government in 1991.

 

[valeriedl]

My parents brother and sister-in-law and I all live beside each other live in the country with a large wooded area and fields around our house. There's also a small road in front of the houses that cars love to go over 75 mph ours on, and I'm not exaggerating. I've lost track of how many wrecks have been on it because of how fast the cars go.

My brother and sister-in-law have a large dog about the size of a lab. My sister-in-law, who has epilepsy, won't walk the dog around the houses even if my brother is with her because she has trouble holding on to her. The dog loves to run around smelling everything and when she sees something she'll take off after it. If she were to have a seizure while walking the dog she'd probably get drug all over the place and possibly on the road. She will walk the dog at the dog park when my brother is with her because it's a caged in area so if the dog were to take off if she were to have a seizure the dog really couldn't go anywhere and neither would she.

I don't think I'd feel comfortable waking a dog alone large or small and even if it was a dog that would stay by my side, especially around the house, either. Many times during seizures I like to walk around so there's a good chance I would walk the dog right onto the road.

 

[Nick88]

Ok thanks guys for allowing me to vent. I probably should have warned you first. Sorry.

I'm sure you're right and I probably knew that all along to be honest. But you know how it is, I didn't want it to be the case.

 

[Freda]

Yeah it's so bl**dy unfair epilepsy isn't it Nick? Like you don't lose enough as it is, you lose even some of the simplest things. I see this happening with my daughter and it's very sad - so you go ahead and rant, I know I would.