Hi my name is Ashley. I am 34. I started losing my eye sight about 6 weeks after giving birth to my son in 2004. I was declared legally blind at the age of 22 in 2005 due to (NMO). I decided in 2015 it was time for me to get a guide dog. You may ask why after 9 years did I decide this? I no longer wanted my husband to have to look out for me when we were out. We have 2 kids and I wanted his Focus on them. So I started calling different guide dog schools where I was told I had to go through Mobility training. So I started my training at the light house for the blind. Where I learned how to use a white cane. It took me about 6 months to complete my Mobility training. When I graduated from their training I then applied to Guide Dogs For The Blind. I had a home evaluation from one of the field directors and was accepted into there program. On January 7,2018 I flew out to their San Rafael campus to train for 2 weeks. On January 8th I met my new eyes Dilbert we began our training. On January 20th we graduated from their program and on January 21st we flew home to Florida to begin our journey together.
Dilbert is one of the most amazing things that has happened to me. He guides me through obstacles and let's me know when there is a curve. He has not only given me my freedom back. But he has also made it to where I can walk with my head held high once again. If you are thinking about getting a guide dog I highly recommend Guide Dogs For The Blind (GDB). If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me them.
https://www.guidedogs.com/
My guide dog Dilbert
Description of forum: In Service and Guide Dogs forum members can share stories about their service dogs and ask questions regarding them. This forum is for Service Dogs as covered under the ADA regulations. If you have questions on how to apply for a service dog or what to look for this would be a great place to start.
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