No dog experience - volunteered- ?rejected

[Nancy & Echo]

I apologize for the length of this post. I have almost no dog experience. I am on the waiting list to get a mini ALD winter 2016.  I decided I'd like a companion dog because I regularly see a friend who has a adult rescue poodle.  I'm nearing retirement age.  I wanted a dog from a breeder because they would be more reliable and I'm a newbie.

So, I went to a mentoring session to volunteer to be a 'Dog Friend' at the local city animal shelter to get some dog experience.  They have about 60% pit bulls and about 30% chihuahuas.

I do have some physical limitations: I can't raise my arms above shoulder level to the side, I am not strong in my upper body.  Like many older people, its hard for me to get up off of the floor or anything lower than a regular chair position.  That's why I wanted a mini: it wouldn't be as difficult to lift a mini as a medium ALD.

After the unleased dog discussion http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/my-community-is-up-in-arms...  I told the mentor I did not want to walk pit bulls.  The mentor said its the owner not the dog.  I said it sounds like there's some controversy about that (so there was a power struggle), and I thought pit bulls should only be handled by experienced people, which I was not, and related the story how the non-abused pit bull attacked a child carried by the owner on her hip.

I was not that surprised that the mentor did not think I'd be a good volunteer - she is in her early 20s and I'm sure has little to no conception of physical limitations. The feeling was mutual.  She was not related; she never asked why I wanted to volunteer or why she volunteered.  She demonstrated little to no affection to the dogs. 

  When we went to a chihuahua kennel,  it took me quite a bit of time to get out of chihuahua kennels - I guess I'm not the most agile. I also haven't had this technique demonstrated to me more than once.

So, the shelter co-ordinator was wondering if I was suitable to walk dogs - 'However that will still require bending, lifting and moving quickly to if necessary.  Given the limitations that you have voiced and your discomfort around large dogs, I’m wondering if this is going to work for you and for the dogs here'  but she said she'd leave it up to me.  At a shelter, I wouldn't think it would really matter if you were slow to harness the dog.  The dog is still getting human attention.  I can see they may have some concerns if I inadvertently let out a Chihuahua.  I was pretty surprised to get the email from the coordinator, and it definitely makes me feel rejected if I fail even trying to be a dog volunteer.

Thank you for getting through reading this.  I'm just wondering if any of you have thoughts.

[Nancy & Echo]

I will think about this a few days, but I think I will try getting dog experience elsewhere. It may not be as hands-on as at a shelter, but I'd just be getting experience with pit bulls and chihuahuas. Plenty of older and less able people get dogs. I realize a puppy is not going to be a guide dog, but I bet some puppy owners cannot crouch down but are excellent doodle parents.

[Jenn and Bogey]

Sorry this didn't work out the way you hoped. I, too, would be apprehensive to work with Pittbulls and I'm sure they would sense it. I wouldn't give up though. This opportunity might not have been the right fit, but I'm sure you will find one that is.

[Nancy & Echo]

Thanks for your support, Jenn!  I really learned something by reading that unleashed dog/pit bull discussion.  At the shelter, they're all for getting those pit bulls adopted, and I'm just not the one to help with this.

I'll find some other way to get some dog exposure/learning.  It seems like people have a lot of different ideas about dog training, and I'd like at least some initial ideas what techniques I'd like to try first.

Thank you again, Jenn!