[nagdu] Barking

Pickrell, Rebecca M. (TASCSD) REBECCA.PICKRELL at ngc.com
Tue Dec 16 17:57:19 UTC 2008


That depends. 
We all have different energy levels, and different amounts of time, as
well as different obligations at home. 
If I had a dog like Laura's or Dan S, I'd retire him or her. 
I simply do not have the energy level, time or desire to "work hard" to
fix that sort of problem. 
To respond to the query "Would you throw out a family member who needed
help"? 
All I can say, is that perhaps yes, I would. 
If the family member was an adult, had been given chances to settle
down, and most importantly, was dragging the rest of the household down
with him or her, then yes, I would throw the misbehaving family member
out. 
I wouldn't enjoy it, but I would do it. 
In the cases of Laura and Dan S, each dog is in some very obvious ways
"bringing the family down". 
Laura is unable to do things she enjoys. Dan S is afraid of getting
hurt. 
You don't get more basic then that.   

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Hope Paulos
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 11:59 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users;
nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Barking

Sharonda.  What a wonderful post.  I agree with you.  I had some issues
with my dog when I first got her.  It lasted until about a year after I
received her.  Everything I tried just wouldn't work and finally we
learned how to best work with one another and she also is a wonderful
guide and loyal friend.  The key is consistancy.  No dog is perfect, and
one thing we always must remember is that they're not machines.  They're
dogs.  Dogs first and guides second.  Yes, we have to rely on them.  Yes
they should behave correctly around other animals, but some dogs have
more difficulties with this than others.  Should they be pushed away?
No, I don't think so.  Not without working your hardest to try and help
them.  After all, they're part of the family.  If a family member needed
help and had a really difficult time either understanding or accepting
your help, would you throw them out into the cold? No, you wouldn't.
It's important to see the relationship between a guide and human the
same way.  If I've offended people on this list I'm truly  sorry, but I
feel passionate about this subject.  Hope and Beignet

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sharonda Greenlaw" <sbgreenlaw at gmail.com
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:15:09 -0700
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] Barking

>Lora,
>I want to first say that Julie's suggestion of trying to find a
behaviorist
>in your area is the absolute best.  I have had some issues with
my dog guide,
>Rusty, and the behaviorist really helped me bunches.

>The first thing I did was to purchase a prong collar.  It has
been a Godsend
>against pulling and lunging.  The second thing I did was to work
like has
>already been explained with the click-and-treat system so that
his attention
>can always be refocused on me.

>Lastly, I want to say this publicly concerning what the
behaviorist told me.
>When the dog is being trained at the school, it is a puppy.  It
is not an
>adolescent.  The school is not aware of the behaviors that the
dog will
>exhibit in its adolescent years.  You might have 20 dogs and two
might show
>aggression during adolescence.  If you are willing to put in the
hard work,
>most, if not all of this aggression can be squashed.  Sure, there
may be an
>instance where your dog doesn't change, but I know that my dog's
issues were
>a bit worse.  With much hard work and repetitive training, while
also
>learning my dog and him learning me, I have not only a great
guide but a
>loyal and faithful companion.

>If you can, hang in there!

>Sharonda

>On Sun, Dec 14, 2008 at 9:51 PM, Lora and Myrtle
<blindhistory at gmail.com>wrote:

>> I have a dog from Leader Dogs.  Today my dog Myrtle started 
barking at
>> another dog before she saw it and before the dog started 
barking.  She has
>> done this ever since she has got home.  I ahve contacted leader 
dogs and
>> have
>> tried a gentle leader.  I have tried leash corrections and 
verbal
>> corrections
>> with no luck.  I think it is aggressive behavior because her 
tail goes up
>> and
>> her ears are forward with her fur behind her shoulders and tail 
sticking on
>> end.  She lunged at a dog tonight and I almost fell on the ice.  
Otherwise
>> she
>> is a very good guide.  Normally she barks at a dog when she sees 
them and
>> lunges at them.  What do you guys think.  I have contacted my 
trainer several
>> times and the suggestions she has told me to do have not worked 
out.  I'm
>> worried I am going to get hurt one of these days because my dog 
pulls so
>> hard.  I don't know if I will go with LD again.  I would like 
this to stop or
>> at least be able to get my dog under control.  I don't want to 
go to student
>> seminars because she can't even handle one dog let alone alot of 
them.

>> --
>> Lora and Leader Dog Myrtle
>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
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>--
>Come, read and take a journey with me at
>www.WorldOfShariG.blogspot.com
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