[nagdu] Snow

[dmgina]

Why would the horse have to put its nose down to see if all is ok
When we can't let our dogs do the same
Even though I know mine would eat snow or drink water

--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every saint has a past
every sinner has a future

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ann Edie" <annedie at nycap.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Snow


> Hi, Ted, Susan, and Everyone,
>
> My miniature horse, Panda, is also a great guide in the snow and ice!  She 
> is a great height to give me a little extra support if my feet start to 
> slide out from under me, if we hit an unexpected patch of glare ice.  She 
> also puts her nose down close to the ground to check carefully whether it 
> is safe to walk, especially where there may be ice under a coating of 
> water--she knows that is really slippery!
>
> When we're walking down a narrow, partially-cleared sidewalk, and we get 
> to the corner where no path has been cleared to the street, and the 
> snowplows have made huge mountains of packed snow completely blocking the 
> path to the crosswalk, Panda will cut in front of me, and take me back to 
> the first available driveway or path to the street, and then we will walk 
> on the street side of the snow banks back to the corner.  She is very good 
> about slowing down where we cannot avoid walking across ice.  And she will 
> take me around mud and puddles.  She's very good at looking ahead and 
> planning the best route to follow.
>
> We had a few inches of ice and snow on the ground from last weekend's 
> storm, and we got more snow on Wednesday, and then about a foot of snow on 
> Friday into Saturday.  Saturday evening we went carrolling with some of 
> our neighbors for Ronald McDonald House, and Panda did a great job of 
> guiding me up and down the icey driveways and front paths as well as along 
> the snowy streets of the neighborhood.  (The streets hadn't been cleared 
> very well, and we don't have sidewalks in the neighborhood.)  Today we are 
> getting more snow, probably another 8 inches or so, and it is supposed to 
> get even colder and windy, so the snow will be blowing and drifting--not 
> exactly great walking weather, but we do like our white Christmases here 
> in Upstate New York!
>
> Hope everyone is warm and has good company to share the holidays with.
>
> Best,
> Ann
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "sblanjones11" <sblanjones11 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Snow
>
>
>> Dear Ted & listers,
>> All my dogs have done very well with ice and snow--much more effective 
>> than
>> I could do with my cane.
>> They have the advantage of being able to see where there is a way 
>> through.
>> I have also noticed that my dogs will put their noses down on the ice to
>> test it before walking on it.  At first, I interpreted this as sniffing, 
>> or
>> finding something delicious on the sidewalk.  Now I realize it is their 
>> way
>> of testing the path ahead to make sure it is safe.
>> Rhoda will detour onto the area that would be grass if the sidewalk is 
>> too
>> icy.
>> HTH.
>> Susan & Rhoda
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Ted Shelly
>> Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 3:07 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: [nagdu] Snow
>>
>>
>> Yesterday we got about 6 inches of snow.  It was quite beautiful, but of
>> course the roads are a mess and so are the sidewalks.  I walked down to 
>> the
>> post office this morning and ran into lots of unshoveled walks and piles 
>> of
>> snow at intersections.
>>
>> I was wondering, for hose of you in colder climates, how your dogs do in
>> snow like this.  I'd think it would be very tough for them to figure out
>> what to do when confronted by a snow bank or a path only one shovel-width
>> wide.  Do they manage?
>>
>> Ted
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>
>
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