[nagdu] My new dog

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Ted.
If you have a couple weeks, try to practice curbing Cruise in some less
hectic place, like near your house.  Then it won't be such a foreign
concept when he gets to the City.  At San Rafael, we curbed the dogs all
the time, so it was a fairly easy transition.  Maybe it's the same at
Oregon.  But I remember Echo refused to go in the City for quite a while. 
Once, we stayed overnight so we could attend a concert, and Echo held it
for 24 hours.  She let go the minute we got back to Jersey!  But
eventually she got the idea.
Ben got the curb idea pretty quick, but he can pee anywhere.  He just gets
distracted by what's going on around him, like I said.
Good luck. If I can help with any more questions about working a dog in
the Big City, let me know.  I've certainly done it for quite a while,
though of course every dog is different.

Tracy


> Tracey,
>
> Thanks for the excellent advice.  I'll make a test run in a week or two
> and
> we'll see how it goes in the big city.
>
> Yes, they suggested that we heel the dog on and off buses.  But it does
> make
> sense to me to work him when getting off.  I'll practice here in Stamford
> and see how it goes for us.  The subways are different, they teach working
> him on and off.  We practiced that on the light rail in Portland and Cruz
> did very well, he had traveled it a lot as a puppy.
>
> I imagine we will have plenty of adventures.  Never a dull moment for a
> guide dog handler!
>
> Ted
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 8:24 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] My new dog
>
> Hi Ted.
> Congratulations on your new dog!  He sounds very nice.
>
> I work in New York City.
> I just heel the dog through the turnstiles, as Marion says.  You gotta be
> ready to go, no dilly-dallying, or you'll have to swipe your card again,
> but
> I've always made it, even with a new dog.
> As for relieving, I choose a place between 2 parked cars whenever
> possible,
> one with enough room for the dog to do his spins and sniffing. I keep the
> leash short--I do not make long leash!  Long leash is long enough for the
> dog to go out past the parked cars, and that's not safe.  I also have to
> pay
> attention for idiots pulling in or out even though the dog and I are
> there.
> It can take some getting used to, for both you and the dog, but it's the
> method used by all the people I know in the City.  Be ready for it to take
> a
> while at first.  Ben still gets distracted by pedestrians sometimes, and
> stops his dance.  Also, I guarantee you that, sometime, someone will come
> up
> and ask you if you want to cross the street.  Why sure, I always get ready
> to cross in the middle, with my dog's harness off, and I let him sniff
> around by the curb first!  Grrrr!
>
> GDB used to teach us to heel the dog off of a bus.  I don't know if they
> still do, but I found it to be terrible advice.  Maybe buses in California
> don't pull up in front of poles or trees or construction, but buses around
> here do.  I always work the dog off the bus, and hold onto the door rail
> in
> case the last step is extra-big.  Same with the subway, of course.
> Never step in front of your dog when you're around the subway.  I know
> they
> told you that in class, but a person gets home and feels familiar and
> whoops
> hey wow!
> Anyway, have fun with your first trip to the Big City.  Walking in the
> city
> can be fun with a dog.  More fun when I was young and enthusiastic, but
> still awesome to work with the crowds.
> Tracy
>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I have been home just over a week now with my new guide, Cruz, from
>> the GDB Oregon campus.  Cruz is a beautiful yellow lab and an
>> excellent (though not
>> perfect!) guide.  He is undoubtedly a perfect companion and we are
>> getting on very, very well.  He is my first guide and I'm very happy to
> have him.
>>
>> I've been taking him all over town and he does great, but has a
>> tendency to get distracted and start sniffing around.  He is also very
>> fond of everyone and is all to ready to jump all over people given
>> half a chance.  But those are pretty minor things, at least to me, and
>> in general his guide work is very good.
>>
>> Our next big challenge will be a trip into New York City, as I live
>> nearby.
>> I have a couple of concerns on that - getting him through subway
>> turnstiles and also finding a reasonable place to relieve him.  If
>> there are any New Yorkers out there who might have suggestions I would
>> be grateful.
>>
>> Ted
>>
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>
>
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