[nagdu] Do's and Don't's

Linda Gwizdak linda.gwizdak at cox.net
Sat Jun 20 00:22:10 UTC 2009


Hi Dan,
I think some people can get overly "anal" over stuff with their dogs.

For me, I think giving your dog as much freedom as it can handle is a good 
thing.  I personally don't like dogs on the furniture. But I do think 
allowing my dog to greet a friend when we meet is good. This goes for both 
human and dog friends.  As long as the dog is in control and will move on 
when you need to move on, it's fine with me.

If I get bored with obedience, my dog probably is also bored with it (grin!)

With his freedoms, Landon does a great job of guiding me!

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Do's and Don't's


> Good for you, Katrin.
> I tend to share your way of looking at the dog-human relationship.
> I've never been much of a believer in the Pack theory when it comes to 
> guide
> dogs and their relationship to us.
> I once asked a trainer what she thought of this as far as us being the 
> alpha
> dog.  She said that she believes it's more that we're the leader because 
> the
> dog respects us and knows what to expect and trusts us, not because we 
> crack
> the whip so to speak and we're the dominant one.
> A  devil's advocate question for those of you who are really strict about
> obedience, not having the dog on the bed, etc...of course, I have no 
> problem
> with what you do with your dogs, but I wonder: Does all of this stuff make
> your dog a better guide dog?
> It may make your pup very acceptable and well-mannered in public and I'm 
> not
> criticizing that.
> I ask because over the years I've met some handlers who are really strict
> with obedience and all that and the dogs still were pulling them, bumping
> them in to things, etc.
> I honestly don't see obedience  relating to good guide work.
>
> I'm just curious about people's thoughts.
>
> For me, the eimportant thing is how my dog guides me and if I'm safe, with
> that I have a no-nonsense approach.  If my dogs blow a curb, we rework it
> and make sure they know that they must stop at curbs and steps, take me
> straight across streets, not bump me in to obstacles, etc.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Dan W. and the Carter Hound
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Katrin Andberg
> Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 7:05 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Do's and Don't's
>
> "In dog society, the
>
> dominant dog gets the best food and choice of best sleeping place."
>
>
>
> Actually that is very much not true, in dog society, studies and research
> has shown dog packs are scavengers and the dominant dog generally eats
> whatever he or she can find, same as all the other dogs, but when it comes
> to family hierarchy (such as in a wolf pack) the dominant animal takes the
> 1st bite then eats last, taking the pickings after everyone else in the
> family pack has eaten.
>
>
>
> That philosophy is what us humans believed was the way it worked since 
> that
> is how we tend to work, but in reality it is false.  Plus dogs don't truly
> view us in the same 'dominance hierarchy' as they do other dogs.  The 
> whole
> dominance idea with human/dog relationships doesn't hold water.  Dogs are
> terrific manipulators and trainers and they 'do what works'.  So the dog 
> in
> question with growling and guarding the bed was actually resource guarding
> the bed and 'doing what worked' ie he growled, he got left alone to sleep 
> on
> the bed.  It really had nothing to do with if he viewed his owner as a 
> 'pack
> leader' or not.
>
>
>
> My dogs sleep on the bed and we have no issues on who "owns" the bed.  It 
> is
> my bed and I merely allow my dogs to share it.  When I say, get off, they
> get off.  Same as I "own" all of their toys, the couch, their food, my 
> food,
> the house, etc and merely let the dogs borrow everything, it's still mine 
> in
> the end to do what I please with.  I'm not the dominant being in their
> 'pack' (I have 3 dogs, once you have more than 1 dog they form a pack, 
> they
> have their own pack hierarchy among themselves), I am a human who they
> reside with to be viewed as a human who has special rules because I am not 
> a
> dog, not do I pretend to be one, and they of course know that.
>
>
>
> Katrin & James
>
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