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

Mon Jun 22 20:32:49 UTC 2009

Hi Dan, 
You do bring up a good point. 
For me, my rules re no dog on the bed was for my comfort and my
daughter's safety, i.e. I was very concerned that my dog would roll onto
her and smother her.If you've never been around a newborn, they are
astoundingly fragile and smothering is something to be awaree of if one
cosleeps. My dog on the bed was a risk I was unwilling to take. And, we
coslept because my daughter inssited on being close to mommy. If she
wasn't, she'd go cry-cry which meant that nobody got any sleep. The dog
being on the floor meant we all got the sleep we needed and my daughter
was safe.  
And, going back to a private email exchange, you know my thoughts about
dogs on the bed at just the *wrong* moment in other circumstances. 
I don't think that these rules necessairly make for a better guide dog,
but they do at least to me make for a btter dog to live in my space.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Dan Weiner
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 7:19 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
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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