[nagdu] Guide work and hiking

Mon Aug 16 21:29:58 UTC 2010

Hi:

I got Bogart from Guide Dogs  Canada (funded in a large way by the lions foundation of canada). Yes, we wondered about Bogart's recall but even in the first week of me being with  him at the school he would come back and check in while in the off leash park.  When we took him to the off leash park here, where there are no fences, he usually comes when called and does check in fairly often before going and running with the dogs again.  

Mostly he comes when I call. I tried, from the beginning, to teach him to come when I call and do a double clap. Try to periodically give him a treat when he comes back to me when I've asked. 

Today is a slow day. It is 30 degrees celcius  here which is hot for this part of the country. Yesterday  we went on a boat ride over to Bowen island where we did a hike to a view point which was a pretty smooth path just up and up and up. I assumed the view was worth it. :) then we spent a good part of the day walking around in the forest of this island. nice easy gravel paths  but we certainly walked probably about 10 km.  So Bogart is both hot and tired. I think after I take him out for his relieving I'll come back and put some cool water in the bottom of  the tub and get him to stand in it. that might help cool down him by cooling his feet. He is hot but probably happy it's only been 3 weeks since his grooming. Could be worse. :) I've managed to brush him while he lies around. He certainly  has trained me well.

Where abouts do you hike?

Gary

----- Original Message -----
From: Lora <blindhistory at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 11:55 am
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide work and hiking
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Where did yo get bogart? From which school? Kori is horrible at coming
> when called. I would never let him off leash in the wilderness.
> 
> On 8/16/10, Gary <rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca> wrote:
> > Hello Laura:
> >
> > Thanks for sharing your experience. I know that sometimes we 
> have things to
> > work out with our dogs but they usually have things they do 
> really good at.
> >
> > Bogart, who I've had at home since June, is doing pretty good. 
> One of the
> > neatest things we did was go on several hikes during our 
> holidays. It was
> > our chance to see how he was off leash in an area with a fair 
> bit of wild
> > life and challenging terrain. So our first hike was about 4 
> kilometers of
> > fairly rugged terrain. In poodle style, he never went very far 
> ahead and
> > always came back to walk by Susan. He would always come back 
> and check on me
> > as well, or wait for me to catch up. Seemed to handl the 
> terrain pretty well
> > although a few times he wanted to see susan go down the rocky 
> steep path to
> > show that this was the way we really wanted to go.
> >
> > The next day was about 7 km of pretty flat walking on dyke 
> paths and such by
> > the ocean where it meets the mountains. The third day of our 
> holidays we
> > planned a four lake walk. This is about 7 km with a good bit 
> of climbing.
> > Since dogs have to be on leash in this area we thought we 
> would see how
> > Bogart would guide on such a trail. So he was in harness and I 
> used a
> > trekking pole in my right hand to help with balance and 
> identify issues like
> > I would with a cane. He did great. For most of the hike we 
> were actually
> > leadinng. Susan would have to get us to move over left or 
> right when she
> > wasn't sure that bogart would leave enough room for me when 
> there were drop
> > offs but besides that it was great. It was so neat to be 
> leading the walks
> > to the point where I had to let susan go in front because she 
> wanted to go a
> > bit slower as we got towards the end of the hike. I will have 
> to look at
> > getting one of those sports harnesses I've read about on here 
> since I worry
> > about the leather one being heavy and possibly chaiffing him. 
> If the fellow
> > who makes those harnesses monitors the list please feel free 
> to contact me
> > off list to tell me about your products.
> >
> > Anyway, as a new guide dog user I do experience moments of 
> frustration where
> > I miss my cane but then there are other times that the dog 
> totally amazes me
> > with his abilities. Certainly adds to our life now that bogart 
> is part of
> > it.
> >
> > Gary
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-
> bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> > Of Lora
> > Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2010 9:13 PM
> > To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> > Subject: [nagdu] Guide work and hiking
> >
> > Hello everyone
> > I wanted to share something positive about Kori so you didn't think
> > that my whole guide dog experience is bad. :) I went hiking 
> yesterday> in a conplex terrain area. There were lots of rocks 
> and sticks etc.
> > Kori did amazingly. If there wasn't a way he could get around the
> > rocks he would stop and then proceed slowly. There was one section
> > where he couldn't go around all the rocks. He stopped and 
> after a
> > little encouragement procedded very slowly stopping at larger rocks.
> > We curved alot back and forth on the path created by other 
> animals and
> > humans (ie not paved) and he took the path of least 
> resistance. It was
> > alot ot ask for since there wasn't really a clear path and 
> we've only
> > been home for two months. I am very proud of my boy. :)
> > --
> > Lora
> >
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> 
> -- 
> Lora
> 
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