[nagdu] Where your dog sleeps at night, etc.

Mon Feb 22 19:41:37 UTC 2010

Marion,

The phrase "tie down" does sound much harsher than tether, even when you
know it's the same thing and that it is most often something that is
reassuring to the dog more than restrictive, at least when it's done right.
Same with crates.

I always worry about the notion of extended tie-down because it feels like
I'm the one being deprived of my dog...  Very sad, and my inner child
whimpers at the thought.  /grin/

I emphasized training my rebel girl to chose to mind her manners before I
trained her to tie down because of her temperament and her independent
approach to obedience.  Forcing her into something, no matter how gently, is
less effective than working with convincing her to choose to do the right
thing when she has other options.

So I was surprised once I did introduce her to tie-down as something other
than a "restriction" style of negative reinforcement (not with a scolding
type of negativity, just a means of withholding reward for the behavior we
were modifying), she took too it pretty easily and I was able to give
positive rewards.

We don't need that really in our everyday toolkit, but it is nice to know
it's there in case we do.  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Marion & Martin
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 5:45 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Where your dog sleeps at night, etc.

Jennifer,
    Unfortunately, a lot of people think that tethering a dog or putting it 
in a crate is cruel. they view it from a human perspective, rather than from

a dog's. last month, my wife and I dog sat our nephew's chihuahua. We set up

a small crate to put it in at night. My 80 lbs. collie Shepherd was found on

more than one occasion lying in it! How she got in and turned around, we 
will never know! But dogs like their crates, as they are like their own 
personal den! They like their tethers, too, because they know they mean 
something special like, "It's time to go to sleep!" or "Let's take a walk!" 
a well behaved dog is a joy, while one that misbehaves is, well, not! In 
order to keep a dog "in it's place" it is often necessary to tether it. 
Perhaps, if you called it a "tether" rather than a "tie-down" it would be 
more palpable. Sort of like calling it a "training collar" rather than a 
"choker chain". BTW, my wife's dog is tethered at night and sleeps on the 
bed! Would your mom think this was cruel? (grin)

Fraternally yours,
Marion

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jennifer L Finley" <jenniferfinley at embarqmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 10:51 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Where your dog sleeps at night, etc.

> That is so cool.  When I told my mom about the tie downs she was like oh, 
> that is so crool.  Then I had to explain to her what it was.  She was 
> like, if I see that dog tied up, I am going to take the dog home with me. 
> After that, I did not know what to say.  I think that it is crazy what the

> public thinks about how guide dogs work.  They just don't understand.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Wayne Merritt" <wcmerritt at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 2:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Where your dog sleeps at night, etc.
>
>
>> Personally, I've kept up the tie down routine at night, or whenever I
>> want my dog to stay in her place so to speak, such as when I'm eating
>> or cooking something in the kitchen. I've gradually been giving her
>> more freedom when I'm making things in the kitchen, but more often
>> than not she's on the tie down during that time. I don't think she
>> views it in a negative light like I've heard some family members
>> express. It's just her place and she knows that that's where she's
>> supposed to be whenever food is out, or whenever I go and stand by the
>> couch. It's funny, I can just walk up and stan dby the couch's end and
>> not say anything, and she will trot over to it and sit right down very
>> contently, as if she's saying, "Okay, I'm here.".
>>
>> Wayne
>>
>> On 2/21/10, Jennifer L Finley <jenniferfinley at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>>> ya, I understand what you are saying.  I gues that I thought that you 
>>> had to
>>> keep them tied down at night at home because that's what they do at the
>>> seeing eye.  I am so glad that I got on this email list.  Everyone seems

>>> to
>>> be very nice and helpful.
>>> ----- 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: Sunday, February 21, 2010 6:49 AM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Where your dog sleeps at night, etc.
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi, Jennifer.
>>>>
>>>> Not necessarily is my answer.
>>>> You are told at guide dog school while there to keep your dog on 
>>>> tie-down
>>>> at
>>>> night.
>>>> It is recommended for you to do that at home for a certain amount of 
>>>> time,
>>>> but you can gradually start giving your dog freedom as he or she earns 
>>>> the
>>>> privilege.
>>>> My dogs, fortunately, have never really misbehaved at night and I let 
>>>> them
>>>> choose where they want to be, I mean they're trustworthy just settling
>>>> down
>>>> wherever. My dog now will eventually come in to my room as I leave my 
>>>> door
>>>> open and settle down with me.
>>>> I think it's good for a dog to be able to move around.  Pretty much a
>>>> guide
>>>> dog is a pet at home with certain rules.
>>>> Saying the dog roams at might makes it sound like the dog's constantly
>>>> wandering around, prowling and getting in to trouble--smile.
>>>>
>>>> I've actually found that the dog's getting in to more mischief during 
>>>> the
>>>> day if he's bored or something--smile.
>>>> For example, a lot of dogs will get in to garbage or pick up and chew
>>>> things, so you might want to say, keep doors of rooms with a lot of
>>>> tempting
>>>> stuff closed or put the temptations up somewhere high.
>>>>
>>>> When I first got a dog I was nervous about what I should be doing with 
>>>> the
>>>> dog every moment of every day and whenever the dog moved around--smile.
>>>> After about six months I realized that, to quote Marion, "don't sweat 
>>>> the
>>>> small stuff".
>>>> A dog will fit in to your routine and you'll gradually incorporate it 
>>>> in
>>>> to
>>>> your life, or the dog will incorporate itself--smile.
>>>>
>>>> Now, having said that I know there are guide dog owners who choose to 
>>>> be
>>>> more restrictive with their dogs at night and I'm not trying to 
>>>> disrespect
>>>> them, just telling you what I do.
>>>>
>>>> A guide dog isn't a robot, you learn to work with them and understand
>>>> them.
>>>> I say that because in one message you mentioned cat litter and asked
>>>> "can't
>>>> you just tell the dog to leave it".
>>>> I'm not criticizing you, just pointing out something a lot of people 
>>>> don't
>>>> understand, it's not like a button you can press and the dog acts. 
>>>> You'll
>>>> learn at school training methods and ways of teaching your dog to do
>>>> things
>>>> or not do things, it won't be automatic--smile.
>>>>
>>>> We look forward to hearing from you and of your success with your 
>>>> training
>>>> when it happens.
>>>>
>>>> Dan W. and Carter
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Follow me on Twitter at:
>> www.twitter.com/wcmerritt
>> My blog:
>> http://wayneism.blogspot.com
>> My websites:
>> www.wayneism.com
>> www.whitecaneday.org
>>
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