[nagdu] Legislative Consideration

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Yeah, Mitzi likes to make a big deal about the horrible torment the halti
inflicts on her sweet, perfectly behaved self.  /lol/  She's mostly outgrown
the need for it, but there are still days I wished I had remembered to bring
the thing for a quick trip to the grocery store.  She doesn't get into
"real" trouble, but that nose can get busy when it wants to!  /smile/  I
ended up yesterday saying "leave it!  LEAVE IT!" a lot on our way through
Safeway for a couple of things.  I don't think The Nose made contact with
any merchandise, but I don't want the other shoppers to have to fear dog
snot on the wrapper of their next loaf of bread.  And she does cut it pretty
close.

Hm...  I don't consider the Halti (same as Gentle Leader, different brand) a
muzzle.  It does give more control of the dog's head and nose, and is a good
way to feel what the nose is up to if you have a fly-by sniffer or
scavenger.  However, it won't prevent barking or biting unless the handler
takes action to pull up on the leash so that the halter part tightens around
the dog's muzzle.  I've tried it a couple of times with Daisy in the car
when she was having a bark fest, just to see if it would work...  Not so
much!  Then Mitzi joined the bark best, so I tried with her...  Her longer
nose gave me a bit more control, but she still managed to bark away.
/smile/

Anyway, I'm curious now as to whether the Halti or GL really do count as
muzzles in some official -- or even general consensus -- way.  Or is it just
that people see the contraption on the dog's head and assume that poor,
sweet guide dog is being muzzled by the cruel, cruel blind person?  /smile/
I have explained the difference a time or two when someone brought the
subject up, and the person seemed to get it right away.

Of course, Mitzi knows perfectly well that *everybody* thinks it's cute when
she tries to rub the Halti off on my leg, and can put on quite a show in a
crowd if she's feeling bored.  Sigh.  I stopped thinking it was cute a long,
long time ago, but it's a bit hard to overcome all the chuckles and
adoration from others.  /grin/  Most of the time now, she will cease and
desist at a quiet command, so I can click and treat when she does.  Which
also thrills the crowd.  Taking sterner action is out of the question,
because everybody but me is on Mitzi's side in that argument.  /lol/

Gotta love dog-friendly Portland!  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Nicole B. Torcolini
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 7:31 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration

At GDB, they gave us gentle leaders as part of our free equipment; I think 
that they count as muzzles.  I recall having heard something about you can 
be asked to muzzle your dog, but that was then.  I no longer carry the 
gentle leader with me for a couple of reasons.  First, no one can ask me to 
muzzle my dog.  Second, Lexia won't move in it; she just stands there and 
looks at me like "Are you kidding me? What did I do to deserve this?" And 
last, but not least, it's too small now.  It's almost amusing the way that 
she acts in it compared to her normal self.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "d m gina" <dmgina at samobile.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 5:28 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration


>I understand what you are saying ,
> What I said was I am surprised that wasn't asked about muzzling the dog.
>
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