[nagdu] EXTERNAL: Puppy raising

[The Pawpower Pack]

Dan,

If you sign a contract with a guide dog program, most of the time they  
will retain ownership of the harness, if not the dog.  This means that  
if, for whatever reason, they want the harness back from you, you need  
to return it.  The program could probably sue you to get it back.   
However, if you own the dog, then the dog is yours and like you said,  
you can go to any number of places and buy a harness.  Putting on the  
harness and taking a dog who has been individually trained to mitigate  
your disability/s into public is perfectly fine.  Even if that dog was  
trained by a program, even if the said program lists fido as retired  
and has taken the harness.  Granted, if you do this and get noticed by  
the program, they could refuse you for another dog and may make it  
hard for you to get a future dog from a different program by writing  
you a bad reference.  So it's your choice what you want to do if the  
program were to take a harness.

As an owner trainer I don't need to worry and do work my retired dogs  
occasionally, when it is appropriate.  My dogs love working, I consult  
with my vet when there are physical limitations which need to be taken  
into account.  For example I don't take my eight-year-old dog with  
arthritis on a two mile walk, however if a friend and I are going to  
lunch and I ride to the restaurant in her car and there isn't a lot of  
walking, I'll take her because it's good exercise, she enjoys it and  
she is a safe guide.

Rox and the Herbal HenchHounds
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point  
out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half- 
wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."-- Neil Gaiman
http://www.pawpowercreations.com/retreat.html
pawpower4me at gmail.com
AIM: Brissysgirl