[nagdu] Harnesses Re: Introduction

[Nicole B. Torcolini]

So you end up with the equivalent of if you tried to put a harness on 
Hagrid's three headed dog Fluffy? haha

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Pawpower Pack" <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Harnesses Re: Introduction


> Jewel,
>
> I live in Louisiana and I can tell you that my dogs much prefer their 
> nylon gear.  I'm not just saying this because my husband makes them, 
> either.  I bought my first nylon harness long before he made them and  I 
> swore I'd never go back to leather.  My dog used to hide from her  leather 
> harness but she runs and all three of my dogs shove their  heads into the 
> nylon one, all at once.  It is kind of funny, actually.
>
> One of the things I love about my nylon harness, besides the fact that  my 
> dog loves it is that I can just toss it in the wash with her  collar. 
> Louisiana is rainy and dirty.  My dog's gear gets dirty and I  found with 
> leather that I was always having to oil it and dry it out  and caring for 
> it became a big pain in the neck.  If my harness gets  muddy; I just toss 
> it in the wash and hang it up to dry.  Actually I  washed dog gear today 
> and it was super easy.
>
> As for the sports vs standard style harness it's all individual 
> preference.  I have very serious balance problems and although I do  love 
> how much freedom of movement I could get with a sports style  harness; I 
> need the stabilizer loops to keep me from over-walking my  dog and to keep 
> my handle from moving all over the place.  One of my  close friends works 
> her guide from a wheelchair and she finds that the  sports style allows 
> her dog to have more movement and it works best  for her.  It really just 
> depends.
>
> The relieving harness is only put on the dog when it is time to  toilet. 
> It is never warn otherwise.  Well I guess if you wanted to  put it on you 
> could, but it's there to be used as to pick up dog  droppings.  I have 
> meniere's disease and my balance is pretty  terrible.  I can't bend over 
> without experiencing horrible vertigo and  falling over.  A relieving 
> harness means that my dog's droppings are  already in the bag and I just 
> unclip it from the relieving harness and  toss them.
> It is also helpful for people in wheelchairs or people with spinal 
> problems who find bending over to the ground impossible.
>
> As for the programs approving or not of the harnesses-- I really don't  no 
> and I'd imagine that such things as use of specific equipment on  the 
> program trained dog may be laid out in the contract which most  programs 
> have the graduate sign upon completion of training with the  dog.
> Since I don't have a program trained dog; I can't personally speak to 
> those issues.
>
>
> Rox and the "Kitchen Bitches:"
> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
> "My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
> http://www.pawpowercreations.com/retreat.html
> pawpower4me at gmail.com
> AIM: Brissysgirl
>
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