[nagdu] harnesses

GARY STEEVES rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca
Wed Nov 10 23:16:20 UTC 2010 

Hi Tamara:

Well, my school is one of those paternalistic schools who still maintain full ownership of the dog until he retires. I went there because I wanted a poodle and they came up with one first. I decided that I would see if their policies would really effect me or not. As I said, I think I have the respect of this school.  The only reason they have taken back a dog is when the dogs are severely over weight. Then they put the dog on a 3 month weight loss program and usually the client gets one more time with the dog and if they are not able to keep the dogs weight in it's desired range then they will lose the dog for good. Considering that 5 of the 8 class members in my class were under 19 I can see why they may have concerns. Yes, I did ask questions and tell them that I thought their policy was paternalistic  and  didn't respect the abilities of a person who is blind to care for their dog.

I've sort of learned that most issues I have with Bogart I can probably resolve with a littel bit of thought and drawing on resources such as this list as much as I can expect to get results from my trainers. I'm not negative but just realistic.I email my concerns and take their responses as good guidelines. For example she had some good ideas on working on dog distractions with Bogart since he is getting too friendly when in harness and got himself nipped last month. This is partly my fault for letting him interact with other dogs while in harness. So I am working hard now to keep him focused and moving when we encounter other dogs. I'm sure some people think me a brute by correcting my dog and not letting him sniff but others I notice get it and move their dog to their opposite side that we are on. We are making improvements so far which is nice to see.


The next time I'm talking to one of the trainers and not just the consummer services guy, I'll ask why they have this policy about other harnesses. I'll let you know what they tell me. :) 

Yes, based on your poodlish  recommendations, I'll probably try the sports harness next year and see how that works.

Gary

----- Original Message -----
From: Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 2:53 pm
Subject: Re: [nagdu] harnesses
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Yeeks!  I'm glad it was only the one seizure and that you 
> stuck to your
> guns.  The sport harness is terrific for hiking!
> 
> So I find myself wondering at the reasons for your program's 
> policy about
> harnesses...  Not that it matters to me, I just find it curious.
> 
> Tami Smith-Kinney
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On Behalf
> Of GARY STEEVES
> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 11:01 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] harnesses
> 
> 
> Hello Everyone:
> 
> I'm going to ask a question which will undoubtably get some people's
> response. :) I asked my school about using another harness since 
> I am
> thinking about using the paw power sports harness on Bogart when 
> we do some
> summer hiking. After doing a hike with him this summer I think a 
> lighterharness designed for that type of action might work 
> better. I asked my
> school if  they had a policy about using other harnesses on 
> Bogart and, not
> surprisingly to me, they do have a policy forbidding the use of other
> harnesses on their graduates. They are also a school that maintains
> ownership of the dog which is a bit annoying but I doubt, since 
> I am a
> pretty strong advocate for what I need, will be an issue. For example,
> Bogart had some sort of ceizure only 2 weeks after we got home from
> training. Luckily the trainer was with us on a visit so she 
> witnessed what
> happend. If I had been an insecure person and didn't say that I 
> want to keep
> bogart since who knows if this will happen again, they would 
> have taken him
> back to the school with  them that day. I think this would 
> have happened
> with most schools since they were concerned what I would do if 
> he had
> another incident and I was by myself but I was able to assure 
> them I knew
> how to handle the situation and always have a cane with me in 
> case something
> was to happen to bogart anyways. They respect my abilities and 
> that was the
> end of the conversation.
> 
> Oops, sort of side tracked. Does any other school have a similar 
> harnesspolicy? Yeah, I know, what they don't know won't hurt 
> them so I certainly
> won't hesitate from buying a sport harness if I think it is what 
> is best for
> bogart and myself based on our activities.
> 
> Thanks
> Gary
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
> Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 7:36 am
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] harnesses
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> 
> > My brother has a GDB dog, and a detachable harness handle, and 
> > it does not
> > come flying off while he's working the dog.  Surely, if 
> > that happened
> > often, GDB would not issue them.
> > I don't think GDB would sell a non-grad a harness.  It 
> has 
> > their name on
> > it, after all.  Like asking Dodge to sell you their 
> > trademark thingy to
> > stick on your Chevy.
> > 
> > I haven't bought one, but I rather thought that the Pawpower 
> harnesses> would cost similar to what a school would charge a 
> non-grad, if 
> > you could
> > get them to sell you one at all.
> > Tracy
> > 
> > > Hi Listers,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I know we have discussed this subject a lot on here, so 
> > forgive me for
> > > bringing it up again. So I called SE yesterday to see if 
> they 
> > would even
> > > think of developing a harness for a grad, who needs a 
> > removable handle.
> > > And
> > > they said they have tried, but can't make one that the 
> handle 
> > does not
> > > deattach while working the dog. So here is my dilemma. With 
> me 
> > in cars,
> > > and
> > > on the go just much more in general. I am in desperate need 
> of 
> > a harness
> > > that has a removable handle. I have seen the new GDB 
> harness, 
> > with the
> > > quick
> > > release handles. Does anyone have one? And have you noticed 
> if 
> > the handle
> > > deattaches while working the dog? And is it possible for me, 
> a 
> > guide dog
> > > user to get my hands on a GDB harness? My first pup was from 
> > GDB, but when
> > > I
> > > retired her, they took back the harness. But that was not an 
> > harness with
> > > the quick release handle either. Didn't know if anyone else 
> > has a dog from
> > > one school, but uses a harness from a different school. Do 
> the 
> > schools> frown
> > > upon this? Exchanging of harness and dogs? If this doesn't 
> > work, I am
> > > seriously thinking of purchasing a PawPowers harness.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks for letting me ask questions,
> > >
> > > Marsha
> > >
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