[nagdu] Dogs walking on the left side

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Yup.  Sometimes I wonder if the reason Mitzi used to get so confuddled and
uptight when she encountered other guide dogs is because she thinks they're
doing things backward?  I've seen her use her little snarky noise with other
dogs, including Daisy, to suggest they do things properly the way she does.
At the park, it's amusing, and Daisy has her own ways of telling Mitzi to
shape up and remember her manners.

Among guide dog users, it is so totally not okay!  Took me forever to
convince her that when she sees a professional colleague she just needs to
keep doing her own job and let that dog do its job, even if it's doing
things all wrong because it's all backwards.  It's been awhile since I've
noticed her noticing other guides when we go by them, so I only know they're
there because someone will say something about the other cool guide dog.
/lol/  First time it happened, I nearly tripped over my own feet in shock
before I grabbed a bunch of training treats to shove forcibly into my dog's
mouth to reward her for acting like a grown up I can take out in public
where there might be other guide or service dogs.  /lol/

Anyway, I don't know what her real thinking was when she discovered that
sometimes other dogs are in stores or conference rooms or walking the
streets doing the same job she does.  They really seemed to puzzle and
fascinate her.  Silly girl.

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Katrin Andberg
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 2:20 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dogs walking on the left side

I believe the dog on the left dates to hunting dogs, with as someone else
said the firearm being on most people's dominant arm, the right arm.
Livestock is also walked on the right, so dogs were at heel on the left if
they weren't actively herding the livestock.  In traditional competition
realm, obedience is done with the dog on the left.  Heel position is the dog
on the left side of the handler.

 

Katrin

Katrin at maplewooddog.com 

 

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