[nagdu] leaving your dog alone

Thu Jul 14 22:31:04 UTC 2011

One of these days I need to meet you Tami. You also seem to talk to Mitzi as 
much as I do Franklin. Maybe because I live alone and that i'm only my early 
20s.

No idea.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tami Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 5:41 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] leaving your dog alone

> Gary,
>
> Ah, the poodle howl. I find Mitzi's quite lovely, but one can't always
> vouch for the neighbors sharing one's taste in howling dogs. /lol/ Mitzi
> has an absolute talent for the little whine and a variety of piteous,
> broken-hearted yips to send after me just to make sure I understand how
> terribly I have caused her such pain as to step outside the
> door... /lol/ I had to work up to leaving her for any time at all by
> herself before she was socialized enough to go with  me to more and more
> places. Actually, I would use grounding as negative reinforcement, and
> that actually worked. Who knew? /lol/
>
> She does much better if I tell her to stay and make sure to let her know
> where I'm going and why she needs to stay behind, etc., etc. Just taking
> off without her is a serious infraction of the rules and is not allowed!
> It had better be a good reason, too, or I am not off the hook! Funny
> dog, my poodle. I don't leave her alone at home with no humans present,
> because we just can't be that sure of Daisy. We're just not willing to
> take the risk that something might happen to set off her anxiety and
> cause her to redline, so Mitzi just doesn't stay home with her without
> supervision. Just in case. I'm glad to feel perfectly comfortable
> leaving her with DD, whom she adores, but... He assures me that if I
> want to go off and leave her for so long as 15 minutes to half an hour
> that she will drive him nuts. Huh. The couple of times I've done that,
> she has apparently paced and sighed and whined , which is all very
> heart-rending to him, so then he gets her quited down and tries to relax
> and watch TV, so she starts all over again.  /smile/ Ah, well. I so
> rarely have a reason even to consider leaving her with him that it'snot
> a huge trial to me. Also, frankly, I like having my dog with me enough
> that there are an extremely limited number of conditions that cause me
> to think about it ever. Mostly heat-related in the summer because of her
> black coat and because of the dearth of sidewalks around here which
> means too much walking directly on blacktop. Booties do help with
> protecting her paws there, but they seem to increase the effects of heat
> for her by cutting off one source of air and cooling.  Her coat is just
> so super thick that it doesn't let the heat go once it's collected it.
> Or am I just too tender-hearted. /lol/
>
> Anyway, I'm glad to know your poodle does better when you take the time
> to explain things to him, whatever it is our mysterious curly ones
> perceive or understand of the words we're saying. Frankly, based on my
> observations of Mitzi poodle, I would not be at all surpried to learn
> science had discovered that what she hears and understands when I talk
> is only slightly more advanced than what a human does. I really do
> wonder what goes on in that brain of hers. Daisy shows a great deal of
> understanding of what we say, as well, and to respond to it, especially
> ifit  involves  the word "go." /lol/ Even before we make moves to enact
> the plan we concoctedover morning coffee, she knows the game is afoot!
> Mitz, however, has responded to specifically to random conversation with
> strangers for me to discount the possibility that she's getting
> something close to a word by word comprehension. You know, I'll be
> talking to someone, say at the mall,  and mention that I plan to go
> upstairs and hope i remember where the escalator is. THen I'll chat
> about other stuff, maybe mention I'm off to Starbuck's first... So then
> Mitzi and I part from  whomever it is I was talking to and just kinda go
> off to Starbuck's , then I pause to wrack my brain again for the
> location of that dratted escalator, then notice I haven't said a word
> but am being guided straight from Starbuck's to the escalator since that
> is the next step on the itineraray.  I've actually had arguments with my
> silly dog over a sudden change in itinerary. Nop! We're going to Plaid
> Pantry, then to Meat, then to Wild Oat... Circle K was not on the
> itinerary you presented to me, so we're not going there just brecause
> you suddenly remembered something you need from them the Plad Pantry
> doesn't have. /lol/ She did that a couple of times or more before
> finally relenting and agreeing that it wouldn't kill her to allow me to
> change my mind every now and then.  I don't get that, really I don't,
> but her behavior does indicate that something like that is what is going
> on. Very strange.
>
> Tami
>
> On Tue, 2011-07-12 at 15:34 -0700, GARY STEEVES wrote:
>> Hi:
>>
>> I've learned that Bogart is pretty good at staying alone. Last summer I'd 
>> had him for about 2 months when my girlfriend went away for 2 weeks. I 
>> had left him alone for short periods with no issues so he seemed fine for 
>> the about 5 hours I was out to see some bands.
>>
>> The only time he had a problem was once when Susan and I went out to look 
>> at an apartment and thought it best to not introduce the dog issue before 
>> we even decided if we were interested. We got out side and could hear him 
>> howling from the back alley. I went back up and sort of got in his face 
>> and said enough. I got him to his bed and told him to stay. Of course, he 
>> didn't stay as I was leaving but he got that he wasn't forgotten. 
>> Saturdays we often take him out to the dog park or for long walks at 
>> least so he wasn't happy about being left behind. The other time was when 
>> I was in Germany and left him with Susan. For the one weekday I was away, 
>> she came home from work to take him out. I didn't think that was 
>> necessary and when she brought him back and then had to  leave again he 
>> did the howling thing again. She went back did the same thing as before 
>> and he was fine. In that case I think he would have been better just to 
>> have been left alone for longer rather than her coming home and he being 
>> disappointed with her leaving yet one more time.
>>
>> I've learned that it is important that I tell him as we are getting ready 
>> that he is gong to stay home or stay with susan if I have to go out 
>> without him. He seems to understand in some way what we are saying so is 
>> less upset.
>>
>> Yesterday I went out for a bike ride and came home. We played a bit but 
>> then I had to head out to a jazz jam and it broke my little heart as he 
>> gave a little whine as he realized what was happening. Our little guys 
>> certainly have a direct route to our hearts don't they?
>>
>> Anyway, I think it is important to be able to leave your dog at home 
>> alone for a good amount of time just so you have the option. I Also agree 
>> to start in stages. I left him alone while I went and got the mail, or 
>> went to the storage room, getting the laundry. Once I was sure that was 
>> fine then it was running to the store or out to get a bottle of wine. :) 
>> Once that was good it was going out for supper close by and then it ended 
>> up with me going out to see some bands last summer when Susan was away.
>>
>> He seems pretty good and we haven't heard him howling or had any negative 
>> reports from the neighbours so I think my way has worked for Bogart.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Wayne Merritt <wcmerritt at gmail.com>
>> Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 11:29 am
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog Schools
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> > At The Seeing Eye, they recommend slowly introducing the dog to being
>> > left alone, such as leaving for a few minutes, then for an hour, then
>> > for several hours, and so forth. They definitely don't recommend to
>> > walk out and leave them in a strange house the first time you leave
>> > the dog alone. As you say though, each dog/team is different. The
>> > first time I left my current guide at my parent's house, I had
>> > forgotten about this gradual leaving the dog home thing. I went to
>> > dinner with a friend and was gone for several hours. The next
>> > day, I
>> > asked my folks how my doggy did, and was told that the dog had some
>> > anxiety about being left at home. They did say that when they
>> > put her
>> > leash on her that she was better, but when I heard about her anxiety,
>> > I also made a mental note not to leave her alone for several
>> > hours the
>> > first time she was in a new place. That was operator error on my part
>> > and not her fault. Funny, that last statement brings to mind a phrase
>> > I had heard some time ago from a service dog trainer which can be
>> > applied to our guides. It went something like, "If something happens
>> > an the dog misbehaves, more than likely it's your fault."
>> >
>> > Wayne
>> >
>> > On 7/12/11, PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC)
>> > <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
>> > > I don't know the duration schools say for leaving a dog
>> > shortly after coming
>> > > home, but I left my dog for an evening to go to an Indigo
>> > Girls concert. The
>> > > dog was fine.
>> > > I say this because you don't want to sell yourself short of
>> > fun stuff to do,
>> > > and because our dogs will be fine. I was gone for a night.
>> > > Also, it was one of those things where me not going would have
>> > been more
>> > > upsetting then staying home with my dog.
>> > > Also, if you do have to travel, your dog will adjust. That's
>> > what they do.
>> > >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-
>> > bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> > > Of Julie McGinnity
>> > > Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 3:21 PM
>> > > To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> > > Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dog Schools
>> > >
>> > > Hi Brianna.
>> > >
>> > > I went for my first dog when I was still in high school, so I was
>> > > thinking about the same things you seem to be now.  I
>> > went to
>> > > GEB(Guiding Eyes for the blind).  I had a great
>> > experience.  I worked
>> > > well with the trainers, even though I was young and worried about
>> > > everything.  Even if you would like a shorter program, I
>> > just would
>> > > like to remind you that all schools recommend that you don't travel
>> > > with your dog or leave your dog alone to take a trip for the
>> > first few
>> > > months.  Also, a lot of your first Summer with that dog
>> > will be full
>> > > of that dog.  You and your dog will be forming a bond,
>> > which is quite
>> > > magical, but it does take time and energy.
>> > >
>> > > If you have any questions about Guide dogs, dog schools, or Guiding
>> > > Eyes, feel free to email me off list.
>> > >
>> > > Now I have to get my own little dog out from under a
>> > bed!  :)
>> > >
>> > > On 7/11/11, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > >> Which school of those do you think you would like?
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> _______________________________________________
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>> > >
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > Julie McG
>> > >  Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating
>> > member in Opera
>> > > Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
>> > > Eyes for the Blind
>> > >
>> > > "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
>> > > everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
>> > > life."
>> > > John 3:16
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com>
>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
>> > -- 
>> > Follow me on Twitter at:
>> > www.twitter.com/wcmerritt
>> > My websites:
>> > www.wayneism.com
>> > www.whitecaneday.org
>> >
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>>
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>
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