[nagdu] boredom on routine routes

[John Doering]

What is shadow ball soccer?

Thanks,
JD

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] boredom on routine routes


> Hm...  My first thought is to give him some sort of reward when you get to
> work that makes it fun for him to go there.  With Mitzi, who slows down 
> when
> we're going home, I used soccer in the yard or shadow ball soccer in the
> house to motivate her.  Not sure how that would work in the halls at the
> office.  /grin/  Is it possible for you to give him little play or sniff
> breaks during the day?  That might make it less boring for him, too.
>
> Or maybe just working on speeding him up with the clicker would do?  I've
> had mixed results with that with Mitzi for the going-home foot dragging.
>
> Her latest thing is that she refuses to find the truck.  We do too much
> riding in the truck here and there, then going into stores or banks or
> whatever, and that is not her style!  She wants to get out and go!  So do 
> I,
> frankly.  /smile/  I'm still tearing out my hair trying to figure out a 
> way
> to get to places to just get out and go as a team.  Coming up with left 
> over
> cash for a bus pass so I can travel to safe areas to gallivant around with
> my poodle is just not happening for me.  Sigh.  Three years with no pay
> raise while prices go up has not been helpful.  With a proposed move back 
> to
> La Grande, I'm not looking for a job, but I am hoping a new computer will
> allow me to use my time productively at home so I can maybe generate some
> income?  I sure hope so!  /smile/
>
> Anyway, good luck.  I'll be interested to see what you come up with.  I 
> love
> Mitzi's go, but when she decides she wants to drag her feet, that is just
> maddening.  Goober poodle!  /smile/
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J
> Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 6:13 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] boredom on routine routes
>
> Hello all!
>
> Monty has developed a new habit of going incredibly slow on our route to
> work.  It started several months ago, but I didn't think too much about 
> his
> being a bit slower in the morning.  Now my schedule has changed and he's
> slow no matter what time of day I go to work.   His pace has gradually
> decreased from his usual really fast, to fast, to typical pedestrian, to
> slow.
>
> There is road construction  which means that my route to work has changed 
> a
> few times in the past few weeks.  The first time we go the new way he's at
> his usual fast pace, but as soon as he figures out where we are going, 
> it's
> back to dragging his feet.
>
> My son had to run an errand downtown earlier this week, so he walked to 
> work
> with me one afternoon.  This is highly unusual.  I always walk to work
> alone, but my son and I do frequently walk in the evenings for leisure.
> When my son was along, Monty was absolutely perfect with his brisk pace. 
> I
> think he thought we were going someplace fun.
>
> The places I go on a weekly or less frequent basis, Monty is fine.  I 
> teach
> a class one evening a week, go to the middle school one day a week and
> attend various meetings and run errands at various locations.  Monty has 
> his
> regular pace to all of these places. Some of them are close to where I 
> work,
> but he must have figured out where we are going because he doesn't slow.
>
> I have a fairly quiet office job.  Monty has a rug under my desk, where he
> generally sleeps.  He shows no signs of stress or fear while at work.
>
> I'm thinking he's bored with going to work with me.  This is unfortunate
> because I haven't won the lottery and plan on continuing going to work for
> the foreseeable future.   I don't see boredom as a reason to not work 
> Monty.
>
> I would welcome all ideas, suggestions or things you have done in a 
> similar
> situation.  I'm also happy to answer any questions or provide more
> information.
>
> thanks!
> Julie
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