[nagdu] Three questions about "winterizing" a guide dog

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Hi Bryan,
I used to live in Boston so you don't have winter weather very different 
from Boston.

I didn't have a raincoat for my dogs then nor booties.  Back then, the 
schools didn't use them either.  Raincoats are very hard to find that fit 
the large breeds.  There's tons of them for the little breeds and those are 
mainly to be cute.

Landon doesn't like to wear a raincoat - he prefers to get wet.  Even with a 
raincoat, the dog's head and neck still get soaked.  The raincoats have 
hoods but I don't want to use that because I don't know if it has slipped 
down to cover the dog's eyes!  If you want to get one, there is a thin 
slicker with a hood that is thin enough to fit under the harness.  They sell 
them in the catalogs like J&J Wholesalers.  I never see them in the pet 
stores.  Where is your dog from?  I know that Guide Dogs for the Blind in 
California sells them for their graduates.  Thiers are nice with a 
reflecting tape on them.

Many dogs hate booties but they can get used to them.  I use them on Landon 
in the summer when we go to street fairs and are walking and standing on the 
hot blacktop of the street.  I do take them off when wwe are at our booth so 
his feet can air out.  Dogs sweat from their footpads.

In snowy areas, they use alot of salt on the streets and sidewalks.  When 
wet, this stuff burns the dog's feet and causes discomfort and irritation to 
the pads and between the toes.  Booties will be a good protection against 
the salt.  If you do not use booties, when you come inside to go to class, 
leave yourself a bit more time so you're not late for class or work.  Go to 
the restroom and take paper towels and soak them in warm water and 
thoroughly clean each paw, paying close attention to between the toes and 
around the pads.  Sometimes stuff gets caught in the webbing between the 
toes of Labs.  In longer haired dogs or those with longer fur on their feet, 
make sure there's no snow or ice balls caught in the fur.  Oh, and bring a 
hand towel in your backpack for drying the dog off to minimize the doggy 
odor from wet fur.

I also recomend cleaning your harness - especially the belt that goes under 
the dog - as the salt can make the leather deteriorate and become stiff and 
irritating to the dog. I quick wipe with damp paper towel will do fine.

I hate that nasty weather and am glad I live in sunny southern California! 
The worse we get is plain old rain! LOL!

Good luck and keep safe.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bryan Jones" <opensesame at me.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 7:53 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Three questions about "winterizing" a guide dog


> Greetings  All,
>
> I'd be interested to hear what folks in cold climes do to help ensure that 
> your dogs remain safe, healthy and comfortable indoors and out during the 
> Winter months. My dog Marqi and I will be doing much more walking this 
> Winter as I transition from a part-time to a full-time student at my 
> college, which is a 20 or 30 minute walk each way. This region of 
> Southeast Pennsylvania tends to experience a lot of what we call a "Wintry 
> Mix" meaning cold rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow and wind all thrown 
> together in the same storm.
>
> The three main questions I have are:
> 1. Have you used a raincoat for your dog to wear while he / she is 
> working? If you answered yes, were you and the dog happy with the 
> raincoat? If yes, what was or is the make and  model and where did you 
> purchase it?
> 2. Marqi is a Black Lab / Golden cross with a propensity to shed even 
> while I brush her multiple times a day. A family member gave me a special 
> brush called "The Furminator," and while this brush does seem to help cut 
> down on her shedding, I'm concerned that it might also be removing the 
> layer of fur that exists naturally to help keep her warm in cooler 
> weather. Thoughts?
> 3.  I have a set of boots given to me by TSE. Marqi tolerates them but I 
> do recall many of my veteran TSE classmates panning the boots, saying they 
> were more trouble than they're worth and suggesting that wiping the dog's 
> paws with a damp towel after each walk is sufficient. THoughts from 
> experience?
>
> Thank you in advance,
> Bryan
>
>
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