[nagdu] Give the Dog a Break!

Wed Oct 12 22:25:57 UTC 2011

Yah, I would sure like to work like my dog!!  I mean, leading a bum like me 
around, getting there and lying around until he leaves and coming home and 
scarfing treats and playing, oh that sounds really hard!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "GARY STEEVES" <rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 2:58 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Give the Dog a Break!


> Hi:
>
> Personally I don't "give my dog a break since a lot of his life is a 
> break. :) Yes, I take Bogart to work every day (which is only 3 days a 
> week) but is out of harness a lot of that time and is lying 
> around.Certainly I'm aware when we have a busy couple of days but I am 
> just as aware of that for me too. I was at a confernce last week and the 
> first day went from 8am until about 10:30pm. The next day was 8am until 
> about 5pm. the thirday was us being invited out for  a thanksgiving dinne. 
> (we have it earlier in Canada)  this wasn't work but our friends dog has 
> matured a bit since the last time we were at there place house sitting in 
> April.  now he likes to make it known that it is his house so no playing 
> with him. Also their cat took some pleasure in stocking bogart at 
> different times. Poor bogart was looking all over the place for that darn 
> cat but always seem to miss where it was on it's high pirch. So for the 
> next two days we took it pretty easy. rainy weather helped too not make 
> any of us eager to go outside.
>
>
> Obviously when bogart was recently ill I worked him minimally. No long 
> walks after work but I think it was good for him to get me to the bus and 
> to our house. You know how even when we are sick a bit of fresh air and 
> focus on something is good for the soul.
>
> I think if we are just honest with ourselves about how we feel our dogs 
> are probably feeling just as tired. I also agree with leaving bogart home 
> alone from time to time. Like this weekend I am gong to a fund raiser for 
> our blind ice hockey team in a pub and I just don't think bogart would 
> enjoy himself as much as he thinks he would so we'll leave him home.
>
> Maybe it' smy life but I think I am fairly active but I really don'  think 
> Bogart works that much. I actually make excuses to work him. Like I've 
> mentioned before, after work we walk for about 40 minutes with him in 
> harness to keep him up to par on his skills.
>
> Gary
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: William Burley <william.burley3 at gmail.com>
> Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 8:04 am
> Subject: [nagdu] Give the Dog a Break!
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>
>> Good morning.
>>
>>
>>
>> I was having a discussion with a fellow guide dog user this
>> morning at the
>> bank.  We somehow talked about whether you should give your
>> guide a break
>> from work every now and then.
>>
>>
>>
>> The person's opinion was no as she stated she uses her guide all the
>> time.even when the dog isn't feeling all that well.  She
>> said that she just
>> won't work it as much.
>>
>>
>>
>> My opinion is that we should give our dogs a break pretty
>> regularly.  By
>> this I don't mean leave your dog four days a week or anything,
>> but I do feel
>> as though the dog does need a break from work.  Their work
>> is more than a
>> little stressful, even for the most experienced team.  In
>> those instances
>> where the dog is ill, then I really believe you should give it a
>> break.
>>
>>
>> Beyond the reasons that a dog should learn to be alone at some
>> point as well
>> as de-stress, leaving the dog at home here and there will allow
>> us to keep
>> our cane skills up to par.  I think people become overly
>> dependent upon
>> their guide.even though this is easy, through experience.
>> But that dog is
>> just like us and needs a break.
>>
>>
>>
>> What are your thoughts?
>>
>>
>>
>> William Burley
>>
>> William.burley3 at gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Facebook and Twitter:  wburley3
>>
>> Skype:  William.burley69
>>
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