[nagdu] Dogs At Work

[Julie J.]

Mark,

I do both.  Sometimes I take the harness off and sometimes I leave it 
on.  It just depends on if I have things to do in the building that day 
and will be taking it off and putting it on multiple times or if I will 
be just at my desk.  I typically work 4 hours at a stretch and rarely do 
I take a break.  I sometimes shut my office door and let Monty wander 
around the room out of harness because sometimes he needs to stretch.

Legally it makes no difference whether or not the harness is off or on.  
On occasion I have walked with Monty just on leash out to the drinking 
fountain or to the restroom.   It is the training that makes the guide 
dog not the harness.  There is no legal requirement of any sort of 
equipment.

All that said, people get confused when a guide dog is not in harness.  
If it were going to cause problems for me or cause a load of questions 
or interruption to my day, I'd leave the harness on.

HTH
Julie

On 2/11/2012 4:42 PM, Mark J. Cadigan wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Just another quick question for all you more experienced guide dog 
> handlers. When you are at work, do you leave your dog in harness, or 
> do you take your dog's harness off. I'm talking about when you are 
> sitting at a desk and not moving around.
>
>
>
> I work two 8 hour shifts a week and I take my dog out of harness, 
> because I am sitting at a desk the entire time, and I think it is 
> unnecessary for your dog to be in harness when he is just sitting 
> quietly under your desk...
>
>
>
> Another part of this question. What is the legal answer? There is 
> obviously a "no pets" policy at my work. Am I still covered by the ADA 
> and other such laws if I remove the harness once at my desk?
>
>
>
> No one has complained, but with my luck it is only a matter of time.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark
>
>
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