[nagdu] Shepherd guide dogs

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Hi Mardi!
I've seen Turvurens - they are "cute" with all that fluffy hair!  And people 
are idiots when they disrespect us by getting mad when we ask them to leave 
our working dogs alone.  They seem like spoiled brats who don't get their 
way.  That's why I don't even say anything to the person and correct my dog 
for the distraction just as if it was a dog distraction or a squirrel. 
Well, these people seem to have the brains of a squirrel! LOL!

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mardi Hadfield" <wolfsinger.lakota at gmail.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 4:52 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Shepherd guide dogs


> Hi every one, Mardi here. I also have a shepherd guide dog. He is not a
> German Shepherd though. He is a Belgian Tervuren. Belgian Shepherds are
> smaller, more fine boned than German Shepherds. Mine happens to be a 
> little
> too friendly.People always try to pet him and this distracts him. I keep
> telling people that they are undoing his training by petting and
> distracting him. They don't seem to care and they tell me that I am cruel
> because I have to correct my dog to get him back to work mode. He does not
> look "cute" to me and I don't understand why people would pet a strange
> Shepherd dog. He stands 24 inches and has filled out now at 67 pounds.His
> guide work is very good and he is excellent in traffic,to the point of
> almost being psychic at times. He has saved my butt quite a few time in
> traffic and at crossings. He enjoys working and he never eats food that is
> on the floor in restaurants.He does not accept food from any one but me
> unless they give him the right signal. He always lays under the table,when
> there is room or right beside me. I think this is because I always make 
> him
> sit and wait until I give him the signal to go ahead and eat.I don't let
> any one else give him food or treats. This summer I was hospitalized for 
> an
> injury to my leg. Johnny and Carla, my friends, took care of all my
> animals. They called me to tell me that Shaman would not eat. I had to 
> tell
> Johnny to point to his dish and tell him OK. Sure enough,when  he did that
> Shaman ate his food. He is a wonderful dog and he and I have bonded 
> well.He
> also likes Johnny and Carla a lot as they took care of him and spent time
> playing with him while I was in the hospital.He goes nuts when they come 
> to
> my house. He barks and jumps and acts like a complete nut case until I get
> him calmed down.But when I put the harness on he settles right into work.
> He some times gets into the garbage if there is just something 
> irresistible
> in it,but it is because I left the door open.This does not happen often
> though.I once left a sandwich with in his reach when I went to answer the
> door. When I came back, the sandwich was still there. I was surprised as 
> if
> that had been Lily, my first guide (a Siberian Husky) the sandwich would
> have been gone in a second! Of course Nala, my second guide also a husky,
> would never have touched it either.I like Shepherds but Siberian Huskies
> are my favorite breed. They both make excellent wheelchair guide dogs,but
> they definitely have very different personalities.My dogs have all been
> trained by me with the help of a private trainer. I don't know any schools
> that train Huskies or Belgian Shepherds so I guess I will continue to 
> train
> my own dogs. Have a great day,  Mardi and Shaman.
>
> -- 
> http://wolfsinger-lakota.blogspot.com/
> http://wolfsinger2-thegoldendragon.blogspot.com
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