[nagdu] Bailey's Latest--bathing, weight, etc.

Sat Jan 14 12:20:05 UTC 2012

Mark,
    If you ever attempt to bathe your guide dog in the sink, we want video 
of it for the website! (smile)

Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Bailey's Latest--bathing, weight, etc.


> Some pet stores have a "self service dog wash." I recommend going that 
> route, because they have the equipment, and you are not stuck with the 
> mess. I have bathed my pet dog at home in the kitchen sink, however, she 
> is only 10lbs. she made a mess, so I can only imagine how much of a mess 
> my 80lb guide dog would make.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Robert Hooper" <hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
> To: "NFB-NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 6:05 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Bailey's Latest--bathing, weight, etc.
>
>
>> Hello all:
>>
>> I recently returned from a vet visit and was hoping to share the results 
>> of my relentless inquiries. It seems as though Bailey's weight jumped 
>> from around 31 kg to about 35 KG since the last visit two months ago. 
>> This despite my frequent checks of his body condition. The vet didn't 
>> seem to notice any overt physical changes in his appearance, but we both 
>> thought it a good idea to cut back on the food. Annova Evo is very 
>> calorie-dense and dispenses with many ingredients that might hinder or 
>> stop the processing of certain nutrients. I was told to start by removing 
>> ten percent of his food intake. So, instead of a cup and a half, I half 
>> to find a way to remove 3/20 of a cup of food from his daily meals. After 
>> doing the math, I came to the conclusion that instead of his usual 90/60 
>> cups of food a meal, he would need 81/60 cups. If I gave him 1-1/3 cups 
>> of food per meal, this would equal 80/60 of a cup, thus closest (to 
>> within 1/60 of a cup) I can get to a perfect mathematical solution. Note 
>> that I am not that invested in the numbers-I just had a long time to wait 
>> in the lobby before being checked out.
>> Another topic I discussed was dog bathing-this is something to which I 
>> have never been a party. Many family members encouraged me to find a 
>> place that would do it for me. I object to this for many reasons (all of 
>> which my vet supported and understood). Firstly, many such places are 
>> prone to outbreaks of kennel cough, skin infections, improper technique, 
>> etc. Secondly, Bailey is a service animal, so I require a higher degree 
>> of control-that is, I am loathed to give up my dog to anyone else who 
>> does not know how to handle, treat, etc. him. Thirdly, I am one of those 
>> "annoying dog Nazis"-that is, I allow very limited interaction between 
>> others and my dog. I do not want Bailey to trust others or form bonds 
>> with others as he does me. Furthermore, I do not want him to see people 
>> as giant petting machines worthy of his attention and thus potential 
>> distraction. So, that desire in itself rules out taking him anywhere for 
>> bathing purposes.
>> Fourthly, I heartily dislike paying for a service that I could just as 
>> easily perform myself. Bathing him at home would lessen my inconvenience 
>> of having to find transportation to and from a facility, would save me 
>> money, etc.
>> Now comes my questions regarding bathing. I have done some research about 
>> properly bathing dogs at home. I am most worried about the complete 
>> rinsing of shampoo-is dog bathing a very daunting task? Bailey hasn't 
>> been bathed since I received him in July and he continues not to smell. I 
>> regularly groom him, so that should cut down on his odor and dirtiness. I 
>> guess my main concern (as it is with most things) is that I'm afraid of 
>> not doing it right. If anybody has any assurances, techniques, detailed 
>> instructions with schematics and diagrams, etc. to share, I would welcome 
>> such.
>> I also discussed heart and flea preventatives with my veterinarian, dog 
>> anatomy and behavior, and various other such topics. I welcome feedback 
>> on all aspects of this message-from its grammatical style to critiques 
>> about my personal objections toward taking Bailey to a Dogwash. I look 
>> forward to everyone's thoughts and I hope I have provided some brain food 
>> on which we can all munch.
>> Sincerely,
>> Robert Hooper
>> Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu<mailto:Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
>> The Ohio State University
>> 0653 Buckeye-Cuyahoga CT
>> 653 Cuyahoga Court
>> Columbus, Ohio 43210
>> (740) 856-8195
>>
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>
>
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