[nagdu] Never worked a male before

Wed Jul 11 20:15:35 UTC 2012

Hi Shannon,
I've worked two males after a slew of females.  Honestly, there are no real 
differences between the two sexes.  I usually ask for males because they 
tend to be taller as that is what I need.

The only real thing to watch out for is when you releive him, DO NOT stand 
real close to him or you will get your shoes peed upon! LOL!  I found that 
out the hard way!  Some will squat like a female - almost and some will 
raise their leg.  Just make sure it isn't YOUR leg he raises his on! Another 
thing you might like to guard against is the dog lifting his leg on a pole 
as you wait to cross a street.  One of my dogs did that once and got a 
correction and had no more problem with that anymore.

Some unneutered males may pee in the house on furnature and stuff because he 
is trying to take territory for himself.  Unneutered male canines in the 
wild will do this to mark their territory like as if he were erecting a 
fence around his place and putting a keep out sign on with his name on it. 
To a dog, urine tells them alot about the dog who left it.  But I haven't 
seen this problem in guides.

That's neat that you met your dog already!  No surprise like we get in class 
when they hand out the dogs.  Good luck in your upcoming class.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buddy Brannan" <buddy at brannan.name>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Never worked a male before

Hi,

Conversely, i've never worked a female, but I' not opposed to one, 
certainly. All the girl guide dogs I've ever met, I've liked. I've also like 
the male dogs I've et, including mine. They're as different in personality 
as any dogs, and I'm not so sure you can stereotype by gender. My first dog 
and my current dog are very similar in temperament; both very laid back, 
"nonchalant" was the adjective Leno's raisers used to describe him, and it' 
pretty accurate. Pretty much nothing bothers him. Yet, he's very 
conscientious and careful in his work, even if he misses some right side 
clearances. His house behavior is very good as well. Like him, my first dog, 
Karl, was wonderful. He'd be working an obstacle from half a block away. 
Both of them can be strong willed, and we've had our share of arguments, but 
it's OK, they were also both excellent, and were willing to please. Chet, my 
second dog, was about as different from these two as he could be. Very 
distractible, though he also worked pretty well so long as you kept on him. 
He also waited to the last minute to do anything, like stop, for instance. 
Stopping or going around something always happened quickly, suddenly, and at 
the last possible second. Scared the crap out of more than one person unused 
to seeing him work. So, yeah, don't worry about new dog's maleness. It'll be 
OK, and he won't pee on your rug any more than any other dog, I don't think.
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY

On Jul 10, 2012, at 5:33 AM, Shannon Dyer <solsticesinger at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi, all.
>
> As you know, I'll be attending the August class at GDF. I'll be matched 
> with a male. I know this because I had asked for a female, so one of the 
> trainers contacted me to see if I would be willing to work a male. After 
> she described his personality to me, I decided to try it out. They brought 
> him to meet me, since I only live like twenty minutes from the school. 
> He's very sweet, much smaller than Caroline, and seems like a good worker.
>
> The idea of working a male just feels really foreign to me. All the male 
> dogs I've ever known well have been jerks of one sort or another. I know 
> he's neudered, and not aggressive, but I'm still a little apprehensive. 
> Does anyone have any advice? If so, I'd love to hear it.
>
> Shannon
> Shannon Dyer
> Alumni Council Member,
> Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc
> ®  and
> America's VetDogs®,  The Veteran's K-9 Corps Inc ®
> Providing "Second Sight" ® since 1946
> 371 E. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787
> Office: 631-930-9000, Toll-free: 866-282-8047
> solsticesinger at gmail.com
> To make a donation that can change a life...contact the Guide Dog 
> Foundation at
> www.guidedog.org
> or America's VetDogs the Veterans K-9 Corps at
> www.vetdogs.org
> Visit us on facebook at:
> www.facebook.com/GuideDogFoundation or www.facebook.com/AmericasVetDogs
>
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