[nagdu] just for fun

[Julie J.]

I don't think the problem so much is with taking the survey as it was 
for me to set it up.  I'm not sure if it's just my unfamiliarity with 
the site or a JAWS issue or a combination of the two.  anyway I figured 
out there are free survey services out there that I like better.

I'm not sure it's a trend to use different equipment.  I'd say the vast 
majority of people use what their programs issue.  Different people have 
different reasons for using different equipment, comfort for the dog, 
better fit, lighter weight, wash ability, more color choices and 
others.  I have owner trained all of my guides so I have to purchase a 
harness or make my own.

I've never had an issue with people recognizing Monty as a guide dog or 
at least I haven't had any access issues resulting from his very 
different looking harness.   Mostly I hear people saying things like , 
"that's a service dog"  or "he's working".  I'm not sure they realize 
I'm blind and he's a guide dog, but it really doesn't matter to me.  
They recognize that they aren't supposed to be petting or interacting.   
That's good enough for me.

The harness I'm using right now is royal blue with a black handle.  It's 
also configured differently than a typical guide harness.  The front 
portion has two shoulder straps and a martingale that make the print 
letter Y in front, instead of the usual chest strap that runs 
perpendicular to the girth strap.

My teen age son says that sighted people don't have a clue what a 
typical guide dog harness looks like.  He says no one pays any attention 
to that sort of thing.  He says it is the behavior of the dog that makes 
him apparent as a guide.

Interesting stuff

Julie