[nagdu] Christmas concerns was Still food and chewing problems

Tue Nov 27 22:28:41 UTC 2012

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  We spent it with friends at a 
restaurant and then at our friends' house watching old Ed sullivan Shows 
with the Beatles on from 1964 and 1965.

The day after Thanksgiving, I put up our tree and other decorations.  I have 
a four-foot tall artificial tree that I found LED lights for.  My ornaments 
are mostly handmade ones I've either made myself or bought at craft sales 
over the years.  I put the tree on an old card table - think it belonged to 
my grandmother.  The tree and ornaments are safe from wayward Lab tails and 
my dogs ignore it as there are no real food things except for a few wrapped 
candy canes.  The other decorations are all up out of range of dogs as 
well - on the walls, yarn wreaths on the doors, or music boxes-type things 
on the ledge that divides the kitchen from the living room.  It all looks 
nice and Landon doesn't give it all a second look.

Enjoy your holidays!

Lyn and Landon
"Education creates tolerance towards diversity."
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2012 5:10 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Christmas concerns was Still food and chewing problems

> Mary,
>
> You mentioned being concerned about the Christmas tree ornaments getting 
> broken.  I like the suggestion of putting the tree in a playpen.  If you 
> have a smaller tree it might also work to put it up on an end table or 
> some sort of stand.   Or perhaps arranging the furniture so that the tree 
> isn't in a  place the dog will walk through.  Larry's idea of putting the 
> ornaments up higher on the tree is also good.  Make sure the tree is 
> fairly sturdy and won't tip over with a casual bump.
>
> The only problems I've had with dogs and trees have involved them walking 
> close to the tree and the artificial branches sticking to their fur, which 
> makes the whole tree spin around.  Of course that's only a problem with an 
> artificial tree.  I put any ornaments that contain food bits up high on 
> the tree.  I don't use tinsel anymore.  It's a huge mess, but also it gets 
> static and will move as it is attracted to other charged objects that it 
> gets close to.  So when the dog walks by the tinsel will drift toward the 
> animal.  I had a cat who thought this was a great game.
>
> Would it be possible to put up the tree with only sturdy ornaments and 
> display the glass ones in a different way?
>
> Just some thoughts.  I hope you find a solution that works for you.  I 
> ended up putting up the small tree this year.  The big one requires a 
> degree in rocket science to connect correctly. *smile*
>
> Julie
>
>
>
>
>
> On 11/26/2012 5:18 AM, mary wurtzel wrote:
>> Dear Marsha,
>> I haven't put up the tree yet.  I was seeking advice, first.
>> When our cat, Tom, was a young boy, (he died at age twenty-two) but at 
>> that time he knocked over our tree more than once.  I replaced a special 
>> glass ornament withwice, and then couldn't find it again.  I have 
>> purchased special ornaments for our three children each year from the 
>> time they were born.
>> Freddie, our oldest son, who is a  chef,  some oldsters such as me,  may 
>> remember him  from national conventions, is turning 35, and I thought of 
>> discctinuing the tradition.  People are saying that I should continue it, 
>> lol!! More than you all wanted (know  on a dog guide list!!!!! Sorry!!!
>> Mary
>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Date sent: Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:14:46 -0500
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Still food and chewing problems
>>
>>> mary,
>>
>>> I am sorry to hear that your having some troubles with Felix.
>> Every single dog has there little quirks.  and your correct no should 
>> feel bad for those things that are dogs do not do well.
>>
>>> Have you thought about doing some behavioral conditioning with
>> the tree? Like for example, take the pup near the tree.  If he goes for 
>> an ornament, correct him, say No.  Make a big deal out of it, be very 
>> displeased.  If he does not go for an ornament, praise, praise, praise 
>> him.  It might take him a few times to get this down.
>>
>>> If it makes you feel any better, I have been home a little over a
>> month with my pup from GDF.  And we are still having relieving issues. 
>> And most recently, she my pup has put on her pokey pants when working in 
>> familiar routes.
>>
>>> I don't know how long you have been home.  But all of our dogs
>> have there quirks.  Some quirks we can leave with, others we can not.  If 
>> you made to feel bad again by someone on the list, please email me off 
>> list, please.
>>
>>> thank you,
>>
>>> Marsha drenth
>>> Sent with my IPhone
>>> http://adventureswith2feet4paws.blogspot.com
>>
>>> On Nov 25, 2012, at 11:02 PM, mary wurtzel <marywurtzel at att.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>> My dog does this diving thing sometimes walking in and out of
>> restaurans.  I am trying so hard to correct him.  I use the buckle-high 
>> when I know we could have a problem.  Sometimes food can appear in more 
>> unlikely places, though.
>>>> I also have a question about Christmas.  I have felt guilty
>> because of the people on the list who say their dogs never try to get 
>> thingsing to chew when loose at home.  My dog is still under my watch.  I 
>> am concerned about him getting hold of low-hanging ornaments on the tree. 
>> It's like having toddlers again.  I used to babyproof as much as possible 
>> so I didn't need to be beaying, "no" all of the time.
>>>> Perhaps people could think about making generalizations which
>> may make the newbies like me,  feel we are not doing a good  job with our 
>> dogs.
>>>> This food issue, and chewing are our big challenges.  Felix is
>> doing a marvelous job of guiding me.  He is so careful with my balance 
>> challenge, slowing down for cracks or unlevel places, being so careful 
>> that I don't bump in a narrow spot.  I am so grateful for him and so 
>> proud of him.  I will never be able to pay back the  Guide Dog Foundation 
>> for this great independence.  Mary
>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: d m gina <dmgina at samobile.net
>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>> Date sent: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 21:09:53 -0500
>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Exercising at the air port
>>
>>>>> Ah yes I had to dream up a title for this one.
>>>>> When we came home, walking threw the air port, my dog would dive
>>>> for
>>>>> food, so off we go, dive pull back,
>>>>> Walk more dive pull back.
>>>>> I tell you, he is good at his art, a lady was behind me saying,
>>>>> "oh chips, Oh crackers, Oh hotdog.
>>>>> I was so pleased when we got our cases and left the air port.
>>>>> I couldn't get to the gentle leader at that time.
>>>>> I didn't think I would need it so I had it in my suit case.
>>>>> yes my dog sure had me exercising that day.
>>>>> I so tried hard to keep control of him.
>>>>> That is when I wish I had a way to know what he was looking at
>>>> before I
>>>>> had to take a dive to keep him from doing it loll.
>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> --Dar
>>>>> skype: dmgina23
>>>>> FB: dmgina
>>>>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>>>>> every saint has a past
>>>>> every sinner has a future
>>
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>>>> for nagdu:
>>>>>
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>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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>
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