[nagdu] Distracted by other dogs

[Sheri Anderson]

Good afternoon guide dog users,

Having been a guide dog user for eight months, I thought I was finally
over the bumps in the road. However, in the past month or so, I have
begun to see a slight change in my guide dogs distractions with other
dogs. During training in January she ignored other dogs completely.
During Washington Seminar in February, she was only slightly
interested in other dogs but her interest didn't stop our work in the
hotel. In March, during our state convention she did fabulous, but
there were no dogs around. In May during my transition to a new job,
she was only mildly distracted by other guide dogs or pets near her.

She is a fabulous guide, never misses a curb or a beat in high traffic
areas or crowds, and is obedient to a fault. It has just been in the
past few weeks that she has begun to get excited when seeing other
dogs and with several guide dog users in the vicinity of my office,
this is becoming a little unsettling to me. She will whine and pull
toward the other dog until I get forceful.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to stop this behavior before
it becomes an issue, I would greatly appreciate them. My guide dog is
a 3-year-old lab and is as gentle as a lamb. She seems to want to run
and play, and suddenly forgets all that she is supposed to be doing.
As soon as I redirect her, she completely obeys, but I want the
behavior to stop completely. Am I being unrealistic?

Warmly,
Sheri Anderson