[nagdu] Distracted by other dogs

[Julie J.]

If your question is directed to me, I trained my own guide.  So no 
graduation like at the schools and no meeting the puppy raiser.

Julie
On 9/19/2012 9:04 AM, Sarah wrote:
> I have a very interesting question.  When you went to training for 
> your guide dogs, what was it like at the graduation when the guide dog 
> saw its puppy raisers again?
>
> ----- 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
> Date sent: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:09:23 -0500
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Distracted by other dogs
>
> I agree with what everyone else has said about distractions while in
> harness, but...I wonder if there's something else going on.
>
> Guide dog puppies spend their first year essentially in a constant meet
> and greet with people, places and new things.  They attend group classes
> where they often interact with the other dogs, if not during the actual
> class then before or after.  It seems fairly common for there to be more
> than one dog in the puppy home.  Puppy playdates are not unheard of.
> then the dog goes off to the program for more training, where they are
> with a bunch of other dogs.
>
> Enter the blind handler and a new home.  Sometimes there are other dogs
> in the home and sometimes playdates are arranged, but mostly it's
> solitary work for the dog.  All the doggie socialization comes to a
> complete stop or is cut down to a trickle.
>
> I like dogs a lot and enjoy spending time with mine, but I also need
> people.  I need to talk and share ideas and do people things.  I wonder
> if dogs feel the same way?  they need some dog time to socialize in the
> dog way.
>
> All that to say I wonder if spending a Saturday morning at a dog day
> care with other dogs or arranging play dates with well behaved neighbor
> dogs could help?  Perhaps the slow increase in dog distraction over the
> past few months while in harness is a symptom of a need to interact with
> other dogs.
>
> I'm not saying that the distracted harness behavior is okay because it's
> not.  I'm just suggesting that meeting her dog needs out of harness
> might help her not to crave that interaction while in harness.  I also
> freely admit that I might be totally off here and increasing dog
> socialization time out of harness will increase her interest while in
> harness too.  I don't know your dog and won't presume to know how she
> might react.  I do know that for my guide, Monty, it has helped a lot.
>
> all my best,
> Julie
>
>
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