[nagdu] where to buy guide dog harnesses

Sun Apr 21 16:51:09 UTC 2013

Harnesses also can be made.  I have a friend who wanted a white leather 
harness so she bought the supplies based on her school harness and proceeded 
to make one.  She did a nice jot of it!  She did enlist the help of a 
leather worker who had a sewing machine for leather and he did that part of 
the project.

Shannon, if you want a nylon harness and can't get one made anywhere, I'd 
get a nylon one at a pet supply place.  the best kind are the carting 
harnesses that are very sturdy with fleece materal on the inside part - the 
parts that touch the dog's body.  there are rings on each side and one on 
top.  I've seen them mainly in black nylon.  Then you can just attach a 
regular guide dog harness handle to this and you have a harness for the 
beach. For the handle, I'd strip the leather off so you're down to the bare 
metal.  The harness body can be washed and dried - fleece is the fake kind 
like what fleece dog toys are made of and not real wool from a sheep.

For the ears - the loops to pass the handle through - you can get two cheap 
nylon leashes and cut the handle loops off and have them rivetted on by 
someone who does leather work or a shoe repair place.

The school harnesses are the property of the school you got them from.  Most 
are stamped with the school name - usually on the back strap and sometimes 
also on the handle.  I think the schools have asked eBay to not sell 
harnesses on their website but not sure if that pertains to harnesses that 
have a school name on them.  But who knows, they can be stolen property or 
not and I don't think very enforceable.

HTH

Lyn and Landon
"Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like 
asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
----- 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: Sunday, April 21, 2013 8:41 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] where to buy guide dog harnesses

> Hi Ken,
>
> This is absolutely, completely, unequivocally incorrect.
>
> For one thing, of course anyone can buy a white cane. I've never, ever 
> been asked for proof of blindness to buy a white cane, and there are 
> several places you can get one.
>
> As for guide dog harnesses, I've said this a hundred times over the years, 
> at least. There's nothing magic about guide dog working gear, or, for that 
> matter, any dog working gear, and i believe the schools do us all a 
> disservice in their promulgating of the guide dog mystique in this regard. 
> While it's true that the harnesses we get from the school are generally 
> property of the school, there's nothing stopping you from getting one from 
> somewhere else They're really not terribly complicated; I expect any 
> decent maker of horse gear, for instance, could make you one. But there 
> are one or two places that will sell you a guide dog harness; Bridgeport 
> is one such. LDS used to be another, and I'm nearly certain there are 
> others besides. There's of course Paw Power Creations, whose status seems 
> to be a bit unknown at the moment. Point is, guide dog working gear isn't 
> particularly special if you know where to look.
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>
>
>
> On Apr 21, 2013, at 10:04 AM, "Ken Ace" <ken at acenovels.com> wrote:
>
>> I am obviously misinformed because I am sure we were told by my school 
>> that
>> "Harnesses are always the property of the school and where you get
>> replacements". They likened it to white canes, you just can't go out and 
>> buy
>> a white cane if you haven't gone through the training. Does anyone have 
>> any
>> input?
>> Ken & Ace
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Christel
>> Sogenbits
>> Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2013 9:55 AM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] where to buy guide dog harnesses
>>
>> Hello!
>>
>> It is very interesting question for me allso beacuse we have only one 
>> kind
>> of harnesses  here. Allso I would be really happy and thankful if 
>> somebody
>> wants to write me offlist  and describe their harnesses or send pictures.
>> I can  do picture  of my guides harnesses and write there what part of it 
>> is
>> made of metal and what part is made from leather if somebody is 
>> interested.
>> Allso I can send you pictures do show how  they are on my dog.
>>
>>
>>
>> Tervitades / With greetings
>> Christel Sogenbits
>> GSM: +372 58 440 521
>> E-mail: christel.chrissu at gmail.com
>> Skype: christel.chrissu
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Shannon L. 
>> Dillon
>> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 11:21 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] where to buy guide dog harnesses
>>
>> Hi, does anyone know where to get guide dog harnesses (other than the 
>> ones
>> we can get from our schools)? I got my previous harness from Paw Power
>> Creations but their web site doesn't seem to be functioning anymore.  I'm
>> looking for another lightweight, flexible, nonleather harness  to use on 
>> the
>> beach this summer, and I would have gotten it from Paw Power Creations if
>> they were up and running. I love my old one but I had it made without
>> stabilizer loops and I wanted to have one made with the stabilizer loops.
>> Does anyone know of alternatives?
>> Thanks.
>> -Shannon and Yalie
>>
>>
>>> From: graduate56 at juno.com
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:57:23 -0600
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] my surgery
>>>
>>> thats a really good description of the exhibit hall.
>>> I remember when I took my girl to convention for the first time. We
>>> got through the crowd in the exhibit hall and to tables. She found the
>>> Gdf table right away. she was so happy with herself for it. She knows
>>> her school.
>>> Lol!
>>>
>>>
>>> Blessings,
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Melissa and Pj
>>> Find me on:
>>> Twitter melissa5674
>>> facebook Melissa R Green
>>> Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/melissagreen5674
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
>>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 12:43 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] my surgery
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Mary,
>>>
>>> So glad the surgery went well. Please give us a call at GDF and Barb
>>> can talk to you about recovery and getting back to work with Felix.
>>>
>>> As for the national convention, what's really nice about the exhibit
>>> hall is that there is a great description printed ahead of time and
>>> possibly even a tactile map you can look at prior to going in so you
>>> know where you are going.
>>>
>>> I use the "Find the counter" command a lot to have Swap take me to the
>>> edges of tables when he can. Sometimes, and not to be crude here, you
>>> just encounter a wall of butts. That's why when reaching out to see
>>> what's in front of me, I use the back of my hand initially to see how
>>> close we are to people. <grin>
>>>
>>> Enjoy.
>>>
>>> Jenine Stanley
>>> jeninems at wowway.com
>>> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mary
>>> Wurtzel
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 1:18 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: [nagdu] my surgery
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I wanted to share about my recent surgery and how it went fore Felix
>>> and
>> me.
>>> First, for some reason, the hospital said I could bring my dog but had
>>> to find my own way to take him out. I didn't have family who could be
>>> there whenever Felix needed to go out. I decided to board him at the
>>> vet for the three days I was in the hospital. That went fine.
>>> The rehabilitation facility allowed me to bring my dog. They were
>>> willing to have staff to take him out. I could not walk for two weeks
>>> after surgery.
>>> I am very grateful to all of the nursing care aids who took Felix out
>>> for me.
>>> Felix was on a tie-down on one side of my bed. I was fortunate to have
>>> a private room.
>>> Friends of mine who also have guide dogs came and groomed and
>>> exercised Felix for me.
>>> I took him on leash with me to the dining room in a wheelchair.
>>> Because I did not use the harness, I let people pet him. The other
>>> clients and the staff really enjoyed having a dog to pet. Some of the
>>> people were seniors who had ffallen or had replacement type surgeries.
>>> They love to remember dogs that they had during their lives.
>>> It was kind of neat because Felix seemed to know I was in pain. He
>>> would come right up to the side of the bed and stand close so I could
>>> pet
>> him.
>>> After two and a half weeks I could come home. I have a boot on my foot
>>> and still cannot work Felix. I worry about this. I now have about a
>>> week and a half before I can walk again.
>>> I have let Felix out in the fenced in yard to play with our pet dog.
>>> My husband took Felix for a walk, but he dragged back and wouldn't go.
>>> All I can think is that maybe he didn't want to leave me.
>>> This surgery is hopefully going to make it possible for me to have
>>> better balance when I walk. I am excited to see how successful it will
>>> be. I am just praying that my pup will still remember how to be a
>>> guide
>> dog.
>>> I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and a great family.
>>> This will be my first national convention to have a guide dog. I think
>>> the thing I dread the most is going to the exhibit hall with a dog 
>>> guide.
>>> I AM SO ENJOYING THIS LIST AND HOPE TO MEET SOME OF OUR FOLKS IN 
>>> Orlando.
>>> Mary
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy
>>> Carcione
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:29 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] coming on command - was no follow up
>>>
>>> My first dog Glade thought running away and not coming were a great
>>> game. A
>>>
>>> couple times, she accidently got loose, and I had a heck of a time
>>> catching her again. She would always come when she saw her harness,
>>> though, so I'd try to get close enough to her to show it to her, and
>>> the game would be over.
>>>
>>> I quote the Irish Rovers, sort of:
>>> Those labradors were hiding, playing silly games.
>>>
>>> From the Unicorn song, explaining why there aren't any more around.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Daniel" <daniel.sweeney1 at comcast.net>
>>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, April 19, 2013 3:07 PM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] coming on command - was no follow up
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Eve and everyone,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I was having the same problems with having Cass coming to me when I
>>>> called, and to some extent still do. Although I never allow her to
>>>> be off leash in the common area behind my townhome, I will go out on
>>>> a 25 foot leash and practice recall with food treats. This is what
>>>> my field rep advised me when she visited me on my second month home
>>>> after complaining about this problem.
>>>> I explained to her that I was having problems with recall both in
>>>> and out of the house. After returning home and keeping Cass on leash
>>>> for about 5 weeks, I let her off and when I called her she would not
>>>> come to me. We would do obedience training, sit, down, stay, and
>>>> come at short distances and she would do just fine, but when we were
>>>> at ease she would not come to me when
>>>
>>>> I
>>>> called. Talk about frustrating - to be upstairs and call and have no
>>>> dog come, or to be ten feet away and call her to come to me and she
>>>> would just ignore me. Things really came to a head when I went to a
>>>> friend's house and she was playing in the yard with his dogs. He
>>>> called his dogs to come in and Cass refused to come inside. He went
>>>> to the back door and she would run from my friend. I went to the
>>>> door and she would ignore my command to come inside. I finally was
>>>> able to get her to come inside by filling her food bowl, and then
>>>> snagging her with the leash. That was the last time she was off
>>>> leash until the field rep came. We started working with high value
>>>> food rewards. This has seemed to work for the most part, but there
>>>> are still some occasional instances where she will stay just out of
>>>> my reach when I call her, and not come to me as if I am playing a
>>>> game. Needless to say this really ticks me off since I have never
>>>> had a dog that has done this. I have had quite a few dogs. She has a
>>>> HUGE stubborn streak. I would never let her be off leash outside
>>>> unless the area was securely enclosed, and then only with
>>>> hesitation. I am just glad she is food motivated. The fact that we
>>>> have only been together for a bit over 4 months lets me think that
>>>> in time she will become a little more attached and this problem will
>>>> solve itself.
>>>>
>>>> I apologize for the long winded emails, but when I get going, I
>>>> really get going.
>>>>
>>>> Daniel and Cass
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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