[nagdu] keeping weight in check - was - Help for obesedogs:Control of Guide Dog Issue

melissa R green graduate56 at juno.com
Sat Aug 3 14:35:38 UTC 2013 

my vet is all about healthy and inexpensive things.

Blessings,
Melissa Green and PJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot 
drive out hate; only love can do that.--Martin Luther King, Jr.
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: <cindyray at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2013 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] keeping weight in check - was - Help for 
obesedogs:Control of Guide Dog Issue


Never heard of offering banana. I've had vets recommend carrots instead of 
biscuits. Lower in calorie.


Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 2, 2013, at 11:00 AM, "Darla Rogers" <djrogers0628 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Melissa,
>    At GDA, we were strongly discouraged from giving our dogs any people
> food--maybe talking more about food we would put on a plate--but I'm not
> doing bananas or carrots even, but that isn't saying you are wrong.
>    In my experience, vets are so used to seeing obese dogs, they often
> think ours are too thin; my vet didn't say anything about the dog I
> discussed earlier.
> Darla & Huck
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of melissa R green
> Sent: Friday, August 02, 2013 9:16 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] keeping weight in check - was - Help for obese
> dogs:Control of Guide Dog Issue
>
> Wow, my girl gets treats and she also gets carrots and bananas as a treat.
> the vet says those are good things to give her.
> She loves the treats that she gets as well.
> I know I spoil her.
> But she is healthy and happy.
> That is all I care about.
>
> Blessings,
> Melissa Green and PJ
> Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot
> drive out hate; only love can do that.--Martin Luther King, Jr.
> facebook Melissa R Green
> twitter: melissa5674
> Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/melissagreen5674
> skype: lissa5674
> Goodreads Melissa Green
>
> ----- 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: Thursday, August 01, 2013 3:29 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] keeping weight in check - was - Help for obese 
> dogs:Control
> of Guide Dog Issue
>
>
> Hi,
>
> I have had Cass for a little over 7 months now. When I came home from GDB
> she weighed 54lbs. When we went to the vet in May for our check-up she
> weighed 58lbs. The vet said she looked terrific. I was already concerned
> since the school bored into me the importance of keeping her at her target
> weight. They also told me a variance of about 3lbs either way would be
> acceptable.
> At the end of May I noticed that I had to let out the buckle on the strap 
> of
> the harness since it was too tight. It is on the last notch. When my field
> rep was here recently I asked her about the position of the harness - as 
> to
> whether it was adequately loose/tight, being on the last notch. She said 
> it
> was just right, but if Cass were to gain any more weight she would have to
> get another larger harness, but she would advise against that and just 
> keep
> her weight where it is.
> I assumed she was filling out. Her chest was filling out, getting deeper
> with that hour glass waist (which makes me jealous).
> She was just shy of 2 years when I got her, and to me I felt, and so did 
> my
> vet that 60lbs would not be out of the question for her as she matured to 
> 3
> years.
> I guess what I am saying is her harness will dictate her weight. I
> apparently will not get another larger harness, so I will need to maintain
> her weight at 56 lbs and no more than that.
> She receives 1 cup of food in the morning, 1 and a half in the evening at
> the present time. She never gets any kind of treat, only kibble from the
> pouch I carry. If we work more and her harness starts to get looser, she 
> can
> get more food, and the opposite if the harness tightens up.
> No mention was made to me that I was doing anything wrong, in fact my 
> field
> rep said that Cass looked terrific too. I assume that if she had been
> busting out of the harness there might have been an issue. It is amazing 
> how
> quickly that a lab can put weight on even without any treats or human 
> food.
>
> Daniel and Cass
> Lakewood, Colorado
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
> Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 3:42 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
>
> Yes, I agree with you Marion.  I believe that obesity in dogs is a
> problem, but it would be necessary to investigate and find out whether
> or not it is a big enough problem to consider denying ownership.  I
> don't think it would be, and I do think there are other methods the
> school can use to help  their guide dog users keep their dog's weight
> under control.
>
> I also think that sometimes things happen.  People get sick, have a
> hard time for a while, but they get things back on track with their
> dogs.  Sometimes the dog can get food from a child or somewhere else,
> and it takes a while for the handeler to notice.  We are human; these
> things will happen occasionally.  I think the school should be there
> to help us keep our dogs on the right track.  They should support us.
>
> On 7/31/13, Ann Edie <annedie at nycap.rr.com> wrote:
>> Hi, Dar,
>>
>> Seeing Eye has always provided the service of finding a retirement home
> for
>> their graduate dogs if the handler wants them to do that.  The fact that
>> you
>> own the dog does not make any difference with regard to this service. 
>> TSE
>> always has a long list of people who would like to provide a home for a
>> retired guide as well as those who want the young dogs who don't make the
>> grade as guides.  I have also known of situations where TSE has taken a
>> guide dog back to the school for a few weeks or months while a handler 
>> was
>> in the hospital or in poor health but where it was expected that the
> person
>> would regain function and again be able to care for and use the dog as a
>> guide.
>>
>> Best,
>> Ann
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of d m gina
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:32 AM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
>>
>> Original message:
>>> Hello,
>> I remember when this happened with the gentleman who kicked his dog to
>> death.
>> At no time was it discussed on behalf of the dog being over fed and quite
>> heavy.
>> It seems to me each time that this question is asked on behalf of leader,
>> they come up with different excuses.
>> I know it has been said to me, where folks don't want to go back to 
>> leader
>> because of the stand.
>> I must say for leader now that I am a diabetic, if my dog was from this
>> school, it would be nice to know when my health gets bad my dog would 
>> have
>> a
>> place to go to.
>> I never did ask seeing eye this question.
>> Could I send my dog back to the school if my health gets worse.
>> Then the family wouldn't have to try to place the dog in a home.
>> My husband wouldn't know where to start.
>> So this is an interesting question.
>> Did any other school share what they would do if a problem as a health
>> issue
>> would set person be able to send dog back to school.
>> Dear All,
>>>        At our annual meeting during the guide dog training programs
>>> comments about the Bill of Rights, Leader asserted that the reason for
>>> their two-year probationary period was the prevalendce of obesity
>>> among guide dogs. I found this interesting, especially since Mr.
>>> Haneline himself told me that the two-year probationary period was the
>>> result of the handler who kicked his dog to death! Now I wonder which
>>> it really is! In any case, I questioned him about the obesity issue and
>> was told it is really a problem.
>>> It would be interesting to know some statistics on this. As a
>>> counselor, I practice what is referred to as "Evidence Based
>>> Treatment" (EBT). This means that the treatment is founded on evidence
>>> of success, not merely the belief that it works or anecdotal
>>> information. I am of the opinion that, if this were really such a
>>> problem other training programs would observe similar issue
>>> (replication) and modify their practices to prevent it. Without
>>> evidence that it is an issue, I am unconvinced of the problem and leery
>>> of
>> the its justification to deny ownership based upon a mythical problem!
>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Deanna
>>> Lewis
>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 10:00 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
>>
>>> I do think overweight and obese dogs are more common nowadays, just
>>> like people! My dog has always been a big boy, and was a bit
>>> overweight, but now he has lost 7 pounds and looks fantastic. He looks
>>> great at 77 pounds. He gained his weight due to not working for a few
>>> weeks on and off, due to me having 8 eye surgeries in less than a
>>> year. But, as soon as we started to work every day, and cut his food a
>> bit, he slimmed down pretty quickly.
>>> I know this one person, who has a black lab that is severely obese. He
>>> is about 20-22 inches at the shoulders, and weighs at least 115. The
>>> poor thing gets out of breath just from walking a block or two. The
>>> handler goes overboard in feeding this dog. He gives him treats
>>> constantly and I am sure that he eats people food a lot at home. He is
>>> also very misbehaved.  The handler will not listen to people when they
>>> kindly make suggestions about the dog's weight. I know that the school
>>> took him away a few years back, and got some of the weight off. But,
>>> as soon as they came back home, he went back to his old habits. I wish
>>> there were something more I could do to help in this situation. Have
>>> any of you witnessed this type of issue. How could you help out the dog
>> and handler?
>>> Deanna and Pascal
>>
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jimmy
>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 6:21 PM
>>> To: National Association of Guide Dog Users Gwizdala
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Control of Guide Dog Issue
>>
>>> Greetings friends,
>>>        Hope everyone is well. I did not mean to have the topic get
>>> off of handlers controling their dogs and being accountable in
>>> pertaining to one of the dogs that was involved in my situation being
>>> a pit. I know many are very passionate about taht breed and feel they
>>> are misconceived. I have other feelings on the matter. However, I
>>> agree totally taht no matter what the breed the dog it- whether lab or
>>> shepherd- that dog can become aggressiveand if not controled or
>>> appropriate steps taken, can have unfortunate consequences. Here is a
>>> topic I am curious about your input on. This subject was brought up at
>>> our convention- that is the issue with obesity of our service animals.
>>> What arey your thoughts? This was a new issue  I was unaware of, if it
>>> is really an issue. Did anyone notice an over weight issue among service
>> dogs  at the convention , those who have some vision?
>>> Thanks
>>
>>
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>> --
>> --Dar
>> skype: dmgina23
>>  FB: dmgina
>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>> every saint has a past
>> every sinner has a future
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> Julie McG
> National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
> Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
> Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
> and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
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