[nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
L Gwizdak
leg1950 at cox.net
Wed Aug 7 18:03:47 UTC 2013
Yeah, Cindy, you're right about the ways people feed their dogs. I have seen
behaviors in guide dog users here that match the behaviors of pet dog
owners. They spoil the dog by allowing it to beg at the table and feed
people food and people junk food like chips. TSE now has the students
feeding their own dogs on class now.
I was at our craft class at our blind center when we were breaking for
lunch. We have a coouple of volunteers who serve a light lunch to us. One
day, a volunteer dropped a piece of cake on the floor. The other guide dog
user (I am one of three people who have guide dogs in the class) actually
let her dog's leash go and the dog ran across the room to scarf up the cake
on the floor. The volunteers thought it was funny but i wasn't amused and I
told them that it really was inappropriate behavior for a guide dog and
especially one in harness! The volunteers know better than to feed my dog
and another student's dog. But this one dog's owner lets people feed her
dog. This woman even allowed a friend - now dead - to teach her dog to beg
at table.
That now dead person tried it once with Jacob several years ago and I lit
into him and ripped him a new one over that so he never did that again! At
least to my dog.
This goes to show that blind guide dog users also can have the same habits
as sighted pet owners have regarding dogs. When I was a kid, we had a dog
and we let it beg at the table and it became a pest. We were never able to
break the dog of the begging. it was then that I vowed that I would NEVER
allow a dog to beg at the table if I ever had a dog. I have stuck to that.
If I want to give my dog a small bit of people food - like a bit of meat, I
will put it into Landon's bowl on his food mat in the kitchen. that way, he
never realizes that it is the same thiing I have on my plate. With all my
dogs, I can sit on the ground and eat without his even trying to get any.
Another observation I have in my very long association with guide dog users
is that the people with the most obese dogs are themselves obese. Not meant
to be any slam on obese people in general - many things can cause it - just
my observations in regards to owners of obese dogs and cats.
Have a good day everyone and glad the weather is cooling off in many areas
of the US.
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: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2013 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
>I may be misremembering this, but one part I know is true. TSE did state
>before when I was in training that they see a high incidence of obese dogs.
>I think they began handing out a cup for people to take home so they could
>get an idea of the amount to feed their dogs, and the students may have an
>opportunity to practice this feeding thing. They said they observed people
>were using things like soup cans to measure up food. So I may be
>misremembering that. Obesity among dogs isn't so different from that in
>people. People believe that the happy dog is an over stuffed dog just as
>they often believe that a happy person is an over stuffed one. They think
>because the dogs will still snarf down food that means they are hungry.
>Show me a lab who doesn't just eat if it's there, and I'll show you a Lab
>that is under the weather. Anyway, TSE was dealing with the problem not by
>not allowing ownership but, rather, by teaching correct feeding methods.
>
> CL
>
> On Jul 31, 2013, at 11:49 AM, "National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <blind411 at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> 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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