[nagdu] Help for obese dogsRE: Control of Guide Dog Issue
Sheila Leigland
sleigland at bresnan.net
Wed Aug 7 18:19:49 UTC 2013
hi my sister and I had this discussion just last night. I had some
leftover meat and she wanted to know if we fed our dogs people food and
I said no and explained the reason for not doing so. I think that she
understood my reasoning. I don't want my guide to want people food in
public so I choose not to give it to him at home. It is much harder to
establish ;public boundaries if there is no consistency at home.
On 8/7/2013 12:03 PM, L Gwizdak wrote:
> 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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>>
>>
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