[nagdu] 2 things in one

Sun Dec 8 16:46:30 UTC 2013

Hello all,

One of our instructors at The Seeing Eye gave us some excellent advice. If
you are uncomfortable out in the weather, the same is probably true for your
dog.
So, plan accordingly. If it is overly hot or cold, I don't spend much time
outside with Gabe. Also, you may want to give your dog a little extra food
if you are going to be outside waiting for a bus or walking somewhere in
cold weather.
I do have boots and a waterproof jacket for Gabe, but he doesn't like to
wear them so I don't worry about it. I've also found that the jacket
interferes with the harness.

Hope this helps.

Liz

p.s. Right now, we are dealing with one of the worst ice storms to hit north
Texas. I wish I had yack tracks or another type of shoe so that I can walk
on the ice.
Everything is frozen solid so I'm just letting Gabe out in my backyard, and
I'm assuming he's doing his business! He seems to be handling the ice just
fine.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kristeen Hughes
Sent: Sunday, December 8, 2013 10:34 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] 2 things in one

A lot of dogs simply don't like the boots. It's the same with raincoats or
any of that equipment. It is extra paraphernalia and there are usually other
ways around it. I plan to try the wax. Mendle doesnot love the boots either,
and sometimes in deep snow, they will come off. I've lost one on more than
one occasion.

Kristeen & Mendle
prefer the wax
On Dec 8, 2013, at 11:18 AM, Raven Tolliver <ravend729 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Daniel,
> As far as wearing the booties goes, or anything that a dog is 
> uncomfortable wearing or reluctant to wear, I would suggest that you 
> do not dish out the corrections. Instead, try to create a positive 
> experience for the dog so that she associates good things with the 
> boots.
> Next, some dogs tolerate the boots and others don't. Personally, I 
> hate the boots that the schools, or my school anyway, gives out. If 
> the dog hates them too, I would advise using Musher's secret. Keep the 
> booties on you just in case, but use the wax to avoid dealing with a 
> stubborn or hesitant dog.
> 
> 
> On 12/7/13, Daniel Sweeney <daniel.sweeney1 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> In order to not clutter up the list with too many posts, I am putting 
>> a couple of thoughts in one email.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The first one came to me yesterday when I was out with Cass in our 
>> nasty Denver single digit weather. The walks were icy, snow-packed 
>> and some had snow melt applied and some had sand or salt. When I was 
>> preparing to leave my house in the morning the temperature was -4F, 
>> and Cass refused to walk in her boots. She just lay on the floor and 
>> would not get up for love or money
>> - or the best food reward put to her lips. Since I had little time to 
>> deal with this, I quickly applied my Musher's wax on the paws and got 
>> going. I was making connections that were short since a friend was 
>> picking me up close by. At one point during the day I realized CASs 
>> was pretty cold so I stopped and took my t-shirt off and put it 
>> around her so she would have some protection. It was actually a 
>> sweatshirt. I figured I had a coat on and I could stand to lose a 
>> layer and be fine. That did the trick just fine. Then I realized I 
>> had forgotten my Musher's and her paws were lifting off the ground. I 
>> quickly sought a protected area with warmer walks which thankfully I 
>> found pretty quickly. We waited a bit and then I decided to just call 
>> a cab for the rest of the day. Through all of this ordeal I noticed 
>> when I put the shirt on the girl, she put her head on my shoulder and 
>> then licked me on my face as if to say "thanks, papa", and when I got 
>> home and started to get us unpacked from the day, she stayed in place 
>> and did the same thing instead of shaking herself off and cruising to 
>> the kitchen for her usual drink of water and romp around the living 
>> room. She just stood there licking me while I took my boots off and 
>> tried to get myself together.  It was as if she knew I had a rough 
>> time of it and she knew I was trying to look out for her. Now I know 
>> most of you already know I am a crazy guy to begin with, but don't 
>> you think it might be a possibility? This brings me to my first 
>> question (officially). If you could ask your guide dog 3 things about 
>> your relationship, what would they be?
>> 
>> I know it sounds silly, but it IS close to the holiday, and it is on 
>> my mind how our guides perceive their jobs, or if they do at all.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Secondly, it is the weekend so I can't contact my school about the 
>> boot thing, but has anyone had a problem with their guide refusing to 
>> move with them. She wore them last winter about 4 times is all? I 
>> know it is not her favorite thing in the world, but she never refused 
>> to get up. I didn't think I should pull her up or give her a more 
>> harsh correction than I did. I have been faulted for not giving harsh 
>> enough corrections. I have improved on that and Cass has improved 
>> completely in the areas I had been having issues in the past. This 
>> was different. Cass is a "soft" dog, and I did not think she deserved 
>> more than she got. So, I ask you for your thoughts on the matter.
>> 
>> Thanks to all, and to all a good day. Oh, those darn holidays.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Daniel and Cass
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> BTW: Welcome to the newbies. I am Daniel in Lakewood, Colorado with 
>> Cass, my second guide dog from GDB, Oregon. She is a yellow lab. She 
>> is everything my first was not. He got me hit by a truck, but there 
>> was no hard feeling, only sadness to lose him because he was the 
>> wrong match.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> While you are proclaiming peace with your lips
>> 
>> Be careful to have it more fully in your heart
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- sT. fRANCIS OF aSSISI
>> 
>> 
>> 
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>> 
> 
> 
> --
> Raven
> 
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