[nagdu] Bad weather and class

[Doug Parisian]

I don't really think we are disagreeing at all.  Remember, I did 
indicate choice and that to put it another, the first few days should 
probably not include coping with ice and snow.  But, to avoid it is not 
excusable for those of us who must cope with Minnesota or Manitoba winters.

I remember several times being the first at work after a serious 
blizzard; the dog knew the half hour walk quite well so finding 
sidewalks was a non-issue.  Try that with a cane; I know, I'm doing it 
now while I wait for dog six.

On 14/02/2014 9:38 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
> Doug, I used to live in Minnesota.  I know all about mushing through 
> the snow to get to work.  I used to call my dog and I the six-footed 
> snow-leaper, we were so good at climbing over the snow mountains at 
> the street corners.
> I would expect to get out in class, too.  But in my experience with 6 
> dogs, the first few walks can be a bit uncoordinated, while we learn 
> each other's signals.  Throwing ice into the mix would make it 
> harder.  Not impossible, but hard.  And how do I know if my new dog is 
> always going to be so slow and cautious, or will step out nicely, once 
> the sidewalks are clear?
> Just wondering how it would go.  And dreading the real possibility 
> that I may find myself in a winter class at TSE sometime.
> Tracy
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Parisian" <eggmann at mymts.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 14, 2014 10:25 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Bad weather and class
>
>
>> Tracy, some folks living in deep freezes have no choice about the 
>> weather. I doubt that my past employers would be impressed by my not 
>> getting to work because my dog and I couldn't manage sleep, ice, and 
>> snow, and oh yes, cold.  Our average temperature around here for the 
>> past month has been sitting around the minus 10 Fahrenheit. This does 
>> not count wind chill.  Cars being much more important than us 
>> low-life pedestrians, the roads are mostly scraped down to the 
>> concrete while our sidewalks, when they get to it. are a mixture of 
>> almost clear to packed down.  Curbs are most often ill-defined or not 
>> at all.  I have crossed streets in these conditions without being 
>> aware that I had done so, especially in less familiar areas.
>>
>> All this to say that, were I at TSI this winter, I would absolutely 
>> insist that we do training routs, regardless of weather, unless of 
>> course it is seriously extreme, according to my Winnipeg standards. 
>> Softer souls in warmer climates should indeed have the choice as to 
>> whether or not to go on trips. Perhaps the only exception might be a 
>> first time trainee whose relationship with their new dog is, you 
>> guessed it, new.
>>
>> On 14/02/2014 9:07 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
>>> It seems like, here in Jersey, we've had a major storm every week 
>>> for at least the last month, and, even when there's no storm, it's 
>>> been very cold.
>>> I wonder how the schools around here are handling it.  Do people 
>>> just go out, unless it's actually blizzarding, and stomp through the 
>>> snow as best they can?  I would have a hard time judging my new 
>>> dog's pace, if all the time we were walking carefully on ice, or 
>>> maneuvering down narrow shovelled paths.  And in my book, one or two 
>>> trips to the mall exhausts the possibilities for learning anything 
>>> useful there.
>>> Or, I suppose, they could come into New York City a lot more, 
>>> because the City tends to clean the main walkways pretty well.  A 
>>> lot better than my town does, for sure.
>>> I wonder what Leader does, since bad weather is a constant in 
>>> Michigan winters?
>>> Anyone been in class in the northern part of the country during 
>>> January or February, with lots of snow?
>>> I'd be real interested to hear about it.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
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>>
>> -- 
>> Doug Parisian
>> 4-951 Westminster ave
>> Winnipeg MB Canada
>> R3G 1B7
>> 1-204-227-8877
>> eggmann at mymts.net
>>
>>
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-- 
Doug Parisian
4-951 westminster ave
Winnipeg MB Canada
R3G 1B7
1-204-227-8877
eggmann at mymts.net