[nagdu] Struggles with relieving?

Wed Jun 4 02:01:56 UTC 2014

Raven and Nicole,

Thanks for the pointers.  I am starting to spend some more time outside with her now that the weather is nice enough... taking her to the park, etc., even having her sit and relax outside with hubby and I if we're eating on the back patio (we don't let her on that lawn because the grass hasn't grown in yet and we've just planted a garden).  If weather permits, I do like to groom her outside and just sit in the sunshine and she really likes that.  I think you're right; she's indicating that she wants to be out in the sun more.  We also go on on-leash (out-of-harness) walks that she loves... perhaps I've been making a mountain out of this molehill.  Jenny's been hybernating really for a long time due to our harsh cold winter, so she's probably wanting to soak up some time outside.  My boss has even encouraged taking brain breaks in good weather and take Jenn for a walk around the block (in harness, but still outside and we're not GOING anywhere).
Jen's pretty good about not having a sniff-a-thon... she likes to eat grass, and I take a little sniffing as a sign that she has to go and she's finding a spot... like you, Nicole, after a minute or two, if nothing's happening, she's done *smiles*

Daryl and Jenny (who would love to be outside on any other day... but it's raining tonight)
----- Original Message -----
From: Nicole Torcolini via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 18:41:05 -0600 (MDT)
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Struggles with relieving?

Okay... A couple of things. To start, as has already been said, try to spend
more time outside with your dog. This can be exercising or just sitting
there and doing nothing. However, I would try to make the recreation/relax
place different from the relieving place so that it is clear what you are
doing when you go outside. If you have different places, your dog will
probably catch on very quickly that she does not relax/recreate in the
relieving area. As for if you want to continue to take her outside when she
asks but it does not seem urgent, that is up to you. If you know your dog
and are pretty sure that she does not need to go, you could just say, "No,
not now", and then tell her to go or take her back to where she is supposed
to lay. If she lays down in the grass when she is supposed to be doing her
business, then take her back inside right away as she has clearly indicated
that she does not need to go. Sniffing can be a hard one, and some dogs are
very good at the whole, "If I pretend that I have to go, then I can get an
opportunity to sniff." You can remind her that she is supposed to be doing
her business by repeating the command. For me, if Lexia does not start
moving her behind around, which is the indication that she is actually going
to do something, within about a minute or a minute and a half, then time is
up. Of course, I don't always do this, particularly if I know that she does
need to go and there are a lot of distractions. However, if she's doing the
"hoover" sniff, then I usually take that as an indication that she's just
having a smellathon.

Nicole and Lexia

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
via nagdu
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 3:51 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Struggles with relieving?

It is a signal that your dog wants to just be outside in the sunshine and
fresh air. Aside from working her, do you ever play with her outside or sit
out and soak up sun with her? There is nothing wrong with getting some
sunshine and fresh air. If you don't allow her to spend some downtime
outside, then this is her way of communicating to you that she needs it. It
will not be a struggle if you provide her with a sufficient amount of free
time outdoors.

On 6/3/14, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hey,
>
> Been noticing the past couple of days - and in general when it's been 
> really warm - Jenny will give me a mild form of her take-me-out 
> signal, but then will not go do her business when we DO go outside.  
> yesterday, she even just laid down in the grass in the sunshine, and 
> today she just kept sniffing around and then stood in the grass.  I am 
> not overly concerned about this, because she will actually do her 
> business several times a day... just a little curious.  has anyone 
> else had power struggles with this?  Not sure this is what it is, but 
> am starting to feel that way and don't want it to continue like this.
>
> Daryl and Jenny
>
> _______________________________________________
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>

--
Raven

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