[nagdu] How often does a dog have to work?

Nicole Torcolini ntorcolini at wavecable.com
Sun Nov 9 01:36:18 UTC 2014


When you ask how often a dog needs to work, are you asking how often a dog
needs to do guide work and/or how often a dog needs exercise? As far as
exercise, your dog needs exercise almost every day, particularly a young
lab. If labs do not exercise almost daily, they tend to get pent up energy
and then start running around the house like crazy. Exercise does not have
to be in the form of guide work. How often a dog has to do guide work really
depends. Lexia had to take a few weeks off last year after surgery, and I do
not recall having to do any major retraining with her. Most dogs, even if
they do not work for a few weeks, will not forget how to guide, but they
might need some reminders on the more difficult parts of guide work, such as
avoiding overhead obstacles. Note that, even if a dog is working, if the dog
does not encounter particular situations very often, the dog may need some
reminders.
	I would not worry about giving your dog one day a week off. Dogs do
not really have a concept of weeks, and they do not view guide work the same
way that humans view their jobs. I think that most of us who have guide dogs
do not work seven days a week, so our dogs will not always be going out with
us seven days a week. Yes, we go places on weekends, but you don't have to
let your dog have a weekend day off. You will be able to tell if your dog
needs a day off, which probably will not happen very often at this point.
Labs, particularly young ones, usually do not tire easily, and, if they do,
it is gone by the next morning.

Nicole

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of debby phillips
via nagdu
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2014 1:41 PM
To: Lisa; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users;
nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] How often does a dog have to work?

Hey Lisa, great question.  Every dog is different of course, so it may
depend on your individual dog, and certainly if you have an injury and you
are in pain walking or need time for an ankle, knee or leg to heal, you
should do that.  I try to do something every day, even if it's not walking a
huge distance.  But I do give my dog one total day off a week if I can.  I
need a day off from routine, so I figure my dog might, too.  In the winter
my dogs have probably gotten less work, especially since I live on the east
side of Washington state where there's snow and ice.  I didn't grow up with
snow and ice, mostly rain and cold, and I must say that the older I get the
more anxious ice, especially makes me.  And yes, I know, I can get things to
put on my shoes but that doesn't make me any less anxious.

I get depressed if I'm indoors too much, so even when I don't feel like
getting out there in the cold bluster of winter I make myself do it because
it does make me feel better.  Something about endorphins I think.  (Grin).
Sorry for the ramble in 
trying to answer your question.    Peace,    Debby and Neena

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