[nagdu] wearing a harness.

[Daryl Marie]

Completely agree, Cindy.  I can understand having a different handle or something similar if you have difficulty gripping a traditional harness handle, but it would make identifying guide dogs much much easier if guide dogs would wear their harness - whatever style - in public.

I have Jenny in harness in public, but sometimes in tight spaces I put down the harness handle and hold the leash toward the middle (at the spot where the harness handle would be).  This allows us to take corners much more smoothly, and also actually helps in restaurants where she might be tempted to scavenge for ground candy.  I also often do this if she is pulling quite hard and not obeying commands to slow down (drop the handle and grip the leash close to the collar), which makes it impossible to speed up... and this ultimately translates in to slowing down once I pick up the harness handle again.

If I am in a VERY familiar place, like at work, Jenny will often not be in harness except if we are entering the building at the beginning of the day or leaving at the end; if I take her outside to relieve, she is never in harness.  We never did formal leash guiding, but it is something that she just does.  When we were in training, I took her to work wearing her "in training" jacket, kept her at a heel, and used my cane.  She would still stop at steps, curbs, point out bus stops, doors, etc.  I would never ever ever cross a busy street while having her leash-guiding, but she still uses her guide dog training - admittedly slightly more distracted - - if she's on a simple on-leash walk.

Daryl
----- Original Message -----
From: Cindy Ray via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: 'Vivianna' <irishana at gmail.com>, 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 06:53:34 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: [nagdu] wearing a harness.

Viviana, I agree with you that the dogs should wear their harnesses when
they are guiding in public places. I think your vision there is a little on
the dramatic side. Not sure that most of these people are handing out treats
to their pets while leash guiding. But I do think that even if we are
allowed to take our guide without harness, it is better clarification for
the rest of the public and that it is the more respectful thing to do with
respect to the law. We don't have to show IDs, we don't have to have the dog
in harness, and we don't have to say much about what the dog does. I do
think though that if we were to get into a habit of taking the dog around
just in leash, since so many people are bent on having their pets with them,
and since sometimes it may be a little hard anyway to determine who is a pet
and who is a service dog, the time will come when we will have to have the
dogs in their harness/gear and will have to show id. Of course the time may
come when you can just take your pet anywhere, too, so the opposite could
happen.

Cindy


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vivianna via
nagdu
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2014 7:47 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] wearing a harness.

OK, it may not be the law that a guide dog has to wear a harness however, i
respectfully strongly disagree that folks should just take their dogs around
on a leash in public.  
i am a college graduate myself and spent 4 years on a university campus
working my dog, in harness.  it's a huge place with, traffic, busses,
stairs, ramps, bicycles, paths going off in all directions, etc.  i often
had to walk a mile between classes and, sometimes had to take a bus to the
next class.
all of us on here know that, the public recognizes a guide dog by the
harness.
we are encountering more and more folks taking their pets around and saying
that they are service dogs.
allowing your dog to act like a pet during guide work is, IMO, not helping
those of us who use our dogs as guides.  
guiding on a leash, while possible, is not the recommended way to work a
guide dog.  just ask any school.
you can most definitely not feel the movements of the dog nearly as well as
in a harness.
man, all i can envision is a bunch of folks deciding that harnessing up is
not necessary.  next thing, i will be in a store or restaurant, or, even at
a national convention with a bunch of dogs, guides or not, on leashes, their
owners feeding them treats and never giving them a correction for anything.
yuck!

i am proud to be a woman with a harnessed up guide at my side; Vivianna


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