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

[Buddy Brannan]

The only school i’m aware of that formally teaches leash guiding is the Guide Dog Foundation. Jennie could speak to this in a lot more detail, but, while it’s true that you do get a lot more feedback from your harness than you do from a leash, GDF leash guiding apparently works well enough that people have used it, even in very busy situations, when their harness was out for repair or some such. I seem to recall Jenine telling me that they used small crowded shops with narrow aisles, and also a Friendlys restaurant with narrow gaps between tables, to do leash guiding in real world situations. 

Bear in mind, too, that the first guide dog harnesses were in truth not a lot more than a very stiff leash. The harness handles on those such as what Buddy I wore were made out of a rolled piece of leather, attached by a buckle at either end to the body of the harness near the shoulders. When they said “U-shaped harness handle”, it was faintly more a U shape than anything we have today, since it was really one continuous piece of leather attached at both ends. This handle was also quite long, probably closer to two feet than to the standard 18 inches. This put the dog quite a ways ahead of you, and it strikes me that your dog’s movements would have to be quite exaggerated to feel them. She (primarily they were she’s) also stopped a bit further back from curbs, for example, which meant you had to step up on her, maybe a bit ahead, to find the curb. I’d think that meant their work had to be *very* precise. Of course, it was also the habit of blind guide dog users back then to also carry a short walking cane with which he would locate those curbs and steps and what not when the dog stopped. So it was lots different, but just bear in mind, things weren’t always the way they are now. 

— 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194 
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name



> On Nov 10, 2014, at 10:53 AM, Debby Phillips via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> It's been a lot of years since ow was in college, but I would think that when out and about, even on campus, you would want to have the dog's harness handle in your hand so that you could follow the dog better.  Even if I let Neena leash guide in the back yard, I can't follow her as well.  I can't react as quickly to sudden movements that she would make when she has to swerve to avoid an object or person.  It isn't a matter of whether the dog is recognized as a guide or not.  The harness is there in order to give us the best information possible.  Otherwise we would all just be issued leashes.     Peace,    Debby and Neena
> 
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