[nagdu] When To Relieve

[Daryl Marie]

Elise, you have been given some good suggestions here.

When I first trained with Jenny, and in the first 3-4 months of our working relationship, I worked from 1:00 to 9:00PM.  I took her out before morning training (usually about 6:30), then before we did training walks (9:00AM), then before getting in to work.  Then I would take her out at my lunch break (usually around 5:00), then after work (about 9:30).  This worked for us for a while, and Jenny only had one accident in the house (she went #2 near the cat litter box).  Only a handful of times, Jenny would have to relieve outside the schedule; I learned very quickly the sound she makes which means "Take me out, NOW!"

When I changed jobs and work schedules, I more or less kept the same relieving schedule, though it is a bit more flexible.  If we are working more, she tends to have to relieve more, so I give her more opportunities to relieve.  I also can feel in her harness the need to go - a move I have dubbed the "pee walk" - and she will also angle me gently toward grass or snowbanks if the need is urgent while we are out and about.

In the evening, if the weather is particularly bad (raining in particular), Jenny will take one step outside and decide that it's not worth relieving, and come back inside.  Occasionally the morning after this happens, my husband will take her out at 5:00 AM before he leaves for work, but only if she gets up with him and indicates she has to go.

Some dogs require a more rigid schedule than others, and that's not a bad thing.  But Occasionally a dog will have to go outside the schedule; if the dog indicates that she has to go, and is relieving immediately, I wouldn't worry about it.  Also, I did home training, and I found the transition and training period did somewhat stress my dog, and relieving more frequently was a good thing for us.

Good luck!

Daryl

----- Original Message ----- From: Marianne Denning via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> To: Elise Berkley <bravaegf at hotmail.com>, NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org> Sent: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 07:37:48 -0700 (MST) Subject: Re: [nagdu] When To Relieve  The only thing related to this I was told at Leader Dogs was that they discouraged going out during the middle of the night. They never said anything about changing the dog's schedule. If you are an early riser I would adjust her schedule to meet that. Just try to be as consistent as possible. That is not an absolute either. On 2/26/15, Elise Berkley via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote: > Hey, everyone. I need help. My trainers have Becky on a very tight > relieving schedule. Her first time to go, by them, is 7:00 a.m.. I feed > her, water her, then relieve her. I am a very early riser, and I took her > out earlier than 7:00 a.m. But, by her actions, she had to go and she went > immediately when I took her out. They told me not to do this because we did > not want her out of schedule and she could hold it. > > The same thing happened this morning. I got up at about 5:00 a.m. My > husband told me she had to go out. I told him what they said and I was > going to have her wait. But, I really do not like doing that to her. When > I took her out, she did #2 again immediately. > > It seems inhumane to make her wait to go when I know she has to go because > of a schedule. Please give me input on this because I am a first timer > here. > Thanks and happy guide dogging. > > Elise and Becky > _______________________________________________ > nagdu mailing list > nagdu at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > nagdu: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com >  -- Marianne Denning, TVI, MA Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired (513) 607-6053 _______________________________________________ nagdu mailing list nagdu at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/crazymusician%40shaw.ca