[nagdu] issue with guide dog eating snow that is fresh

Nicole Torcolini ntorcolini at wavecable.com
Sun Jan 4 05:28:33 UTC 2015


The only affect that fresh, clean snow will have is making the dog need to
urinate  more if too much is consumed. If you allow your dog to eat snow,
you need to make it where she will stop on command because you do not need
her eating dirty snow that may have chemicals. Given that this was her first
time and she did not know any better, I would say that you may have been a
bit harsh. Most dogs absolutely love snow, and, if they grew up where there
is some but not a lot, then they go absolutely crazy in it. If you can
tolerate being out in the snow for a while, I would do things to get her
used to it, such as doing obedience in the snow. You could do something
where you let her eat it for a minute or so, then, with something more
tempting than snow, such as a treat, you get her to stop. Praise and reward.
Also, in terms of corrections, I am not sure what the school taught you, but
you should really consider a few things before giving a correction:
1. Does the dog know better?
2. Is there a different way besides a correction to stop something or get
the dog to do something else?
3. Is the situation dangerous?

HTH,
Nicole

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of John Sanders via
nagdu
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2015 8:41 PM
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
Subject: [nagdu] issue with guide dog eating snow that is fresh

Hi,
I have a question:  when I was taking my guide dog outside today, she
started eating the snow off of the ground.
I gave her a leash correction.
It wsa fresh snow.
She is only a year.
Should I not allow her to do that?
Can that make her sick?
I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
John an the always beutifull, always gorgeous Mollie
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