[nagdu] Dog bonding

Raven Tolliver ravend729 at gmail.com
Sun Mar 8 01:08:02 UTC 2015


Sorry, but sometimes, you just have to be tough on people and stand up
to them. Do not let others get in the way of the bond necessary for
forming a proper partnership with your dog.
Shortly after returning to my parent's place with the Golden Guy,I got
into several arguments with my mother and repeatedly scolded my family
members for violating the rules I had clearly outlined. Having a sit
down with these people had not been enough, so when I needed to snap
at or scold them, I did. I'm sure I could have been less harsh about
it, but I wanted people to understand that the new dog was mine, and
that their delight over having a dog was far less important than the
strong bond I needed to form with my dog.
For the first two weeks, I kept my dog on leash at all times unless he
was in my bedroom with me with the door closed. No one could pet or
interact with my dog unless I said so, and no one could play with him
if I was not present.
My mother violated my rules several times, petting and talking to my
dog in-harness, and even letting my dog out of my room and out of the
house into the backyard. You'd better believe that last one made me
detonate. There was a time I had to leave my dog at home in his crate,
and my siblings told me that my mom had wanted to let him out of his
crate and play with him. Fortunately, they knew the rules and enforced
them while I was away.
Many of us deal with this on some level, the difficulty of teaching
housemates the difference between a pet and a service dog. Let your
family know the difference. Pets belong to the family, whereas your
service dog belongs to you. Your dog is not for everyone else's
entertainment and adoration. She is yours, meant to work for you, and
is always a service dog before anything else. Understand that your dog
must acknowledge you as leader, provider, and caretaker. If she needs
anything, she should come to you. Also, she must understand that you
set the rules, provide direction, and that your word is law.
-- 
Raven
You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you
have or what you do.

Naturally-reared guide dogs
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs

On 3/7/15, Shannon Dyer via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Elise,
>
> It can be difficult dealing with family members. I don't have any magical
> words of wisdom, other than to stay strong. Remember that you're the one who
> trained with your dog and you're the one she needs to work with. So, your
> wishes need to be law in terms of what the dog is or isn't allowed to do. Be
> firm with your family members. Explain why things are the way they are.
> Hopefully, they'll understand and stop interfering.
>
> Shannon and the Acelet
> On Mar 7, 2015, at 11:42 AM, Elise Berkley via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Hello, listers.  It seems I would be asking a question regarding my dog,
>> but this relates to me and Becky.  I have only had her for 2 weeks.  The
>> people in my household do not seem to realize that she is more a service
>> animal than a pet.  Becky and I are still in the bonding period (the
>> trainer said no one is only to speak to her and nothing else.  One of my
>> members gets a little upset when Becky cannot go into her room, another is
>> trying to take her out, feed her and everything else.  I do not want to
>> cause any waves or seem selfish, but I am only trying to follow what my
>> trainers have told me to do.  What do you all think?  Should I do
>> something in this situation or just keep doing what I was taught and not
>> bother with attitudes?  thanks, everyone.
>> Elise and Becky
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>
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