[NAGDU] Guide Dog Harnesses of the Past was Re: Pilot DogsHarness Question
Caitlyn Furness
caitlyn.furness at gmail.com
Mon Apr 25 18:19:31 UTC 2016
I am just repeating what I’ve read in books from the past-mostly stories of the Seeing Eye. Oh, and some general guide dog books talking about history.
Cait
> On Apr 25, 2016, at 12:01 PM, Star Gazer via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> How do we know the guide dogs from long ago had a
> real hard pull? I'm not disputing it, I just want to know how we know. Also,
> why did they have such a strong pull?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lisie Foster via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 4:05 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Lisie Foster <lisiefoster at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Guide Dog Harnesses of the Past was Re: Pilot
> DogsHarness Question
>
> This is fascinating, and not at all what I expected about the original
> harnesses.
>
> Rolled leather handles on lightweight harnesses, wow. Then you put those on
> a dog pulling like a train engine! That must've been an interesting
> experience for people on their first walks with the first guide dogs,
> *grins*, I can't imagine!
>
> Thank you so much, Caitlyn and Buddy (and that's as far as I've read the
> replies, so far).
>
> It'd be amazing to know what that would be like to use one of those
> harnesses (and dogs!).
>
> Lisie and Finn
> lisiefoster at yahoo.com
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Apr 22, 2016, at 6:56 PM, Star Gazer via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>>
>> I'd love that! I also would love to feel how a guide dog
>> from long ago guided compared to one today.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of S L Johnson
>> via NAGDU
>> Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 6:34 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: S L Johnson <SLJohnson25 at comcast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Guide Dog Harnesses of the Past was Re: Pilot
>> DogsHarness Question
>>
>> Caitlyn:
>>
>> Wouldn't it be interesting to have an exhibit of all kinds of old
>> guide dog equipment that we could feel and explore?
>>
>> Sandra
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Caitlyn Furness via NAGDU
>> Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 1:29 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Caitlyn Furness
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Guide Dog Harnesses of the Past was Re: Pilot
>> DogsHarness Question
>>
>> Lizzie,
>>
>> The older harnesses had a rigid handle, but it wasnb?Tt metal, like today.
>
>> the older handles were made of stiff leather, and the dogs back then
>> pulled like mac trucks.
>>
>> My own guide dog use only goes back 30 years, so I bet there are
>> others here who can add to thisb?& and the rigid leather handles are
>> way before my own time with guide dogs..
>>
>> Caitlyn
>>
>>> On Apr 22, 2016, at 1:03 PM, Lisie Foster via NAGDU
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thank you all so much for answering my questions, including the one
>>> about the harnesses used by Pilot Dogs.
>>>
>>> I think the difference I've been noticing is the way the "ears" on
>>> Pilot harnesses are kept closer to the harness body when compared to
>>> many other schools, the chest strap that is plain, without
>>> reflectors, as well as the white handle. Those make it look very
>>> distinct, to me, at least! I think it's a very nice looking harness, too.
>>>
>>> I had a second question along similar lines which is not specific to
>>> any guide dog school. I'm wondering, for anyone who's worked with
>>> guide dogs for many years, or for anyone who might know about it, how
>>> have guide dog harnesses changed over the years?
>>>
>>> I've read before that the original Seeing Eye harnesses were quite heavy.
>
>>> But, other than that, I don't know much about anything other than
>>> modern harnesses. I know about some recent changes, like the change
>>> to Swiss harnesses by GDB, and the inclusion of ergonomic and offset
>>> handle options at some schools.
>>>
>>> What I'd love to know is whether modern harnesses are much different
>>> from the harnesses issued 20, 30, or even 40 years or more ago, and
>>> how they're different.
>>>
>>> I don't know why, but I think this topic is interesting! I hope no
>>> one minds my questions about this. Thank you!
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Lisie and Finn ( the sleepy Golden boy )
>>>
>>> lisiefoster at yahoo.com
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Apr 20, 2016, at 12:17 PM, S L Johnson via NAGDU
>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hello Lisie:
>>>>
>>>> I will try to give you a good description. Our Pilot Dog harnesses
>>>> are made out of tan leather. The handle is covered in white vinyl
>>>> on the sides and tan leather at the top and partly down each side.
>>>> The handle does not have clips or snaps to attach it to the D-rings
>>>> on the harness body. The metal is wrapped around the ring and
>>>> tightened by using pliers. The ears are smaller than most and
>>>> attached with another rib it at the top so they stay flat against the
> back strap.
>>>> They do not flop to the side like some schools with big floppy ears.
>>>> For example. My previous guide was from GDF and I hated their huge
>>>> ears because the handle would flop off to the right side of the dogs
>>>> body and it allowed too much movement so it was harder to feel the
>>>> dog's movements, especially with a dog who had a very light to
>>>> almost no pull at all. Pilot Dogs handles are straight. They do
>>>> not use any of the other weird curved and other strange looking
>>>> handles I have seen. I know some schools have been trying out some
>>>> ergonomic handles and for years GDF used the off set handles which I
>>>> also hated so much that my trainer finally gave me a straight one with
> Tara.
>>>> The Pilot handles are a bit shorter than some schools use. For
>>>> example, I am 5 feet 3 inches tall and my little golden is about 22
>>>> inches tall. My Pilot handle is 15 inches long. When the trainer
>>>> gave it to me I thought it would be too short. However, I quickly
>>>> found that I liked it because it lets you really feel what the dog
>>>> is doing, especially with a dog like Eva who is very gentle with an
>>>> extremely light pull. The harness has a quick snap on the side so
>>>> you don't have to fool with the buckle when putting the harness on
>>>> and off. I think a lot of the schools harness bodies have this type
>>>> of clip. The Pilot harness does have two snaps across the chest
>>>> strap where you can snap in a strip of flat round prongs that
>>>> discourage a dog that is pulling too hard. For dogs like Eva who do
>>>> not pull, our harness has just a plain leather strip that snaps into
>>>> that place. There is no reflective material on the Pilot harness
>>>> body or handle. I have heard of some graduates who have applied
>>>> reflective tape over the vinyl sides of the handle. The Pilot Dog
>>>> leashes are also different from any others I have seen. They are
>>>> almost a foot longer with a snap and adjustable buckle that are used
>>>> to form a muzzle if it is ever necessary. I don't like the leash so
>>>> I ordered a guide dog style leash from a pet supply company that
>>>> sells service dog equipment. I hope this gives you an idea of what
>>>> the Pilot Dog harness looks like. It is interesting to compare the
>>>> equipment that the schools use. I am also sure there are many
>>>> opinions of what trainers and graduates like and dislike when it
>>>> comes to the harnesses and handles.
>>>>
>>>> Sandra and Eva
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Lisie Foster via NAGDU
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 10:18 PM
>>>> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
>>>> Cc: Lisie Foster
>>>> Subject: [NAGDU] Pilot Dogs Harness Question
>>>>
>>>> Hello, again! OK this is my last post for today, *smiles*!
>>>>
>>>> If anyone on the list has or has had a dog from Pilot Dogs, I was
>>>> wondering if you'd be willing to describe what their harnesses look
>>>> like and what makes them different from other schools' harnesses?
>>>>
>>>> I know that they are made to accommodate a clip-on chest piece, that
>>>> they have a white handle with a leather grip, but other than that, I
>>>> can't quite figure out why they seem so different.
>>>>
>>>> Are the stabilizing bunny ears attached differently? They seem
>>>> different, somehow, perhaps closer to the body of the harness. Also,
>>>> is there any reflective material on their harnesses at all?
>>>>
>>>> Despite Pilot harnesses being the ones I've seen most often, since
>>>> we live not too far from the school, I've never been able to figure
>>>> out what it is that makes them so distinct from the other schools'
>>>> harnesses (like TSE, GDF, etc.).
>>>>
>>>> Also, I love Pilot's leashes. I really wish I knew someone who sold
>>>> them to the public, because I'd buy one in a second! I like the fact
>>>> that they're adjustable and are quite a bit longer than most guide
>>>> dog leashes. The leash I'm currently using is a typical guide dog
>>>> style leash, but is *much* longer, being seven feet long from one
>>>> end of the leather to the other. I believe Pilot's leashes are about
>>>> six feet long.
>>>>
>>>> If there are any Pilot graduates who might be willing to answer, I'd
>>>> appreciate it so much. I love the look of Pilot's harnesses, yet
>>>> can't exactly figure out what makes them so distinct.
>>>>
>>>> You can email me off-list, too, at lisiefoster @ yahoo.com. Thank
>>>> you all, again!
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> Lisie and Finn, the Buckeyes
>>>>
>>>> Lisie and Finn
>>>> lisiefoster at yahoo.com
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>>>
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