[NAGDU] New equipment! YEEEEEHAAAAAAA!!!!!

[d m gina]

I did sit her down at the curb this evening before I got into the cab again.
This was a different place, where I felt if I do this for awhile she 
will get the hint.
Thanks for being kind.
Wishing you the best.

Original message:
> Hey,
> I'm not sure how long you have had your guide. I am going on 2 1/2 
> years with my guide. We still have our challenges so don't feel like 
> you're alone.
> I think it is interesting that someone told you to wait until she was 
> three, it was around onyxes third birthday… maybe a few months after, 
> we just matched at that point… It was like she tries not being as 
> distracted as before.
> Neither her or I are perfect so we have our areas that we could improve 
> in but things will get easier the longer you have your guide.
> Do not let other people get to you because that will ruin your ability 
> to train her properly.
> I am sorry that you fell on the curb. What have you tried to stop her 
> from doing what she does? I find that if onyx gets distracted, are 
> usually have her sit for a second and calm down. I correct her 
> beforehand though with a leash/verbal correction.
> Keep doing what you believe is best.

>> On Nov 19, 2016, at 17:31, d m gina via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

>> Why is it called a sports harness, do you like it better than the regular one.
>> My dog gets to a place and nose goes on the ground or carpet in a building.
>> I try to stop her but that is out of the question until she thinks she 
>> is done to see if there is anything for her to pick up first.
>> I had a person walk away because they didn't like the way I was 
>> training the dog.
>> Using anything over the nose just doesn't work, I am not strong enough 
>> to fight her.
>> She knows this.
>> She also doesn't listen to the the prong collar, she feels when she is 
>> good and ready to listen she does.
>> We do everything that is sugested.
>> My husband feels this lady here in town is to expensive.
>> The other day I twisted my ankle falling off a curb because we wanted 
>> to visit with the uber driver.
>> I screamed was worried my face would hit the car, glad it didn't.
>> She got truly corrected.
>> When wwalking and someone comes by on the left side sniffing is what you do.
>> I even take my knee and bump her on the side to get her back to working 
>> mode again.
>> I was told to get a smaller collar as I did, but all that does is when 
>> correcting she gets it that she needs to stop doing what she was told to stop.
>> Where I will stop when I am ready.
>> She gets lots of loving playing when we can play outside, quite cold now.
>> We also play in the house to get rid of energy.
>> I am told give her to three she will grow up really?
>> What happens when she turns four loll.
>> on a one to one she is good, she wants to do what ever I request.
>> So I love reading this stuff to see if there is just one more thing 
>> that I could buy that would help me out.
>> Now I know one shouldn't call the dog a bad name, trust me, when I 
>> landed on the ankel I echoed all the way down the block.
>> A couple came by thinking that the driver pushed me down, where he didn't.
>> I am afraid of curbs and steps for this reason.
>> Ok my rant is over, I am sure I will be blamed for all of it and that is fine.
>> Until the shoes I wear are walked in, the blame can't be all of me, and 
>> I don't give up I will keep trying.

>> Original message:
>>> Buddy:
>>> thanks for sharing  this, and i need to check out that harness:)
>>> hoping your well, and keep the wonderful work up!

>>>> On Nov 19, 2016, at 6:37 AM, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

>>>> Posted to Hilde's blog yesterday. Feel free to share. I'm happy to too 
>>>> Julie's horn for her :-) (since she sort of can't on this list...) No 
>>>> financial interest and all that jazz.

>>>> New Equipment! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA!!!!

>>>> November 18, 2016
>>>> We interrupt this streak of not posting anything with a post.

>>>> Ooh…a post? Really? Maybe I’ll post about our trip to the NFBP 
>>>> convention next, but this isn’t that post.

>>>> Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten some gear from Julie Johnson, 
>>>> whose site can be found at http://guide-and-service-dogs.com/. Besides 
>>>> useful information, Julie manufactures a line of some dead useful 
>>>> things at really good prices. You can also buy from Amazon if you like, 
>>>> as she sells there. I’ve gotten a few of them that I’d like to talk about.

>>>> I’ll briefly mention the first aid kit, which doesn’t appear to be on 
>>>> her site. It’s a handy zippered bag full of, surprisingly, first aid 
>>>> supplies. There are bandages, ointment, vet wrap, and an emergency 
>>>> blanket. It’s a handy size to stash either in your home or in your 
>>>> luggage for travel.

>>>> Next, the collar bells are a pretty good idea for keeping track of your 
>>>> dog around the house, so that s/he will (theoretically) stay out of 
>>>> trouble. Julie sent me a set in trade for an honest review, and then 
>>>> Amazon changed their review rules. Still, I’ll happily give an honest 
>>>> review for them anyway. These are just your standard jingle bells on a 
>>>> nylon strap with side release buckle. The set comes with three sizes: 
>>>> one set with two very small bells, a medium sized bell, and a larger 
>>>> bell, each on its own strap. These would be great for a fairly quiet 
>>>> indoor environment. The bells aren’t very loud, so they wouldn’t be 
>>>> appropriate for outdoor use. The strap is only a couple inches long, 
>>>> with the plastic side release buckle closure, sort of like the buckles 
>>>> that snap your backpack together. Be aware, however, that these buckles 
>>>> are very small, so if you have dexterity issues, you may have trouble 
>>>> with them. The set I have is not adjustable, but Julie is thinking 
>>>> about making some that can be shortened if necessary. These would be 
>>>> most appropriate on a flat collar; just put the strap around the width 
>>>> of the collar and close, letting them hang down. I don’t think these 
>>>> would work very well with a slip collar, though they might with a 
>>>> martingale collar. I can usually hear these, when Fiona isn’t barking 
>>>> loudly, or if Hilde is not in stealth mode, so they’re pretty handy. 
>>>> I’d probably get louder bells, just because we have some loud household 
>>>> members, but it wouldn’t matter a lot, because this dog can move 
>>>> unbelievably quietly.

>>>> There are two things that a guide dog user must have. OK, three. One is 
>>>> a collar of some kind. Hilde wears both a flat collar, for tags, and a 
>>>> training collar, either a toggle collar or a prong collar, depending. 
>>>> Julie has flat collars and martingale collars, but I don’t have either 
>>>> one of those. I do have a collar with Hilde’s name and my phone number 
>>>> on it, in case she gets lost. This collar also has reflective stuff on 
>>>> it. I have a link somewhere if anyone’s interested.

>>>> But the other two things that a guide dog handler really has to have 
>>>> are a leash and a harness. Julie makes both out of quality nylon 
>>>> webbing. We’re most of us used to leather, and leather is really nice. 
>>>> I have a leather harness as well, and it’s great. Durable, classy, 
>>>> practical, fairly easy to maintain. Nylon, however, also has 
>>>> advantages. It’s light weight and even easier to clean, and don’t 
>>>> forget, it’s also inexpensive. I’ve used a nylon harness over the past 
>>>> six or seven years on and off. I like them especially for these Erie 
>>>> winters with all the dirt and grit and road salt and heavens only know 
>>>> what. So really, don’t discount the nylon.

>>>> First, the leash. You can get any length you like. I prefer shorter 
>>>> leashes, such as the Seeing Eye uses, about four feet long when in its 
>>>> extended long leash length. However, you can get one that’s 5 or 6 feet 
>>>> if you prefer.

>>>> Julie does something kind of neat, for which I will take at least 
>>>> partial credit. I say partial because I think there’s a school that 
>>>> does the same thing, but I can’t remember which one.

>>>> I’m lazy. So last year, when Hilde was a pup, I called Handcraft 
>>>> Collars to ask if they could make me some guide dog leashes out of 
>>>> tubular nylon. I had to describe what I wanted. So, instead of the 
>>>> usual arrangement where you can hook to one ring for a short leash, 
>>>> towards the bottom snap, and another ring near the top, for a long 
>>>> leash, I just had Debbie put in one ring at the bottom, to make a short 
>>>> leash, while leaving a standard handle with the bolt snap strung on the 
>>>> end of the handle. That way, all you have to do to get a long leash is 
>>>> disconnect from the bottom ring. Several months later, I told Julie 
>>>> about that, she said, “Hey, why didn’t I think of that?”, and thus, the 
>>>> Quick Convert Service Dog Leash was born.

>>>> I now have one of those, too. It’s a little heavier than the ones from 
>>>> Handcraft. Still, the stitching is quality, as is the hardware. Rather 
>>>> than a standard ring, Julie uses a D-ring. The bolt snaps are heavy 
>>>> duty ones, thicker than the ones on my Handcraft leashes. She uses 
>>>> nylon webbing, which is a bit grippier than the very slippery tubular 
>>>> nylon is, as well as a bit wider. Actually, the 3/4 inch width is as 
>>>> close to perfect as it gets. It’s good stuff, and I highly recommend 
>>>> these, and not just because it was sort of my lazy idea. Sort of. I 
>>>> stole it from somewhere else. Southeastern maybe?

>>>> Finally, the harness. I’m a budding guide dog equipment nerd. I love 
>>>> guide dog equipment. I’d love to see all sorts of different harness 
>>>> designs. Even so, I have very definite opinions on what makes a good 
>>>> harness. Of course, it has to be as comfortable as possible for the 
>>>> dog. Ease of putting on and taking off is desirable. A removable handle 
>>>> is a definite plus, and, while I wouldn’t say I’d never have a harness 
>>>> without a removable handle, I’ll always take a removable handle over a 
>>>> fixed handle. One thing that’s an absolute deal breaker, however, is 
>>>> the martingale strap. Ever since I got my first Seeing Eye dog, I have 
>>>> gotten very spoiled by this seemingly simple extra strap that runs 
>>>> between the dog’s front legs, from the belly strap to the chest strap 
>>>> in whatever configuration. Besides giving the dog more to pull into, 
>>>> the extra strap stabilizes the harness’s movement from side to side (so 
>>>> it doesn’t move so much), and makes it harder for your dog to 
>>>> accidentally back out of the harness.

>>>> The Sports Style Guide Harness meets all of these requirements. This is 
>>>> the second harness of this design that I’ve owned, and Julie has made 
>>>> some improvements. It’s made with wide 2-inch nylon straps and comes in 
>>>> several different colors. For Hilde, I got it in blue. The harness 
>>>> straps are padded to make it more comfortable for the dog to wear. 
>>>> You’ll notice right away that the design of the harness is different 
>>>> from most guide dog schools. Instead of one strap that goes around the 
>>>> chest from one side of the dog to the other, the harness is made with 
>>>> two straps that run from the back strap, over the dog’s shoulders, and 
>>>> meeting in the center of the dog’s chest at the breastbone. The 
>>>> martingale strap then runs back from this juncture, such that the three 
>>>> straps form something like a print letter Y. You’ll also notice the 
>>>> absence of handle stabilizing loops, or “bunny ears” that are present 
>>>> on most American harnesses. This isn’t nearly as scary as you might 
>>>> suppose. While it does afford the opportunity for more freedom of 
>>>> movement for the dog, the new handle has a much more rigid connection 
>>>> with the harness, so the handle really isn’t in a lot of danger of 
>>>> flipping up too high as it could with the previous PVC handle. Anyway, 
>>>> since there are no loops, there’s less bulk, and less bulk for your dog 
>>>> to have to lie on, which sounds a lot more comfortable. The belly strap 
>>>> is adjustable with a sliding buckle, and closes at the right side with 
>>>> a plastic side release buckle of the sort that you’d use to close a 
>>>> backpack. This buckle is quite large and sturdy.

>>>> The handle, as I said, is an improvement over the previous generation. 
>>>> The new handles are made of a flat metal stock wrapped in nylon. It is 
>>>> removable, attaching to the harness with plastic side release buckles. 
>>>> Don’t let that put you off, however; I’ve used a harness with similar 
>>>> handle attachments for a while with no problems. The buckles are sturdy 
>>>> and I’ve never had one disconnect during travel. Julie has also put a 
>>>> comfortable rubber handgrip on the handle, with finger grooves in the 
>>>> front. It’s a very comfortable grip, even for a dog with quite a bit of 
>>>> pull. I'd maybe prefer a bit more of a rounded grip, maybe a little 
>>>> padding under the grip, but even with that, I like it. You’ll have 
>>>> absolutely no trouble following your dog due to “sloppy” handle 
>>>> connections, because the connections are definitely not sloppy and 
>>>> don’t have excessive play in them at all. Highly recommended, 
>>>> especially for the price.

>>>> Anyway, if you’re owner training, or if you just need or want 
>>>> alternative equipment, give these a look. You won’t be sorry.

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







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





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>> --
>> --Dar
>> skype: dmgina23
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>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>> every saint has a past
>> every sinner has a future
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