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

d m gina dmgina at sero.email
Sun Nov 20 15:17:02 UTC 2016


Now would a hands free leash help me control the head,
I am sure if I had this controling head, this would help me with her.
Even in a healing walking with me, she will pull to her hardest to get 
to what she is wishing to do.
Even when hand is near the collar.
Just some thoughts.
I am really happy with what I bought from you Julie.
You have been so kind to me, I want to thank you for it.

Original message:
> Thanks for the awesome review Buddy!It means a lot to me to know that my
> products are what people want and they are making a difference in people's
> lives.

> I've tried to answer all the questions I saw in all the responses, but if I
> forgot something please ask.  I didn't intend to leave anything out.

> The school that has leather leashes in the same configuration as the Quick
> Convert style is Leader.   I've been using this style since Buddy explained
> it to me  about a year ago and it's my new favorite!  You wouldn't think
> such a small change would be all that much, but for me it's made my life
> simpler. You can order from Amazon here:
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LBN0E5U

> I named the Sport Style Harness  because I wanted it to be like tennis
> shoes, meaning I wanted it to flex with the body, be extremely comfortable,
> padded and form fitted.  When I think of tennis shoes I think of sports and
> outdoor activities, so it became the Sport Style Guide Harness.  Also I'm
> not good at naming things, note my company name is On The Go and you see the
> pattern. *smile*

> The current in stock Sport Harnesses are 1.5 inches wide, not 2.  I can make
> a harness in 1, 1.5 or 2 wide though.  I will need: height, weight, breed
> and girth measurement of the dog.  The girth is the circumference of the
> widest part of the rib cage, behind the front legs, about where the belly
> strap is going to be.  Usually with those measurements I can get the correct
> size.  If the measurements are different than what I'm used to seeing or if
> the dog is a breed I'm unfamiliar with or a mix I may need additional
> measurements, but that's pretty seldom.  I guarantee the fit, so if it's not
> to your liking, let me know and I'll exchange it or make alterations until
> it's right.   I do keep an assortment of sizes and colors of the Sport style
> harness in stock and ready to ship.  However I can make a custom harness for
> you, if you need an odd size, a different style or if you had your heart set
> on yellow or some color I don't have.  They are on sale right now, through
> December 15 for $127, then they will be back to their regular price of $147.
> This is ready to ship harnesses only.
> You can go here for more info about the harnesses:
> http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com/products/sport-style-guide-dog-harness/

> I make a bunch of other products and purchase some things wholesale.  Here's
> an overview:
> relieving harnesses
> hands free leashes
> collar bells
> door bells
> multi dog leashes, used for walking multiple dogs at once
> over the harness sweaters
> first aid kits
> tie downs
> standard service dog leashes
> all sorts of collars
> pick up baggie roll holder
> collapsible travel bowls, in larger size than usual
> my book in large print or Kindle
> A lot of these things are currently on sale, until December 15.  Go here to
> see prices:
> http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com/sales-and-specials/
> Some things have been sold and I need to update the page.

> If you're ready to order or have questions you can reach me by email at:
> julielj at neb.rr.com
> or by phone, facetime or instant message  at:
> 402-363-8997
> I'm in central time and take calls from about 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

> Julie
> New lowered price on my book:
> Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Buddy Brannan via NAGDU
> Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2016 8:37 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Buddy Brannan
> Subject: [NAGDU] New equipment! YEEEEEHAAAAAAA!!!!!

> 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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