[NAGDU] Shopping with a guide dog and indoor relieving?

[David]

Good questions, all. See my interlineal answers

*David in Clearwater, FL*
*david at bakerinet.com*
On 6/4/2019 7:15 AM, Sandra Gayer via NAGDU wrote:
> where is the shopping going to go? How do I carry it?
Shopping bag, cart, or backpack.
> Has anyone had good, or bad, experienceswith pull along cases/trolleys? Pulling behind you or in front of you?
When traveling, I use a 4 wheel hard-sided trolley pull-along that can 
tilt and be used like a two-wheeler. In a supermarket or big-box store, 
I use the grocery carts and try to pull them along beside me by holding 
onto the front side of the basket. This is often too wide for other 
people and the aisles. Claire does not account for the extra width when 
guiding. I use a hand-carry basket that some stores have at the entrance 
when I won't have too much stuff. There are problems, of course. If you 
pull the cart behind you, it can creep up and give you a nasty bump on 
your heel. In all cases, except when using a backpack, when your right 
hand is in use, it is difficult to correct your pup effectively and 
quickly. You can sense through the harness handle when your pup drops to 
pickup food on the floor.  If you are quick enough, you can do a harness 
correction.
> Backpacks? This last would be worse and could do damage if I fell but I cold be wrong about this.
Actually, I think the opposite is true. If you can twist as you fall, 
you can land on the backpack - won't help with the damaged goods you 
fall on, though. This is by far the most comfortable way for me to shop. 
I just put the backpack on the moving belt when I check out. I then find 
an empty register to repack items from the bags into the back pack. 
Aldi's has a packing area just beyond the cash registers.
> if the weather is bad, how do you get the dog to relieve indoors or at least undercover where there's no grass?

I don't. Claire will not relieve indoors. Think about it, this is 
actually a good thing. If there is no grass, she has been trained to 
relieve at the curb. Airports are a problem for us. She absolutely will 
not go into the indoor relieving areas. No amount of coaxing, rewarding, 
or commanding will work. If we have a connection, I need to plan enough 
time to exit, relieve, and return through security.

Keep asking questions, Sandra. Answers and support are why we are all 
here. I learn something on this list almost every day.