[NAGDU] Your fun not so good for your dog

[joy.relton at icloud.com]

Oh that must have been scary to experience. Our son and daughter-in-law's dogs have managed to find some edibles and they had to watch them carefully. I carry a gentle lead in my pocket and, whenever a certain little lab tries to sniff and doesn't stop with the second verbal correction I show her the gentle lead and say "you have two choices" If she doesn't stop that gentle lead goes on and I have little trouble after that. She is quick to remind me if we get to the end of the block and she is behaving herself that she'd like to have it off and have another chance please. This was suggested to me by Lea Johnson when she talked to me about one of my earlier dogs. For me it works. It's a bit like counting to three. Our kids got smart with the counting, but they knew if we got to three and they hadn't stopped what they were doing or made a better choice there would be consequences. Gentle firmness and consistency takes all of the frustration and fight out of it. 

Fortunately, my dogs haven't ever picked anything like that up but, now that we live in the Portland Oregon area it is more likely than some areas so I am alert. The funniest thing that I ever experienced was with my first dog. We arrived at the down curb and she stopped beautifully but didn't respond to the "good girl, Vicki, forward". My trainer said "look at her mouth. Vicki was standing there with a stick between her paws and she was sort of twisting it back and forth showing me that she'd like to play fetch please.  

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Lyn Gwizdak via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 6:23 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Lyn Gwizdak <gwizdaklyn at gmail.com>; Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Your fun not so good for your dog

Tracy,
I remember back in the 1970s someone's dog got and ate almost an ounce of pot. She worried there would be harm done from all that pot. She took the dog to the vet and the dog was fine but slept for hours afterwards. That was the days we had mostly homegrown with no additives like today. Now they get stuff laced with PCP or even Fentenyl. Fortunately, none of my dogs showed any interest in pot or even cigarette butts that people throw on the sidewalks.

We do have to be mindful of what our dogs do with their heads while working. That is what the Gentle Leader or other headcollars are issued for! Ari hasn't worn his in years. He showed me with his behavior that he didn't need it.

Lyn and Aristotle

On Thu, Mar 14, 2024, 4:24 PM Tracy Carcione via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> I just saw a bit from the big animal hospital in New York City warning 
> that magic mushrooms are not good for your dog.  No big surprise, but 
> I mention it.  Neither is marijuana.
>
> I had a big panic one day at work.  My scavenging dog must have picked 
> up some pot somewhere along the way into the office.  By the time we 
> arrived, he was staggering.  My coworker helped me get a taxi to the emergency vet.
> I had to carry him out of the building and into the vet.  He had to 
> spend the day there, getting fluids and being monitored.  Luckily for 
> both of us, he was fine later, and, luckily for me, the hospital gives 
> free care to service animals or I would have been out a bundle.
>
> Many people I tell this story to think it's funny.  I was not 
> laughing.  I was very afraid that he had picked up some poison meant 
> for pigeons or rats.
> It was no fun for either of us.
>
> These drugs are becoming more common, so I warn y'all, be careful as 
> you can be that your dog doesn't get any.
>
> I often smell pot on my block, and I always worry that my silly dog 
> will pick some up again.
>
> Tracy
>
>
>
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