[nagdu] Where's your leash?

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Jenine,

Learning that on the fly with a wild and wily poodle pup was quite the
trick.  Especially since the loss of feeling and coordination in my arms and
hands meant I could drop the leash and not know it.  Mitzi never did go on a
rampage or get into trouble, but I used to have the most amazing nightmares
about her bouncing around at some dignified affair gettng into everything,
raiding the kitchens, pillaging the luggage for treats...  OMG!  And yes, I
still stand on the leash.  Her down stay is getting pretty decent, but just
in case....  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jenine Stanley
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 4:04 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: [nagdu] Where's your leash?

OK, this is one of those stories old fart guide dog handlers tell about the
bad old days. 

My first class, at Pilot and then again first class at GDF featured
instructors who were vicious about you knowing where your dog was, and hence
where your leash was. Before we got the dogs, at Pilot anyway, we had to
carry our leashes around with us and keep track of them. There are a couple
trainers at Pilot who can sneak a leash and/or dog away from you without a
sound or touch. It's scary. I've also watched while one of them coaxed a
fellow student's large female Dobe out from under his chair while he
snoozed. That dog  crept out without touching his legs and crawled along the
floor. 

If you forgot your leash or if you were unlucky enough to have it sneaked
away, you owed a nickel. Fines went up as time went on. There were also
fines for missing dogs during that first class. I think only one person had
his dog spirited away. 

What this taught us was that you pay attention to where your dog and leash
are at all times. Now this did get a little out of control with some fairly
humiliating exchanges and tears from one person which were totally
unnecessary. 

At GDf it was a little tamer, no fines and no pushing it to the humiliation
level, but you'd still better be aware of that leash and dog, lest they
suddenly be gone. 

I've heard over the years of things like this rigid teaching of dog
awareness going too far and becoming spiteful nasty ways for trainers at
some schools to tease people. That said, I'll put on my old fart hat and say
I'm glad it was drilled into me when it was and I think a little more of
that kind of dog awareness emphasis would not hurt people. 

 Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com


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