[nagdu] Following up-Monty

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Julie,

Great to hear.  Your high-energy guy should start showing some real maturity
to add to all the training over the next few months.  And year, really.  I
used to wonder why people would be so excited to announce that their dog
just turned 3.  Now that mine is all of 3 and a quarter, I get it. /grin/
The onset of adulthood is a wonderful thing.

Keep up the good work.  The fair sounds fun and a good exercise.  I'll have
to look for something like that to take Mitzi to this fall.  She absolutely
adores critters and assumes they adore her back.  So she could use some more
exposure.  Don't know how she would do with llamas, but we did go buy a
nearby stables this spring, where she discovered peacocks!  OMG!  I ended up
tying the leash so tightly around my wrist, I wasn't sure I would get it off
again before my hand fell off...  And a couple of times, I just had to lean
back and sit down to keep her from ddragging me after her newfound buddies.
For a 50 pound dog, she can really get a pull on if she wants something.
She hadn't done that in forever, or so much.  I had chaotic and highly
colorful visions of her getting away from me and chasing the peacocks
through the horses, so was highly motivated to keep a grip on her.
According to DD, who has met peacocks, it wasn't the horses we had to worry
about.  Anyway, a fair would be a good idea.  With halti, this time!  /lol/

Keep up the good work with Monty!

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie J
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 2:08 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Following up-Monty

Tracy and all,

Excellent idea!  I can't remember what questions/issues I've posted to this 
list, so here's an update on Monty.

I've had Monty now for just over a year.  I think he was several months 
younger than I thought when I got him.  My new best guess (and the vet's) is

that he is currently about 21 months old.   He's got all the basic guide 
things down now.  Just in the last week or so he's finally figured out 
overhead obstacles.  We had to work on that for forever.  I was losing hope 
that he would ever get it, but the lightbulb finally turned on.  We are 
working on getting experience in lots of different situations before I 
declare him finished or graduated or whatever.

Oh and I need to work some more on traffic with him.  I think he's good to 
go, but I want to make sure.  There are lots of incidental things I want to 
teach him...find a seat, trash can, follow etc, but I will add those later.

He went to the state fair with me this year.  He was very good, not perfect,

but I am very pleased with his behavior.  He had no issues with the masses 
of people, food all over the place, horses, cows, well behaved dogs, 
marching bands, owls, people petting uninvited and all the other craziness 
that is the fair.  He was not fond of the rides.  I think because he viewed 
them like traffic that was moving in our direction.  I think if I had more 
time to let him see that they only go in circles that he would have been 
more at ease.  He was wide eyed at the llamas.  And he is still wanting to 
socialize with dogs who show interest in doing so.  Dogs that show no 
interest in him he ignores, but dogs who want to visit he will oblige. 
*sigh*  I think this will always be a struggle for my extroverted M-dog.

His digestive issues are for the most part sorted out.  He is now eating 
Flint River Ranch original formula.  He also gets probiotic supplements as 
needed.  I try to remember to give them every other day.  Less than that and

he begins to get gassy.  Then I give them every day for a few days to get 
back on track.

If there's anything in particular that anyone was wondering, ask away.  I've

been very busy the past couple of weeks, but things are quieter now.  I 
should have time to participate more in list discussions.

Julie



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