[nagdu] Guide work and hiking

[Gary]

Hello Laura:

Thanks for sharing your experience. I know that sometimes we have things to
work out with our dogs but they usually have things they do really good at.

Bogart, who I've had at home since June, is doing pretty good. One of the
neatest things we did was go on several hikes during our holidays. It was
our chance to see how he was off leash in an area with a fair bit of wild
life and challenging terrain. So our first hike was about 4 kilometers of
fairly rugged terrain. In poodle style, he never went very far ahead and
always came back to walk by Susan. He would always come back and check on me
as well, or wait for me to catch up. Seemed to handl the terrain pretty well
although a few times he wanted to see susan go down the rocky steep path to
show that this was the way we really wanted to go.

The next day was about 7 km of pretty flat walking on dyke paths and such by
the ocean where it meets the mountains. The third day of our holidays we
planned a four lake walk. This is about 7 km with a good bit of climbing.
Since dogs have to be on leash in this area we thought we would see how
Bogart would guide on such a trail. So he was in harness and I used a
trekking pole in my right hand to help with balance and identify issues like
I would with a cane. He did great. For most of the hike we were actually
leadinng. Susan would have to get us to move over left or right when she
wasn't sure that bogart would leave enough room for me when there were drop
offs but besides that it was great. It was so neat to be leading the walks
to the point where I had to let susan go in front because she wanted to go a
bit slower as we got towards the end of the hike. I will have to look at
getting one of those sports harnesses I've read about on here since I worry
about the leather one being heavy and possibly chaiffing him. If the fellow
who makes those harnesses monitors the list please feel free to contact me
off list to tell me about your products.

Anyway, as a new guide dog user I do experience moments of frustration where
I miss my cane but then there are other times that the dog totally amazes me
with his abilities. Certainly adds to our life now that bogart is part of
it.

Gary




-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lora
Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2010 9:13 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] Guide work and hiking

Hello everyone
I wanted to share something positive about Kori so you didn't think
that my whole guide dog experience is bad. :) I went hiking yesterday
in a conplex terrain area. There were lots of rocks and sticks etc.
Kori did amazingly. If there wasn't a way he could get around the
rocks he would stop and then proceed slowly. There was one section
where he couldn't go around all the rocks. He stopped and after a
little encouragement procedded very slowly stopping at larger rocks.
We curved alot back and forth on the path created by other animals and
humans (ie not paved) and he took the path of least resistance. It was
alot ot ask for since there wasn't really a clear path and we've only
been home for two months. I am very proud of my boy. :)
-- 
Lora

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