[nagdu] Dogs walking on the left side

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Lisa,

Out here where I have to use the bike lane because there are no sidewalks,
I've noticed that downfall to working my dog on my right.  Often the barrier
between the bike lane and the oncoming cars is a white line...  Also, the
narrow black dog drivers are much more unlikely to see while they're looking
at me is the one closest to the cars.  Ugh!

I did some careful work on low traffic streets trying to figure out if we
could manage a way to keep safe...  In good daylight, I could still see even
faded lines from contrast so wanted to determine if she could manage in the
future when I couldn't.  I'm now down to seeing new lines kinda, so the
future is pretty much here.  /grin/

Anyway, she did grasp the concept of the line and seemed to understand that
she was to stay on the pedestrian side of it. Just not reliably enough if
there were distractions (she was still 2-ish or 3-ish) or obstacles in a
narrow part of the shoulder.  It occurred to me that no dog can be 100
percent reliable, which was what I would need when I couldn't judge the line
even a little.

So...  We don't do that.  I think that if she were working on my left, we
would both be able to maintain a higher level of safety, because she would
be tracking the edge of the road, not a white line.  Also, I would be the
one closest to the drivers, who are more likely (ha!) to notice a human
pedestrian than a black dog on pavement.  /smile/

So I gripe a lot about not being able to go where I want when I want because
of no sidewalks and just plan my trips with DD, who is not only generous
about providing transit and running my errands but really insists on it.
The traffic on most roads is pretty crazy and getting heavier all the time,
producing a growing body count, so even if I snap and want to go zipping
down to the corner store or wherever all by my ownself, I can count on him
to give me a sharp reality check.  /grin/

On some roads, the traffic is now so crazy, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't try
the bike lane thing even if Mitzi did work on my right, away from oncoming
traffic.  Just too big a risk.  Ugh!

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lisa Irving
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 10:40 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dogs walking on the left side

Jamie,

One answer comes to mind. That is, when we walk toward traffic the driver is

supposed to see us. We're, hopefully, not walking dead-on into moving 
traffic.

Lisa and Bernie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jamie crowell" <jcrowell at intrex.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 7:48 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Dogs walking on the left side


> Why are our dogs trained to walk on the left side and not the right?
> Jamie
>
>
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