Last night we moved Buddy's "sleeping" crate. Initially because we have to install carpeting on Tuesday and secondly because it would break up his routine. We also removed his "eating" crate. Adaptability is one of his strengths; the switch didn't bother him at all. He will sleep or eat anywhere.
I am not sure why but recently I have noticed people avoiding us when we are walking. Have they heard that Buddy is sick? Have our greetings been too energetic? Do they not want to bother the guide dog?
Twice this morning dogs and their owners crossed the street as they approached us. They have also stepped off the sidewalk and stopped as we pass by. It's frustrating because we seek out these opportunities to work on greetings with Buddy. We explain that they should act normal and we need to get Buddy to behave in any setting - avoidance is not a valid strategy for a guide dog.
We have been working with Buddy on behaving when seeing and greeting dogs. When he gets too excited, we stop and turn away until he is calm. Then repeat. This approach works well for dogs that are leashed. Unleashed dogs are much more difficult and require a completely different approach.
A dog can express more with his tail in seconds than his owner can express with his tongue in hours. - Author Unknown
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