Chapter 43: Going Home With Your Guide Dog
Very soon, you will be leaving to go home with your new dog guide. Although this will be the end of class, it is only the beginning of your life with your dog. You are at a point where you feel comfortable working with as a team. You are now taking this dog and transitioning it to a place that you know very well but that your dog does not know at all. In this situation, the dog will look to you for guidance and structure. It will be extremely important that you are consistent of what you ask of the dog and follow a routine very closely. Your expectations both as a handler and care taker must be fair and realistic.
Throughout your class, we have been coaching you into becoming a trainer by teaching you the appropriate ways to work with your dog. It is now time to take what you have learned and put it into practice. Remember that your dogs are first and foremost dogs. People who have had dog guides before can tell you that it can take anywhere from six months to a year to be a solid team. Have patience with your dog, work through the errors. If you are returning home with a successor dog, you must remember that you are starting over again, and the new dog will not be familiar to the routine at home. Allow yourself time to acclimate your new dog to the home area.
THE TRIP HOME
For those of you that are flying home or taking the train, you will give your dog only a small handful of food for the morning meal, and a sip of water. You do not want your dog to have to empty while on the plane or train. Upon returning home you can feed a normal meal as close to the usual 4:00 feeding time as possible. If you are flying, the airline may try to put you in a bulkhead seat where there is room for the dog. Even if there are no bulkhead seats available, it is the airline's job to accommodate you and your dog.
MEETING FAMILY MEMBERS
Initially family members should have little direct interaction with the dog. They may greet the dog and pet it gently on the head as long as you have the dog sitting and under control, but the petting should be brief. Eventually family members will be able to interact with the dog but the graduate will be the chief care giver. This is difficult for small children. If they must interact with the dog, it must be quiet and calm.
You must be the one to provide the care for your dog. You must feed, walk, and groom your dog. This will help to solidify the bond between you, and help it understand that you are the one it should look to for support and guidance. Gradually you can teach other family members to care for the dog (feed, park, etc.) in case you should become ill. However, you should always be the primary caregiver the rest of the time.
ARRIVING AT HOME
It is a good idea to allow the dog to relax on the day you get back home. Try to stick as closely as possible to the Feed-Water-Park schedule we used here at Guiding Eyes, at least for a few days. You can adjust it to fit your schedule as needed, but try to wait until you have given the dog at least some time to settle in. You will also need to spend some time introducing your dog to its new park area. Your dog may be hesitant to relieve itself on a new surface, just like it was in class, so you will have to be patient and allow it 10-15 minutes at each park time just like you did initially in class.
On your second day at home, you should begin working your dog. Start with simple routes that you know well and can succeed at. From this, you can build on positive experiences. This is just what we did here in class, except at home the dog's confidence will come from you rather than from familiar routes and from the instructors.
You must know your route if you expect to succeed. You must be able to tell whether you are drifting off course or running over a curb so you can redirect the dog. It is ideal if you can have someone take you sighted guide on a familiar route before you work it with the dog. Have the dog sit at all curbs, and praise it at each one. You can then work the dog with the sighted person following.
It is ideal for you to take a few days off work to let the dog settle in; however, we know this is not always possible. If you must return to work immediately after getting home, take it easy on the first day. Get a ride if possible, and give yourself plenty of extra time to get there. Ideally, you should work a practice run. You should have already established a place at work where your dog can sleep, drink, and park; show these areas to your dog on the first day. You may take the dog's harness off at work for those times when the dog is just resting.
If you have recently moved but are still tentative on some of your routes contact an O&M instructor or one of our dog guide instructors for assistance. It is important that you start off by being as successful as possible. It is very important that the new dog be patterned to the routes in a step by step process. If you work long, complicated routes be sure that you show the dog the route and work through a building process rather then assuming that the dog will learn it the first time out. It is also important that you teach the dog a few routes very well rather then jumping all over the place from the start. Generally handlers that have three consistent routes find it easier for the dog to acclimate and perform well.
The most common errors that a new handler may make when they return home are. 1. The handler does not know their routes well. 2. The handler is not giving the dog enough work.
3. The handler has not kept up with the counter conditioning and continued exposure to normal distractions, both animals and food. 4. The handler is not being consistent with the dog in the household, therefore reinforcing poor behavior instead of positive ones.
You should not take the dog to a large, overwhelming, welcome home party or other gathering in the first few days. This can be very stressful to the dog. Initially you also should not leave the dog alone for long periods of time. When you do begin to leave the dog alone after a couple days, do so for only a few minutes at a time at first, just like we did in class, to ensure the dog is being quiet. This should not be done until the dog has had a chance to settle in and become comfortable in its new environment.
Ideally you should chose a vet before you arrive home with your dog. If not, you can ask your dog-owning friends for recommendations. Some vets offer discounts or even free vet care for working dog guides. It is a good idea to take your dog for a physical exam shortly after you get home, so you and the dog can get acquainted with your vet before you need him. You should also know the nearest 24-hour emergency vet and how you would get there in the event of an emergency, and keep that number handy.
FEED, WATER, AND PARK SCHEDULE
You can add an extra water to your dog's schedule if you would like. The extra amount should be given no later than 8:00 at night. Once your dog is on a consistent park schedule, you can decide to switch over to free water. Some dogs will drink and drink until the bowl is empty no matter how much water is offered. Those dogs should be kept on a watering schedule, otherwise they are very likely to have accidents. When it is hot in the summer time, you may offer water more frequently, but do not let the dog tank up. Ice cubes are a good treat to give your dog in the summer when it is hot - most dogs love them.
You may decide to change your dog's food when you get home. We will give you an 8 pound bag of the food your dog is eating now to take home with you. You do not have to feed your dog a premium dog food; there are many brands that are acceptable. The only ones that we caution you not to feed are the very cheap store brands such as Ol'Roy at Wal-Mart. A good quality dog food will help keep your dog’s coat and skin healthy. Cheaper foods have fillers and not as much nutrtion. Your dog will need to eat more in order to maintain a healthy weight and may empty more frequently. You should continue to feed your dog dry food rather than canned or semi-moist, as dry food helps to keep the teeth clean. If your dog is a picky eater, you can add a little warm water on top of the food to make it more appetizing.
Any diet changes should be made over a period of several days. On the first couple days, the meal should be ¾ the original food and ¼ the new food; then half and half for a couple days; then ¾ the new food and ¼ the old food, then finally feed only the new food. If you plan to change the times of the feedings, change the time by no more than 15 minute increments per day. Remember to allow for time zone differences when you get home.
Whether you want to feed once or twice a day is a personal decision. Often, feeding only one meal a day in the evening can help get a dog on a regular parking schedule if it is not already on one. This is also easier for some people. The disadvantage of feeding once a day is that the dog then has an empty stomach for most of the day. Some dogs may vomit bile if their stomach is empty; others will be more inclined to scavenge for food. If you would like to feed one meal a day, you could also pre-measure each meal, then remove a handful of food from the evening's meal to feed in the morning. That way the dog would at least have something in its stomach. Remember, if you choose to change your dog's feeding schedule, this will also change the park schedule, sometimes in unpredictable ways, so be ready.
You should not feed commercial dog biscuits, as these are fattening and will cause your dog to gain weight. You also must never feed table scraps to your dog. If your dog is allowed to eat human food, it will be far more likely to beg at the table and scavenge off the floor. Allowing your dog to become obese is one of the most detrimental things you can do as a dog guide owner. We take this problem very seriously, as it is a form of abuse. Monitor the weight closely; all dogs are at their ideal weight right now.
You should stick as closely as possible to the park schedule we used here at Guiding Eyes. Your dog must be parked a minimum of 4 times per day, and 5 or 6 is preferable. One schedule that works for many people is to park the dog when they wake up, at noon, at 5:00 or so, and before they go to bed. If your dog is one of those who always parks before he eats, you should keep that in mind. It is unfair to ask a dog to hold it longer than 8 hours at any time. If you plan to change your park schedule, you should do so gradually.
Plan ahead and select a park area at home. Dogs park more readily on grass than on concrete. If you allow your dog to park on grass most of the time, it may then be reluctant to park on concrete when you need it to. It is easy to switch from concrete to grass, but it is more difficult to go the other way.
You must always pick up after your dog. If you dispose of waste promptly, your park area should not smell. Also, picking up after your dog lets you monitor the condition of its health. If you have a fenced in yard with a high enough fence that you plan to use for supervised play, you should park the dog on leash before playing with it in the yard. It is good for the image of guide dog users when you are seen picking up after your dog. You can get baggies at your local grocery store in the produce department or there are several companies online that sell baggies. You should get in the habit of stuffing your pockets, purse, etc. with baggies, as you never know when you might need them.
FREEDOM IN THE HOUSE
When you first bring your dog home, wait until it has adjusted to a regular park schedule before giving it freedomin the house. Your dog should be confined or attached to you until the dog’s park schedule becomes regular. You may use either a crate or a tiedown. It will be good for the dog if you pick a place for it that it knows it belongs, such as in a corner of your bedroom or in the living room. Dogs like to be where they can see what's going on, but it should also be out of the way enough that the dog can have some peace and quiet. You can let your dog have a towel or blanket to sleep on as long as it doesn't begin to chew it.
You can begin letting the dog loose in one room at a time, following a successful park time so that you know accidents are unlikely to happen. You should dog-proof your house before you let the dog loose - pick up food items on low shelves, cover or conceal garbage cans, etc. If you have appropriate chew toys for your dog, it will be less likely to chew something inappropriate. If your dog does pick up something it shouldn't, tell the dog to Leave It, then replace it with a chew toy and praise. Accidents may happen. If they do, put the dog back on tiedown for a while and clean the spot thoroughly with either club soda, vinegar, or a commercial cleaner. A thorough job is important; otherwise the dog will return to the same spot and go there again.
Gradually the dog can be free in the house. If there are other people living in the house, especially children, make sure they understand the importance of keeping the doors to the outside shut at all times. Once the dog is reliable in the house it is still a good idea to continue to have it with you in the same room that you are in. At this point it will be off leash but the dog should be easily located when needed and not wandering into other floors of the house or rooms unattended. This way you will be able to monitor your dog’s behavior and prevent it from doing behaviors that are not acceptable. It also teaches the dog that it can have freedom but that it still must check in with you. When the handler moves from room to room the dog will most likely follow unless they are in a deep sleep.
Your dog should never be off leash outside in an unfenced area. If you want your dog to be able to play ball or swim, you may use a long line. You can let your dog off leash in a fenced-in yard, as long as the fence is high enough and you stay out with the dog. Electric fences are not practical, because they do not prevent your dog from being stolen or getting attacked by another dog.
OTHER PETS AT HOME
If you have another dog, you should introduce the two dogs on leash in a neutral area (to prevent your other dog from becoming territorial or pocessive). If you are keeping your dog guide on a tie down, make sure it is in a place where the other dog in the house cannot entice it to play. Or if you use a crate you can alternate one dog in and one dog out until they can be free together.
Cats usually hide for a few days when a new dog comes home. They can take care of themselves and will come out in their own time. If you have a cat, you must remember to put the food up on a counter or in a room inaccessible to the dog. The same goes for the litterbox. Your litterbox should at the very least be covered and face the wall. Ideally, it should be located in a room blocked off with a cat door or a baby gate with a hole cut in the plastic mesh that is only big enough for the cat. If your dog gets overly pushy with the cat, the cat will probably tell it off by spitting and smacking the dog. They may scratch the dog a little but will not hurt it seriously.