Getting to Know Glacier: Picture Perfect

Usually today would be Massage Monday, but since it is our week to get to know Glacier, I will save Massage Monday for next Monday. I thought a few photographical illustrations of my big, yellow guy would be fitting: you even get a glimpse of Jetta.  :) So here they are.

Glacier's favourite chair!

Jetta & Glacier  having a rest with me!

Glacier's 1st Xmas with his new bone!

Glacier on the cat walk (new winter booties)!

I want to hold you're hand mom!

Baby Glacier , courtesy of  his puppy raisers!

1st picture of baby Glacier with puppy raisers family pet!

Crossed Paws: Kissing Booths!!

I know most of you who read my blog are actually up to be kissed, but if there is anyone out there reading this who hasn't gone to Crossed Paws yetplease support this worthy cause. If you are too shy for a kiss, then bid on some of the great items at the auction.
XXXXXXXXXXX :)Crossed Paws: Kissing Booths!!: "** HOW TO BUY  YOUR SMOOCH - IMPORTANT ** To enjoy a special smooch all you have to do is simply browse through the bevvy of gorgous ga..."

Getting To Know Glacier: Mr. Jaws of Steel

Most of you will know by now that Glacier seems to be able to chew his way through anything. It's hard to keep toys in working condition around here. I'm not entirely sure what his fascination with destroying toys is, but I have a few theories.
At Leader Dogs for the Blind, and several other guide dog programs, the guide dogs are only allowed to play with the traditional Kongs and nylabones. I think this is to prevent dogs from getting injured through ingestion of a squeaker and other such things. Monitoring your dog may be difficult for some blind people and so I think they have made it an all encompassing rule. With that in mind, it is no reason Glacier doesn't know how to play nicely with other toys. If he is given Air Kong products, he will sit down to de-fuzz the toy first and then crack it in two with his gigantic jaws. I attempted giving him a stuffing free skunk that he promptly started ripping to shreds until I intervened. He just has never been taught, from a young age, to be gentle with toys.
I also think Glacier has inherited the oral fixation that a lot of labradors come with. He has improved with age, but just six months ago he ate seven Brillo pads. I was freaking out. I didn't even know the house we were in had them where he could reach them and was not aware he had ingested them until it was too late. I searched grocery stores frantically for pumpkin, but it was not in season yet. When dogs eat things they shouldn't, pumpkin, if eaten, will form a smooth casing around the foreign object and help them pass it. I monitored him closely for weeks, but was not rewarded for my efforts until three weeks later when he threw up an impacted ball of Brillo pad. Someone was watching out for both Glacier and I because the eating of Brillo pads could have been fatal.
So, as you can see, Glacier just likes to eat things. He's even powered down velcro. Yes, velcro. I don't even know how that feels good going down, never mind taste. The frustrating thing is that everything that Glacier has managed to munch that he shouldn't, haven't even been my things. So as proven by the Velcro and the steel wool, Glacier is an eater and his toys suffer for it.
The moment that I was allowed to give Glacier toys I knew that i had a chewer on my hands. Brooke and her husband Huib from Ruled By Paws came to visit me when I was in training at Leader Dogs for the Blind. They asked me if I wanted a toy for Glacier and I said he could use a Kong since the school provided us with a Nylabone. Upon arriving at my room we gave Glacier the King black Kong to see what he would do. Destroy was what he did. Within fifteen minutes or so of having the black Kong, he had the top ripped off. I took the pieces in for a refund and the clerk said,
"well, what kind of dog did you give this to?"
"That one." I replied pointing down at Glacier lying calmly at my feet.
"Oh." Was the response and I was given my money back.
I think another reason Glacier is a toy murderer is because of the size of his jaw/head ratio. Dogs usually have a strong jaw because of the width of the back jaw. Glacier's is particularly large. If I place my hand under his jaw, my hand is about three quarters of Glacier's jaw width. He's got some chewing power back there. His nicknames range from "block head" (lovingly given to him by my Grandpa), "fat head" (my doing), "bobble head" (given to him by one of my friends), and some other variation of "huge head dog." I've seen dogs with bigger heads than Glacier's, but it's the width of the back of his jaw that impresses me. When I first met him, I said he looked like a chipmunk because his cheeks stuck out so far due to his jaw structure.
With all of that power it's no wonder he can crunch through a hockey puck in less than seven minutes; crack beef femur bones in half with one chomp; reduce elk an antler that is supposed to last three weeks to splinters in 25 minutes; and many other toys/objects that he shouldn't have been able to ruin. I am always when we go to visit other people's houses that have dogs because I don't want to have a fifty dollar toy bill just because he managed to munch up most of their dogs' things. I've just learned that I have to monitor him closely and take toys away that I know he will shred.
VIP Products, which is the sponsor for this month's "What's This Wednesday" give away has a toy tester program that I have joined simply because I want to see what toys will withstand Glacier's pearly whites. Depending on how many toys you get a year to test, the price of the toys are significantly reduced. We usually have to replace a toy once a month anyway, so I thought that I would sign up for the monthly program. This month's toy was the Toughies Square ball that seems to be alive thus far. Glacier has managed to put a little tear in one of the seams and the toy has sort of lost its shape because he and Roscoe were playing tug of war last night, other than that it is holding up well. That said, once Glacier is done chasing/rolling/tugging with the toy I put it up because it is when he is done playing this way that he lies down and goes into destructo mode. So, if there is ever a toy that you want to know whether or not it is durable, send me an email. If we've tried it out I'll let you know how it held up to "Fat Head's" Jaws of Steel.
Even though he might prove hazardous if you are a toy, Glacier is a great dog who probably wouldn't hurt a fly. I retract that statement: he loves chasing bugs. I always told Mr. K that I am glad Glacier's energy has been channeled into a positive thing because if it wasn't he could cause some real damage. Anyone read Marley and Me? :)

Getting To Know Glacier: His Vocabulary.

Today was an incredibly busy day for Glacier and I. We were picked up by a friend at 10 AM and didn't return home until almost twelve hours later. I thought that since we did a lot of harness work today that I would tell you about a few of his cues. These cues are used between the handler and the working dog. It is expected that a well seasoned working dog probably wouldn't listen to anyone else issuing the cues. Let's start with our morning.
This morning we took my wedding dress in to get altered. It did not need to be hemmed, but the sides were in dire need of being lifted up a bit. Plus, some bustling definitely was in order. When we got out of my friend's lime green bug, I put Glacier's harness on and told him "forward" and then "find the door." "Forward" is exactly what it sounds like: you ask the dog to walk forward. Glacier has many "find the..." cues. I use "door," "curb," "counter," "stairs," "elevator," "escalator," "chair" and many more that I have taught him along the way. When we were at massage college, we would set up our tables in random fashion and I would spread a blanket out for Glacier to have his own spot. If I left to go to the bathroom or something, upon returning I would ask Glacier to find "your spot." Regardless of where I had set the blanket, whether it was on the left side of the room or the right, the back or the front, he always found it.
After entering the alteration place, I asked him to find the counter and I spoke with the seamstress. She told me to go get changed and I again asked him to find the door. This can be a bit confusing for the dog. I asked him to find a door to come in. He has to decide whether I want to leave or if I want him to find a different door. I knew the general direction of the changing room, so pointed vaguely with my right hand hoping to help him out a bit. He took a hard left and walked right into the little curtained off cubicle. I was pretty happy with him, but what made me the proudest was when I left him there completely untied and walked out to be made into a walking pin cushion. I left the cubicle telling him to "stay" and walked about five feet away with my back turned to him. Many dog trainers will tell you that as soon as you turn your back it is showing your dog that they aren't submissive to you anymore and that this action could potentially cause them to act out. Glacier didn't budge. He laid still for twenty minutes or so while the seamstress scooped and pinned the wedding dress's skirt and train.
After the wedding dress alterations we headed over to my friend's house. She told me that her and her mom had a surprise for me and when I arrived, I found out that they had bought my wedding shoes for me. They are beautiful, but this post is not about my lovely blue shoes. It is about Glacier's brilliant behavior. After my surprise, we headed out for lunch where Glacier was asked to perform some of the same cues, but also a few different ones. We were seated at a booth as we were meeting Mr. K, Roscoe and another friend. At Leader Dogs for the Blind the dogs aren't taught a certain cue to "get small" or to scoot out of the way. So, I started using the word "under" with Glacier when I want him to squeeze under a table or a bus seat. I don't even really have to tell him anymore. I just drop the harness handle and if he sees me preparing to slide into a booth, he slithers "under." I still say the word though to keep reinforcing it. Besides, I am a very vocal handler. I noticed it at LDB and most recently have noticed it at our Rally Obedience classes. I talk away to him and praise like crazy or verbally correct him and most of the other handlers hardly make a peep. It's interesting to see varying handling styles.
After lunch we did a little browsing at a few stores and Glacier had to "find the counter" again when I used the bathroom and needed to wash my hands. He found a couple of curbs going into and out of stores and even traffic checked in a parking lot. I think I have explained traffic checking before, but basically it means the guide dog stops if there is a car coming that the handler didn't notice. He was having problems with this a week or so ago, so I was over the moon when I felt him screech to a halt. It's pretty hard to move 75 pounds of labrador when he thinks something is unsafe. I told him to "leave it" as well in the store. This basically means no sniffing or quit looking at what you are looking at; pay attention you gigantic furball. :)
After our little shopping trip, Glacier spent the rest of the afternoon at my friend's mom's house just being a dog. I went off to get a pedicure, but not before I used the cue "park," which is Glacier's word to do his business. I've been told a few times by LDB staff that "park" was used because it is "crap" backwards. Whatever the roots of the cue may be, I kind of like it because it is different and someone can't just come up and try to get your dog to potty. It's also a bit more discrete than singing out some of the other "potty" cues. Did I mention that I am a very vocal handler? Jetta even had a "go park" song I made up to try to encourage her to do her business, but that is for another day.
Glacier obviously knows the basic obedience cues like "stay," "sit," "down," Etc. He has a few other directional cues like "left or right," which mean a hard turn to that direction. If I tell him "left left," or "right right" that means slide over a bit to that side, or make a gentler turn. If I say "Glacier left left shoulder" I am trying to encourage him to hug the left shoulder of the road. He has also learned "where's Roscoe," which means find Roscoe and Mr. K. As I have said before the LDB dogs, and most other guide dogs for that matter, are taught "follow," but Glacier does not follow so well. He responds better to direct communication between him and I and no amount of familiarity with the person he is following will keep him following for long. Even in malls he will just randomly stop following Roscoe and then I, or Mr. K, have to try to find each other. We've had security guards reunite us after asking one or the other of us, "are you looking for the woman/man with the big yellow/black dog?"
Despite his lack of interest in following, I was very happy with Glacier's work today. It is really amazing the words the dogs learn and remember. I had named a bunch of different classrooms on campus when I was attending university and Jetta usually could take me to which ever one I named. Glacier and I haven't gotten that far in our working relationship yet. We have moved too much, but it will be interesting to see how he handles the university campus in Scotland.
I hope you have enjoyed learning some of Glacier's cues. Just remember though, that these cues are only to be issued by the handler and each guide dog school changes certain cues. "Go park" may be "do business" or "get busy" somewhere else.

"There's No Place Like Home."

Hiya
This is Balloo the baby and I have returned from the sugary. I am thinking they took something that beeeelonged to meeee, but I am not very good at thinking right now. Maybeeee I will think better tomorrow. The doctor gave meeeee veeeery good medicine and I...
fjadljasdlkjflksadjfiwreukjadsflksajfnfjflaksjflkasfj
Oops, soreeee. I am thinking I just falled on the keyboard and shut my eyes for a minute. I should go now so I can cuddleeeeee with Mama 'cause she is the best cuddler ever and I neeeed some cuddling right now.
love
Balloo the very sleeepeeee baby.

Getting To Know Glacier: What's In a Name?

All guide dog programs have different methods to name their puppies. Some schools use a letter of the alphabet in order to keep the litter straight. For instance, Our friend Brooke's, over at Ruled By Paws, school assigns each litter a letter and the raisers are expected to name their puppy a name that begins with that letter. Brooke's guide Cessna was obviously from one of the C litters. What happens if they get to Z? They start right back at A and do it again.
There is a guide dog school in Quebec Canada and they name their dogs according to a theme. One of my friend's dogs came from a litter that we think might have been material or something like that because the dog's name is "Cotton;" pronounced in French.
Leader Dogs for the Blind does not have any such naming protocol. As far as I know, the puppy raisers are given free rein when it comes to naming their little furry bundle of joy. Puppy raisers may implement their own naming program or may just pick names with meaning. Leader Dogs for the Blind has also implemented a rule that allows the students to change the dog's name. I personally choose not to do this because the dog is already a year and a half and is confused enough as it is. Two of my classmates from Glacier's class, chose to change their dogs' names. It worked fine for them, but I opted to stick with Glacier's name.
So where did Glacier come from?
Glacier's puppy raisers lived in Northern Michigan and I thought it had something to do with the months of frozen wilderness, but I was wrong. I also thought that he was named "Glacier" because he is almost white as opposed to a traditional deep yellow. I was a bit closer with that one since his name was a combination of things.
One of Glacier's puppy raisers had worked up in Glacier Bay just before returning home to help raise little Glacier. They decided on Glacier because of her previous post in Glacier Bay and was further convinced when they saw how lightly coloured he was. It's a short, but sweet story. I like that his name has meaning and a story to back it up. I also enjoy that it is a very unique name and that is another reason why I wouldn't change it.
How did your four legged companions get their names?

Getting To Know Glacier: Rally Obedience Class Two

A week from now it will be my beautiful, yellow guy's birthday. In honour of this, all of the posts will be about Glacier. I've noticed in my past posts Glacier is mentioned, but very few of them revolve entirely around the dog that has my life in his paws...literally. I hope you enjoy "getting to know" Glacier much better.

Last night was our second Rally obedience class. I have to admit that with the moving and all of the other issues with the puppies, I didn't practice at all with Glacier. I knew going into the class that he may have a harder time performing the cues and focusing, but after the first ten minutes of constant reminders to "leave it" and to "pay attention," I was pleasantly surprised. We practised some of our cues from last week-a 360 circle, a 270 turn, sit/down Etc-and then added in a few new ones. I was amazed to see how effortlessly Glacier and I could move as long as I wasn't giving him the wrong cue and he was focusing on me. Most of the mistakes we made were handler error; AKA my fault. His "sit" position improved a lot just in the hour long class. He was more willing to sit directly at my side as opposed to scooting his bum around in front of me. It wasn't perfect, but probably seven times out of ten he sat where he should. Now his "downs" on the other hand, definitely need work. Every time he went into a "down," he laid directly across my feet. Maybe he's trying to tell me not to walk because it is not safe or something. Regardless of the reason, I need to be disciplined enough this week to practice with him.
Some of the new cues came easily to us. Our finishes, both left and right, were very good. There is one finish where you pass the dog behind your back and he either sits at your side or you start walking. In the one where you are supposed to start walking, the dog is expected to fall into step at your side without any yanking on the leash or leash tension. Glacier was a pro. He also impressed me with his call to "front." Basically this means the handler takes a few steps back while calling the dog to come around in front and then sit. This was one of the cues Glacier didn't know and I had to teach him. His movements were fluid and he responded really well to my voice and hand signals. In novice Rally Obedience you are allowed to use both hand and voice signals, but as you progress you can only use one or the other. Some of the other handlers were having to use their leash to guide the dog, or a treat to lure the dog to the front. Glacier needed no such encouragement.
Since the majority of guide dogs are not treat trained, I have been trying to do the cues without treat rewards. I don't want him to get used to being treated every time he finds a curb when we are out walking. Not to mention, sometimes your guide dog will do something for you and you won't even know it was done. If guide dogs worked for treats, we would be stepping in pot holes or running into planters all of the time. Guide dog handlers are taught to just keep talking to their dogs and every once in a while say "good job" or something in a happy voice to reinforce the wanted behavior. I think it's also to help just in case you missed the dog taking you around a bus stop sign.
We also practised "left" finishes which was another cue I taught Glacier before we were skill tested. Up until last night, I had to move my feet in order to get Glacier to make the little circle at my side that he is supposed to make. I started the "left" finishes practise moving my feet, but I wanted to see if Glacier was ready to do the cue without the movement. In a competition the foot movement would be considered a fault. I wanted to see if Glacier was ready to perform the cue without my foot signal and he was. I was very impressed. Even though we didn't practise all week, Glacier was on fire. No wonder the dog made it as a guide dog.
We reviewed a few other signs. One of them was slowing or quickening your pace. I thought Glacier would be good at this one since as my guide he needs to alter his pace according to what I am doing. I wasn't entirely sure if he would respond though because I think Glacier gets a lot of his information from me through the harness handle. In Rally Obedience he is not wearing his harness and the leash has to be slack, forming a nice J shape. The first try he put a bit of tension on the leash, but the second time around he slowed right down with me and sped up when I did.
All and all, it was a great class. We had some great bonding moments and I also think it reinforces to Glacier that he has to listen to me. At one point, when we were having some "down time" Glacier rolled over on to his back with his paws in the air and grumbled as he rolled around. I just had to laugh nd give him a belly rub. It is the first time he has ever done that with me. Perhaps these classes are good for us. We will practise this week though and hopefully next week his focusing won't be quite as inconsistent. :)

PS: The give away from VIP Products has arived and it is fabulous. I will g it up in another post, complete with a link to the product.

House of Carnivores: Two Very Special Dogs

House of Carnivores: Two Very Special Dogs: "I am writing this blog post to tell about two very special dogs that both need homes.  Ideally, together, but not completely necessary...."

"What's This Wednesday?" Part Two

All right. Here is picture number two. And don't forget to check out VIP Products as they are our sponsor this month for the "What's This Wednesday" give away. :)



Picture Number Two!

Happy Wednesday!...again. :)

"What's This Wednesday?"

Welcome to "What's This Wednesday?"! Today I will be putting up one picture for you wonderful people to view. Originally, I was going to post two, but the internet is not cooperating. I may be able to get another one up in a separate post. So, keep your eyes peeled for picture number two.
Once you've looked at them, go to the comments section and tell me what you think they may be because quite honestly, I have no idea what they are. I like to take my own pictures and as a totally blind photographer, you never know what you are getting; a floor, the wall, someone's foot? LOL Regardless I hope you enjoy.
Also, just a reminder that VIP Products has generously donated a prize for this month's "What's This Wednesday" give away. I don't know what it is, as my order has not arrived yet, but I will let you know as soon as it gets here. Please go to their website and browse the fantastic selection of dog toys and beds. I really like their toys because they have a toughness rating for each toy and a Junior line that is for puppies or small dogs.



And now for the photo:

Happy Wednesday!!!! :)