The great adventure of putting on dog boots.

I admit it! I put boots on my guide dog in the winter. It isn't to make a fashion statement. She is cute enough all by herself. So shiny and black and full of personality. I put them on to protect the paws against road salt and other chemicals. Yesterday, I took all 4 boots out and called her to me. Usually she bounces about and it is easy to hear her collar. She started over in usual fashion, sniffed the boots on the floor, and disappeared. It turned out she had not gone far. A few feet. But she was being very quiet just standing there. I called her. She moved slowly a pace or two forward and got within reach. She sighed. I heard it. One boot on. Kibble treat. Next boot she tucked her front paw up close to her body but we got it on. treat. Then she resigned herself to the back feet being handled. Once they were on she dashed down our stairs and stood impatiently by the front door. wanting me to hurry up and get my own boots on. If she had to have boots on, let's go out and get on with it.

Icy sidewalks

People often ask me how I get around in the snow.  With banks to clamber over, mounds of snow in our path, icy sidewalks.  I tackle first, the icy sidewalk question.  I do wear ice grippers on my boots when I know it is going to be particularly icy.  These, I have to choose carefully though as they can hurt my guide dog's paws if I get ones that are too sharp.  I also have to remember to take them off quickly before going inside as they are dangerous when walking on floors.  If you wear them outside, you can fall inside with them on.  If you don't, you are safe inside but can fall outside!  I imagine that sighted people scan upcoming sidewalks for icy patches.  They watch others, watch the ground.  I listen.  Do I hear others slipping.  And, I walk carefully.  All of my guide dogs have gotten to the place where they recognize ice and slow down for it.  Unfortunately, I have had to fall with each dog before they figured this out.  I fell last year on ice with Tulia.  She instantly jumped into my lap and was concerned that she made a mistake.  This morning, some sidewalks were snow covered.  Some were icy.  It was terribly cold when we headed off for our yoga class.  We were walking along over snow covered sidewalks.  We turned a corner.  The sidewalk was shere ice.  I started to slide a little.  I wasn't wearing ice grippers.  Tulia slowed right down.  Then she curved herself in front of my legs and stopped, bracing me.  No one taught her to do that.  She stood there.  Her little black body against my legs.  Wagging.  I hugged her.  Then, as we carried on up the icy sidewalk, I heard the neat sound of doggy boots on the ground on a quiet saturday morning.  A pitter patter sound.  tulia remembers ice and has figured out what to do.  Slow down, be careful, and if necessary, provide a brace for moving legs.  Good good girl!  Lots of kibbles inhaled at the next corner.

Knows how to play the crowd

Yesterday, I was having coffee with a friend.  Tulia had her boots on and I decided that I wouldn't take them off in the coffee shop.  If I did, I would have to put them back on again when we left.  If I am somewhere for a long time, I do take them off.  I probably should have as we were there for a while, but I didn't.  Tulia does not like being inside with her boots on.  She sat up and gave the eye to anyone who would look at her which probably included everyone in the coffee shop.  They would often say how cute she was.  How good she was.  I think she was begging that someone would come and remove her horrible purple boots.  They do keep her feet warm and salt free and she is grateful for that.  When I put them on before leaving the house, she immediately wants to charge out of the door so she can work and then get them off sooner maybe.  She does really like to work though so maybe it is just happiness about our next great adventure.

The dog who wears boots.

My current guide dog Tulia will wear her boots.  The very strange thing about it though is that she does not want to sit or lie down in them.
If we are in a restaurant, she will stand for a long time wearing her boots, leaning her head on me but not sitting or lying down.  I have heard that when dogs sit, they do so by sliding their feet.  When wearing boots, they sometimes can't quite figure out how to do it.  However, I know she knows how to sit in  her boots as she can do it.  If we are going to be somewhere for any length of time, I remove them and she is grateful.  Never had a dog before that would just stand there in their boots.  Tulia keeps them on though and that is wonderful for us both.

The dog boot saga continues. Lost boot recovery.

I left things yesterday with us returning home with six boots instead of four.  But that fourth boot I lost remained lost for several months.  In the spring, my work colleague and friend was driving to work, when she spied something hanging on a bush.  Something that looked like one of Gia's dog boots.  She hurriedly stopped her car, jumped out, and grabbed it.  Sure enough, it was the missing boot.  We think that perhaps the boot was in the snow and the plough ploughed it further into the bank and it was only discovred in spring.  So, we then had seven boots instead of four.  More boot adventures tomorrow.

The day of acquiring dog boots.

I was so excited when I found that my third guide dog Gia would actually wear and keep on dog boots.. No more people walking past as we stood at bus stops in the cold saying, "That dog should be wearing boots." It was wonderful. Still, I had to check the boots but it would be great. She would be warm and comfortable in her red winter coat and red boots. One morning, we set off for work when I worked in a nursing home. We had to walk about five blocks to the bus stop. Take one bus, transfer to another one, then walk about three blocks on a sidewalk and one block on a sidewalkless road, through a big parking lot, and to the door. We made it all the way to the sidewalkless road with four boots on. I was so excited and proud. Here we were on the home stetch and all boots were accounted for. I didn't check again until we got to work. It was just one block after all. The snow was falling and it was very cold. I was horrified when I stepped inside and found that only two boots remained on. Work colleagues went and checked. One boot was found. but still, there were only three. In the afternoon, another work colleague went to a pet store. she found a pack of three boots on the shelf. She said, "You should just give these boots to my friend for her guide dg. You wouldn't want a guide dog getting cold and all hurt by the salt would you?" She was persuasive because they did it. Gave her the pakc of three boots for me. So I returned home with six boots instead of four. Tomorrow, how the remaining boot was found.

The dog boot saga continues with guide number 3

As I wrote in my blog post yesterday,  I decided that I would never buy another pair or rather set of dgo boots again.  It was too much trouble and too expensive.  Then, I met Gia.  My third guide dog and my first golden retriever.  After two dogs who hated wearing coats or boots or anything but their working harnesses, I was astonished in class to find that Gia enjoyed wearing her rain coat.  She modeled it.  She pranced.  She danced.  She wagged.  When I got her a winter coat (another story for another blog entry) she loved that too.  So, I decided perhaps I should loosen my restrictions on dog boots.  I bought her a pair.  She tolerated them being put on better than the others.  She walked in them well.  But, still we lost them sometimes.  Hear about a few of our spectacular boot adventures starting tomorrow!

dog boots continued

My second guide dog was a yellow labrador named Margaret and she also hated her dog boots.
I was determined though to persist with the boots as she also had very bad food allergies which made her feet particularly sensitive and she really hated the salt and limped a lot especially at bus stops where they always seem to really pile on thesalt.
I tried several kinds of boots but she managed to lose many of them no matter how careful I was.
The other complication is that often when you lose one boot, you have to buy four more. So, after Margaret, I was left with a drawer filled with odd dog boots. I decided that no more dog boots for any of my dogs but my next guide proved me wrong about this rule. stay tuned tomorrow.

Are the dog boots really on the dog paws?

One of the most difficult things for me about having dogs wear their boots, is knowing whether or not the boots are staying on the feet.  The story I told a couple of days ago, illustrates that the first time I tried them on my first guide, I had no idea that I had to check.  I thought that once they were on, they stayed on.  This is not always the case.  If someone with full sight puts boots on their dogs, they can glance down periodically at the paws.  Or perhpas they see a boot flying off or see it in the snow.  I can do none of these things.  One way to check on the status of boots is to feel them periodically.  Maybe at each street corner?  But, this is not an easy task.  Usually, when it is cold enough for my dog to need to wear boots, it is also cold enough that I need to wear thick warm gloves or mittens.  Once they are on, I can't feel the dog boots.  So, I need to stop, remove a mitten, hurriedly touch each foot to see if the boot is still on, and then put the glove back on.  And, if the boot is gone, where is it?  Do I wait outside in the freezing cold to ask someone to look for it?  Or do I just carry on?  I can sometimes hear if a boot is missing by the sound of the dog feet.  This is harder when there are many other sounds in the environment but I have caught this by sound a few times.  I did call my co workers on my cell phone one time to ask if they could keep an eye out on the way out to their cars for boots.  Stories of dog boot adventures continue tomorrow.  Two days of dog boot wearing this week and still all four pawz boots are in place.  Yay Tulia!  Yay me!

Dog boots

Yesterday, I began a new series on this blog about challenges in the winter for me as a blind person.  I started by talking about my winter boots.  Today, I talk about my guide dog's winter boots.  Actually, this talk of dog boots will go on for a few days.  Today, my first experience with dog boots.  My first guide dog was a lovely black labrador girl named Gwenny.  She was raised in southern California and trained at guide dogs for the blind in San Rafael California.  http://www.guidedogs.com/ She had never seen snow or winter before I got her.  For the first few years we were together, we lived in British Columbia and so didn't see much snow then either.  When we moved back East, the first winter was a big shock to Gwenny.  She didn't like the salt burning her paws.  So, I went and bought boots for her.  Gwenny hated wearing anything other than her harness.  She would not walk in a rain coat even though she didn't like the rain.  She would sit herself down and refuse to move unless I removed the embarrassing coat.  My school and vet suggested to put the boots on, walk around the neighbourhood and praise her for wearing her boots.  I put them on, put the harness on, and set off.  Being new to this, I didn't think to check the boots.  I figured that once the boots were on, they stayed on.  I kept walking around saying,  "Aren't you good for wearing your boots."  When we got home, only one boot remained on.  Gwenny never would wear boots or coat and so I had to give up on them with her.  Tomorrow, more dog boot stories.  It is minus 20 something out today so dress warmly if you too are in the cold.

Great things about being blind. First wintry walk.

We've had snow and it is cold here.  So, yesterday, my guide dog and I took our very first walk in the major snow and snow conditions.  First, I put on her boots for the first time in months.  She wasn't particularly happy about this.  I called her and she came but when she saw the pruple pawz boots, she sneaked off.  Usually, she bounces over and I can hear her collar jingling but I heard none of that this time.  Didn't know where she crept off too.  I called her and reluctantly she came back.  Then, when I would try to put a boot on, she would curl up her paw and try to move it.  Once one boot was on though, she was great about the rest and enjoyed her liver treat when they all were on.  I think she was glad to have them on for the salt.  Her work in the snow was brilliant.  She was careful and cautious and guided me skillfully and carefully around clumps of snow.  I love to hear the patter of doggy paws in their boots too.  It is freezing this morning so soon we shall have another session of boot drama.  Stay warm and safe.

Great things about being blind. The squeaking of Tulia's boots

Today was freezing in Ottawa and I do mean freezing. Around 30 something below. I wasn't sure if Tulia would go to the airport and jump on a plane to Oregon and Washington state where it is warmer and where she grew up and had her guide dog training.

I was teaching a storytelling workshop today.

In the winters here when it is bitterly cold, it takes person and dog much longer to get ready.

The person has to find coat, boots, hat, mittens or gloves, scarf. And blind people hate mittens or gloves as they act as blindfolds. Hoods or hats can be problematic too as they inhibit hearing and the echo location or facial vision that I use to figure out what is around me. But, when it is this cold, I do what I must do. Then on with Tulia's little red ruffwear boots and her red coat, and off we go. It was a very sunny, bright, quiet morning. Not much traffic. This is nice in one way as it is peaceful outside. The snow squeaks underfoot. But in another way, it is awful. No traffic means that you can't tell when to cross streets and have to stand at the corners in the bitter cold waiting to hear when it is safe to cross. But we arrived ssafely and tulia found our destination. When we entered the quiet building, the rubber soles of tulia's dog boots squeaked like little mice on the tiled floor. It was the most amazing, hillarious sound. Squeak-squeak! Squeak-squeak! Like a herd of mice at a meeting. What is a group of mice called anyway? The workshop was awesome and my wonderful friends gave us a lift home in their warm car.

I'm home now with two well fed dogs sleeping by my feet.

What can be better than that?

Kim Kilpatrick

kimjkilpatrick@gmail.com

Storyteller, Presenter, Performer

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Great things about being blind. Listening to dogs walk in their boots.

Okay okay once again you are on hold with the airline material. I'm a storyteller. I know what it is to build suspense! Smile! Yesterday, Tulia wore her dog boots when we were out and about. I've had quite a history with dog boots. In fact, I have a pile of dog boots at home. Lots of colours, lots of types, but very few full sets. Until now! Touch wood. Tulia tolerates boots and even keeps them on. AMAZING! My first experience with dog boots was with my first guide dog. She hated the road salt as all of my guides have. The vet suggested to get some boots, put them on, harness her up, and go for a walk right away all the time praising her for wearing her boots. So, I did. Now, this was a dog who wouldn't wear a coat. Would actually sit down in the pouring rain until you removed it. Would refuse to walk if wearing anything more than her harness. I should have known she would't stand boots. So off we went for our walk around the neighbourhood. Every few minutes, I kept saying, "Good girl for wearing your boots." Blind rooky mistake. I didn't check to see if boots were all on. Now, this is a problem in itself when you're totally blind. It's freezing cold winter weather. The dog needs boots on. I need gloves on. With gloves on, it is as if I am blindfolded. I can't feel whether or not boots are on. In that first walk, I chirped enthusiastically, "Good good girl for wearing your boots." When I arrived home and went to remove boots, only one boot remained on a paw. So whoever heard me enthusiastically talking about nonexistent dog boots, if you're out there, I eventually figured it out. My second dog wouldn't wear boots either. Gia my retired dog (still living with me now) tolerated them but didn't keep them on well. Once, going to work in the midst of a bad snow, she lost two and work staff went out searching. They found one. In the spring, one of my colleagues found the other hanging from a bush. She almost had a car accident stopping her car to run and grab the dog boot. In the mean time, another colleague went to a pet store, found a package of three boots and begged the staff to give it to the blind woman and her hard working guide dog. He actually did. So now, Tulia will wear her boots. She has nice red ones given to us by guide dogs for the blind
www.guidedogs.com
But she also has purple balloon boots called pawz which she wears too.
Her red boots are ruffwear and they are very good as well.
I don't hear it so much with the pawz boots but with the ruffwear boots, I love to hear her walk in them.
Sometimes she sounds like someone shuffling their feet in bedroom slippers.
Sometimes her feet make a little pat pat pat noise on the ground.
I love the sound of it.
And yes yesterday I did the usual.
Get to a corner or somewhere to stop, pull off one glove, lean down, feel each leg to make sure boot is in place, give kibble reward to the dog, put glove on, and proceed forwards.
I've wished that someone could invent something like those strings for mittens moms used to put in our coats so even if the dog loses a boot, she doesn't. It's very cold today. You may see us. Tulia prancing and tapping and shuffling. Me, gloves off, check boots, offer kibble, gloves on. If you do see me, you could save me a little coldness by telling me Tulia still is wearing all four boots. My hands will thank you.