bostonzest

Tag: off leash

  • Frequently Asked Questions About Real Service Dogs

    A Boston Globe article this week has the headline, "Pretending your pet is a service animal? That could soon be illegal."

    It talked about the problem of people who buy service dog vests and certificates online to obtain some of the accommodations meant for real service dogs. This, of course, makes if even more difficult for those who actually need the assistance their service animal provides. 

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e86fc875a970d-800wi-1

    Here's an example of the real thing. We met Dodie back in 2011 when he was in training to be a hearing ear dog.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602196d5970c-800wi

    This weekend Dodie and other hard working service animals hope you will read this page of Frequently Asked Questions from the American's with Disabilities Act about real service animals. 

    Then when you see a dog off-leash and are told that she is a service dog, you'll know that is very unlikely. When you see a dog wearing a service vest acting up, you'll have your doubts. And, perhaps, you'll speak up when an acquaintance tells you they are going to buy a vest and get a certificate. 

    The Globe article is actually about a piece of legislation filed this session in Massachusetts. As originally proposed, this says, “A person who violates this section commits a civil infraction, punishable by 30 hours of community service for an organization that serves individuals with disabilities, or for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court, to be completed in not more than 6 months and/or pay a fine no more than $500.”

    We will be following this bill and trying to think of ways to address this problem. 

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2011 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Wilbur the Geese Wrangler Is Welcome to Be Off-Leash in the Boston Public Garden

    Meet Wilbur, one of the Border Collies that wrangles the Canada Geese who do so much damage to area parks.

    CHE_1856

    Here he is circling the lagoon at the Boston Public Garden keeping the geese from feeling comfortable staying there. 

    CHE_1852

    His handler does her best to keep up with him so everyone can see the sign that explains he's doing Goose Control. (The young pup with her is watching Wilbur and learning what to do when his time comes.)

    CHE_1854

    This is perfect work for this breed that needs a job to burn off all that inbred energy and need to herd.

    CHE_1851

    While Wilbur is trained to obey and work off-leash, he has had problems with other dogs who are not supposed to be off-leash in this park. And, with so many dogs running wild in the park each morning, it is harder for people to accept that what Wilbur is doing is different. 

    Keep up the good work and chase those Geese, Wilbur. See you soon.

    Related Posts:

    A Sunday Dog Salute to Geese Wranglers at Work  

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.


    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Give a Big "Thank You" to Your Dog Walker!
    Thanks to Friends Who Make Marmalade and Share!
    Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

  • Wilbur the Geese Wrangler Is Welcome to Be Off-Leash in the Boston Public Garden

    Meet Wilbur, one of the Border Collies that wrangles the Canada Geese who do so much damage to area parks.

    CHE_1856

    Here he is circling the lagoon at the Boston Public Garden keeping the geese from feeling comfortable staying there. 

    CHE_1852

    His handler does her best to keep up with him so everyone can see the sign that explains he's doing Goose Control. (The young pup with her is watching Wilbur and learning what to do when his time comes.)

    CHE_1854

    This is perfect work for this breed that needs a job to burn off all that inbred energy and need to herd.

    CHE_1851

    While Wilbur is trained to obey and work off-leash, he has had problems with other dogs who are not supposed to be off-leash in this park. And, with so many dogs running wild in the park each morning, it is harder for people to accept that what Wilbur is doing is different. 

    Keep up the good work and chase those Geese, Wilbur. See you soon.

    Related Posts:

    A Sunday Dog Salute to Geese Wranglers at Work  

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.


    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Give a Big "Thank You" to Your Dog Walker!
    Thanks to Friends Who Make Marmalade and Share!
    Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

  • Let Your Sunday Dog Take the Lead

    Regular readers know that Ed and I are both big proponents of leash laws and keeping your dog under your control. However, this doesn’t mean that you never let your dog do what he or she wants to do within your circle of guidance. 

    CHE_7363 - Version 32015-05-11-ldog-off-leash-beach-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Off leash on a dog-friendly beach like this one in Provincetown Harbor is just one way you can let your dog lead the way. But only if your dog plays well with others and will reliably return to you when called. 

      6a00e54fc42bb888340167693196e5970b-800wi

    Some days our Poppy doesn’t want to walk along our usual route. She wants to see and smell something new. Even as a young pup, she loved to follow her nose. Sometimes we let her lead the way. She has a change of scene, and so do we.

    Ed is an extremely patient person and is much better at this than I am. Our dogs have all enjoyed long, leisurely walks where he has allowed them to decide which way to turn at every corner or which direction to take at the start of a beach walk.

    IMG_8229 - Version 22015-05-08-poppy-westie-provincetown-beach-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Once, in Provincetown, he was following along as our first Westie Sassy took him down the beach to Truro because she just wanted to keep going. When he walks Poppy alone, I’ll often get a report of where she wanted to go and what they saw along the way. 

    Paying attention to what your dog is trying to communicate can be smart. As summer temperatures rise, your dog may try to turn for home as a way of telling you he’s hot, tired, and doesn’t want to be outside any longer. Or, he might pull to reach a puddle or water supply as a way of telling you he’s thirsty. Paying attention and occasionally letting the dog lead can be a good thing for both of you.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino (adapted from one of her City Paws newspaper columns)
    Photos: ©2015 Penny Cherubino 

    Related articles
    The Polite Wet Dogs of Provincetown Harbor
    My Little Sunday Dog …
    Sunday Dog Lucy Is Settling into the City

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

    Postcard6x4-TYDP_2

    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

    Postcard6x4-TYDP_2

    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

    Postcard6x4-TYDP_2

    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta