Oz Working Dogs - Assistance & Working Dog Equipment

For assistance/service dog equipment, as well as guide, therapy, detection, search & rescue, police and dogs in training equipment check out my website http://www.ozworkingdogs.com.au - I make and sell vests, capes, belly bands, harnesses, handles and more... and will post to the world!

Monday, June 18, 2012

A new page for Australian assistance dog equipment

10 months 3 weeks old

So, if you are observant you may have noticed straight away that there is a new 'tab' up the top of the page that says 'Assistance Dog Designs'. I just spent a heap of time making rather horrible drawings of each of my designs, and doing non-horrible descriptions of them (well I hope they are non-horrible lol). That way if any of my Aussie readers (and I know you're out there even if you don't comment!) are interested in some of the capes/vests/harnesses etc that haven't been finalised yet, they can just wait for what they are interested in.

I will be offering this gear to overseas customers but not until I am more set up, website, PayPal etc.

I have been quite busy, going between actually doing things and falling asleep on the couch... hence the lack of real entries. I took Knightley on a training trip to the shopping mall on the weekend, as I needed to buy some better needles for going through many thick layers of webbing and nylon fabrics - as I broke a needle a couple of days ago after it having struggled to sew the handle onto the vest. Knightley was pretty great. There were some fluffy feathers on the floor of the sewing shop and he DIDN'T GO FOR THEM!!! Shocking!!! Amazing!! Usually he would break focus and scoop them up in his mouth... Not this time. We might be getting somewhere. We then went on and got some fish for Knightley's evening meal (I try to feed fish once every month to six weeks), as well as three huge ox tongues to freeze. There was a little girl, about 2 years old, who couldn't stop looking at Knightley. Her parents were telling her that Knightley was a special dog and wasn't scary - obviously she was scared of dogs. I asked her parents if she would like to meet Knightley. So they came over and I told Knightley to visit, and he was very good, stayed in a sit (no flopping onto his back for a belly rub as he likes to do!) and very polite. The little girl was still quite timid but her parents thanked us for allowing the opportunity.

Knightley is getting very close to opening the door/cupboards the whole way now, by holding on to his shower scrub and backing up. Sometimes he only goes several steps and it doesn't get enough momentum, sometimes he gets in the way of the door. It isn't as simple as it sounds! Once he has got the idea there are still further things to deal with. Still, we are getting really close. While I don't need it on a day to day basis, I do go out in a wheelchair if I am am 'flaring' or if it's a long distance, and opening doors in a chair can be a big pain in the behind. Previously I usually go with someone if I am in a wheelchair, but I am looking into getting a much better wheelchair that I could move easily myself, and when Knightley is fully grown he could help me too. So that's why I am teaching this. That and there is one cupboard in the kitchen which is very low and it would help if he could open it for me.

I have started on one more simple piece of equipment before I go for a tricky one (the mobility vest), but it's great to have one completely finished. I'm quite proud of my first effort too. Here's Knightley modelling the final finished Design #1 last night. It is for sale to Australian residents now, in blue, red and black.

Anyway, time for me to do something today!


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