[nagdu] Dogs listening

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Joy,

As my vision loss has progressed, I've taken to self-talking my way through
things, too.  I've also been doing while recovering from a medical condition
-- nothing like the magnitude of yours, but I have to learn to do a lot of
things over, too -- so I chat happily with myself about what I need to do,
where I'm going and how to get there....  I do that less now, although I
seem be going through another major progression and need to hear myself
talk, I guess, or my brain melts.  Whatever rewiring it needs to do in
dealing with a new loss of vision seems to wipe out my adaptive skills even
though I keep my adaptive skills ahead of the actuall vision loss and don't
use my vision that much anyway...  Weird and aggravating, but here I go
again.  So Mitzi has to listen to me chatter on.  /smile/

The odd thing is, she seems to like it.  She likes knowing where we're going
and seems to take my verbal trip planning as an itinerary...  DD is also a
big self-talker, especially in the kitchen, and she will be so busy hanging
on his every word and watching everything he does that Daisy will snag
dropped food right out from under her without her noticing.  /smile/

The flip side is that when I adapt each time and stop yakking so much, Mitzi
is a lot less excited about her work.  She would rather take me to the bus
stop than just follow my boring left, right instructions as we go to the bus
stop.  She will also be put out if I suddenly change the itinerary -- say if
I remember I need to stop at the corner store on the way to the bus stop.
When she was younger, we had a few drawn out arguments.  I actually tested
her a few times, telling her where we were going then letting her guide me
there without telling her where to turn, even in spots where we would more
usually go another way.  That poodly brain of hers scares me sometimes!
/grin/

I do tend to distract her myself sometimes by fussing at her over little
stuff if I'm uptight or anxious.  She picks up my mood so much anyway that
she has taught be to be very zen about it all, and she has her ways of
reminding me to just lighten up and get over myself when I stray.  Then
rewarding me when I shape up.  /lol/  Who's practicing operant conditioning
on whom?

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Joy Relton
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 7:12 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dogs listening

Cindy,

You made some good points. We are too hard on ourselves and our dogs
sometimes because of a fear of what it will look like. On the other hand,
"relaxing" as you say can make us appear less harsh to the public and
appearances do count. I also know what you mean about talking too much to
the dog. Talking is my way to work through tight areas and sometimes I have
to remind myself that self-talking doesn't have to be aloud. I once told my
dog that I was frustrated with her and was going to trade her in for a cat.
Some woman walked by and was quite indignant about it. I started to laugh
and she realized that I wasn't serious. So, by the way, does Belle. That
word "RELAX" really hits the nail on the head for me Cindy. Easier to say
than to do sometimes.
-----Origi


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