[nagdu] anticipating

[Julie J]

Thanks! That sounds very much how Monty and I do things.  It doesn't seem to 
bother him at all if I stop him and indicate a different direction.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nimer Jaber" <nimerjaber1 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] anticipating


>  Hello,
>
> I've had Abbie for a little over a year now. She anticipates turns all the 
> time when we're doing familiar routes. We also do one-time routes or 
> unfamiliar ones quite often, but she does anticipate the ones we don't go 
> to that often as well. I encourage her anticipation because if I were to 
> pass up a turn I could be wasting time backtracking. Also, if I don't want 
> her to turn, I just tell her to leave it and praise her as she keeps 
> walking. I know there are some dogs that would take longer to refocus, so 
> I'm not sure what I'd do if I had a dog like that, but with her, she will 
> immediately do what I ask her to do.
>
> Thanks
> Nimer J
>
> On 8/13/2010 2:14 PM, Julie J wrote:
>> Heya all,
>>
>> I will have had Monty two years tomorrow. We have worked together as a 
>> team for about 10 months of that.  I was reflecting back on all the 
>> progress we have made and how smoothly we are working together, at least 
>> most days. *smile*
>>
>> Anyway this morning on the way to work I was pondering the issue of 
>> guides that anticipate turns.  My understanding is that most of the 
>> programs discourage this.  I'm talking about a dog who makes a turn on a 
>> regular route without direct direction from the handler to do so.
>>
>> Monty does this all the time.  I have actually cultivated the skill 
>> because I appreciate it.  Of course if I feel him begin a turn and I want 
>> to go another way I simply stop, praise him and give the new 
>> instructions.  Also if we pass a place where we have turned in the past, 
>> but it's not a really regular place, he'll sort of do a half turn with a 
>> pause and look back to see if that's what I want.  I absolutely love this 
>> and can't imagine working it differently.
>>
>> My route to work is basically straight west with only a deviation of one 
>> block north.  I vary the route as much as is possible.  It really makes 
>> no difference where I choose to turn north, he always figures out where 
>> to go at the next corner.
>>
>> I'd love to hear how all of you balance the initiative of the dog, 
>> anticipating turns, indicating possible turns and the like.
>>
>> Julie
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