[nagdu] Guide Dog Obedience

Tamara Smith-Kinney tamara.8024 at comcast.net
Fri Feb 5 20:33:19 UTC 2010


Linda,

Excellent explanation!  I'm familiar with the theory behind that style of
training, and I know it has been a mainstay of the guide dog programs for
generations, if with variations between schools.  I've been using the
methods and techniques my critters taught me when I was young and thought I
was training them for so long that I use what's always worked for me on my
own animals.  If I do go through a guide dog school in future, I will have
to adapt to the training methods they used for the dog, of course.  I wonder
how much therapy my instructor will require after 4 weeks of trying to
convince me to behave?  /grin/

My methodology from childhood adapted best into operant conditioning when I
was old enough to start studying theory, so I've pretty much focused on that
as a framework for better understanding how to be a better trainer.  I read
other theories, as well, but I sort of pick and choose what fits with my
strengths, I guess.

I do like hearing how all of you who work with dogs from the schools,
because it's pretty obvious they know what they're doing when they train
their dogs.  /smile/  Also, if I learn as much as can from you, it may save
some poor, unsuspecting instructor a lot of trauma someday.

Do you wonder why I love my strong-willed, stubborn dog so much?  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Linda Gwizdak
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 10:59 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Obedience

Hi Michelle,
I'd make Troy wait til the cows came home for the water if he breaks the Sit

command.  In other words, water NEVER appears until he learns to stay. 
Maybe don't keep the water down so then you always know how much water is in

the dish before it is put down. Make him sit and stay before you put it 
down.  If he breaks, remove it immediately - before he gets to it. He has to

know that he must wait for your OK before going for the water.  This can be 
a safety issue as he coould cause the bowl to be upset and water spilled all

over the place.  Some dogs have tried to knock the bowl out of the person's 
hand.

Have you had him check for any conditions that would make him very thirsty? 
I have found that it is wise to find out if there is a medical problem 
before correcting some behaviors.

HTH!

BTW, welcome and hope you join us in our lively discussions.  I'm Lyn and 
I'm working with my eighth dog, Landon. He's a four-year-old red Lab/Golden 
cross from The Seeing Eye.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michelle" <m-johnson at bigpond.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 1:48 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dog Obedience


> Hi,
>
> I've got a question. I'm a first-time guide dog user, and have had my 
> current guide dog for just over two years. He's good with his obedience 
> commands most of the time, but when it comes to telling him to sit and 
> stay when I'm checking how much water he has in his container, or if 
> someone else has to go into the laundry for a few minutes for any reason 
> and Troy is thirsty, I, or the other person, will tell him to sit and 
> stay, but then his compulsion to drink right now causes his obedience to 
> go out the window. What do I do about this, so then he won't generalise 
> this breaking of commands to other parts of his working and social life?
>
> Advice much appreciated,
>
> Michelle
>
> P.S. Even though Troy gets enough water to drink each day and has access 
> to it every day, when he wants water, he is so impatient that he can't 
> seem to sit and stay for as lo g as we need him to when it comes to 
> checking his water container or going into the laundry for other reasons 
> before letting him go for a drink. He breaks his stay before I or others 
> leave the laundry.
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