[nagdu] GDF's step refusal

[Jewel S.]

Excuse that less message; the computer messed up on me!

What I wanted to say was...

I think step refusal is a bit different from the regular intelligent
disobedience, and please correct me if I'm wrong about this. But as I
see it, this would be good for someone who has balance issues or poor
motor skills. For example, I need to take one step at a time, knowing
the edge of each step and the depth before putting my full weight on
each step. A dog trained in step refusal would know that I am not
supposed to keep going without having my balance right. I might step
as if I think it's a flat surface, and the dog would be like "No, I
don't think so...you're going to fall, Jewel" and refuse to step until
I adjusted my balance properly. Otherwise, I am likely to knock myself
and perhaps the dog off-balance and do a drunken-man walk down the
steps or fall altogether. I've done both.

My thoughts,
Jewel

On 5/23/10, Jewel S. <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> b
>
>
> On 5/20/10, Steve Johnson <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net> wrote:
>> Now, if a dog is properly trained and not with this particular skillset,
>> shouldn't they essentially be doing this anyway?  I can tell you that my
>> dog
>> and my past dogs would never take me down or up something that is just
>> simply too much.
>>
>> JMT
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Jenine STANLEY
>> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 11:13 AM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nagdu] GDF's step refusal
>>
>> since there seems to be a little confusion about our step refusal
>> procedure,
>> let me try to explain it.
>> Step refusal is a procedure used when you come to a downward flight of
>> stairs. The rationale is this.
>>
>> Usually when you are walking and your dog stops at a change in elevation,
>> say a curb or single step down, You pause, maybe investigate if necessary
>> and give the “forward” command, assuming that the next step you take
>> after
>> stepping down onto the lower surface will be in the same plain, in other
>> words, on flat ground. This may not always be the case.
>>
>> Have you ever been, say, outside or exiting a building and what you
>> thought
>> would be one step down turned into 2 or 3? It’s not a fun feeling as you
>> skid down those unexpected stairs that you just told your dog you were OK
>> with and knew about.
>>
>> Step refusal is a check and balance, a command process that has been
>> taught
>> to both you and the dog to use as you wish. More on that later though.
>>
>> Step refusal as it’s taught during class, and I know, some GDF grads’
>> milage
>> may vary here, begins with you and your dog stopping at the top of a
>> flight
>> of stairs. Even if you have asked your dog to “find steps down” and your
>> dog
>> has taken you to the right side hand rail if there is one, something GDf
>> dogs are taught to do, Your dog technically is not supposed to move until
>> you have investigated the space and put your left, not right, foot down
>> on
>> the next step. This, in theory anyway, shows the dog that you are not
>> just
>> blithely stepping out into space because you are in a hurry.
>>
>> During class this is taught by having the person swing the right foot
>> forward as if to step out. The dog should not move. If it does, a slight
>> verbal correction is given.
>>
>> Then the person steps down with the left foot, issues the “forward”
>> command
>> and the dog moves down the stairs as usual.
>>
>> People who have their dogs trained for balance work on stairs do this
>> differently and I won’t detail that as it’s different for each team.
>>
>> OK, you ask, but in the real world, do people actually use this? Truth be
>> known, many GDF grads either do not, or change the foot from left to
>> right.
>> It’s there if you need it though but only if you routinely practice it
>> now
>> and then and actually use it once in a while.
>>
>> How is it different from, say, just stopping at a change in elevation?
>> Albert was correct in that once you stop, the dog is waiting on you to
>> reposition yourself then give a command. It’s really another form of
>> intelligent disobedience in which the dog is waiting for you to be in a
>> safe
>> position, one foot firmly planted on the next step, before moving
>> forward.
>>
>> It’s not unlike the stop the dog would make at, say, a train platform
>> edge
>> or edge of a hole. The dog wants you to investigate and be sure of your
>> footing before moving. We just added downward steps to the list of
>> obstacles
>> for such intelligent disobedience.
>>
>> Can you break your dog of this command? In a heartbeat. You can also
>> untrain
>> your dog to stop at any change in elevation by simply forcing the dog
>> enough
>> to just go up or down without even a pause.
>>
>> A well coordinated team can almost look and feel as if they don’t pause,
>> but
>> I know I at least try to pause slightly at an upward change and if not
>> come
>> to a complete stop, at least do a longer pause at a downward change.
>>
>> I hope that better explains step refusal. It’s often misunderstood, by
>> both
>> grads and others and is a lot more subtle than it sounds.
>>
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