[nagdu] finding an empty seat and update on training

[Julie J]

Thanks!
I remember having an oops when I was teaching finding seats to Belle, 
accidentally delaying the acknowledgement of her effort too long and she 
also did the feet thing. The good news is that you can phase out the feet, 
with a bit of time and effort.

Sounds like you are doing well.  Do you think the two week class was more 
stressful for you because of the pace?  Or is it the same comparable to the 
three or four week program?

Julie


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ioana Gandrabur" <igandrabur at gmx.de>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 11:25 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] finding an empty seat and update on training


> Hi from San Rafael!
>
> Adrian put his head on the chair but if it was under a table he would show
> me the exposed part e.g. the back of it.
>
> This little or not so little guy I am going home with tomorrow is a bit 
> over
> enthusiastic so, after showing me the chair with his head on it or on the
> arm rest if I don't acknowledge him fast enough or if he is really happy
> about finding  an other chair in the same room he'd jump on it if possible
> with all 4 paws. Naturally I am not going to encourage this method but it
> cracks me up when he does it. He's almost saying: "here lady! Do you get 
> it
> now finally?"He turned 18 months today.
>
> We are doing well and I am looking forward to going home with him.
> He is a bit dog distracted but at least for now very easy to refocus.
> He is not at all a sniffer so this is very refreshing because with Adrian 
> I
> would always have to double guess if he is using initiative in leaving our
> traveling line or just going to check out local aromas.
> However I have found out the hard way that he is a terrible opportunist
> around food. He grabbed half my dinner salad from the table 2 days ago. 
> Granted it was
> not fair to me because I did not expect food to be there as I arrive to 
> find
> the chair. Normally it would come after I sit down. Anyhow I had a real
> melt-down over it. I guess the intense training tiredness and the
> realisation that our food war is on, wondering how much it would spiral
> downwards as he realises he can get away with more than with the trainers
> really were the drop that made the glass overflow. I then started being
> upset at being upset with the dog and so on. Have to laugh as I write it 
> now
> because it seams so irrational. Things are back on  track and we will just
> have to do many food set-ups. Gentle leader works well with him too. I 
> might
> have to put it on every time we walk into a building where there might be 
> food
> easily available. The fact that he's 25 inches at the shoulder and reaches
> with no effort at all many normal height tables does not help either. 
> would
> not change him for the world though. He's very attached to me already I
> think. I can hardly practice re-calls off leash because if I move away 
> from him
> before I know it he's at my side so I can't even try the "come command".
>
> Well tomorrow is the big day and I'll say good by to a place that although 
> we
> spend relatively little time here feels like some kind of home in many 
> ways.
> I am ready to start our new partnership in earnest and unless very 
> unforeseen
> things developed as we transition the 2 weeks were more than enough for 
> us.
>
> Time to go pack and I really dislike doing it so I ended up at the 
> computer.
>
> Best to you all!
>
> Ioana and Loyal
>
>
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