[nagdu] follow was Grave problems with Pilot Dogs program

Fri Apr 15 18:19:56 UTC 2011

Julie,

Hm...  As I recall, getting to a follow that wasn't completely maddening
with Mitzi poodle took quite a bit of patience over time.  When I introduced
the concept to her, she told me what I could do with that kind of stupid
idea.  /grin/  We had one store in particular where we practiced it, and the
shopping assistants were great about our schtick, since they new she was
still pretty much in training -- or at best an apprentice guide.  The store
was either on the way to the dog park there, or the next stop after,
depending on weather conditions.  In good weather, especially warm enough to
tire her out quicker, I would give her plenty of run play (in those days,
that only meant about 17 hours straight), thhomeen have her guide to the
store and would use follow with more success.  Helps when the ultra
high-energy pup is too worn out to argue...  The process of getting her that
worn out, honestly, left me too worn out to remember my own name -- or to
not buy so many groceries that hauling them home on my back wouldn't make me
3 feet shorter.  /lol/

So I dunno.  Using the command and then nagging like the wind until he
decides to just go ahead and do it might work.  /grin/  Unless you want to
load him down with breaks and run him for a mile or ten before you work on
it?  I wonder if his high-energy quirkiness would prefer knowing the name of
the person to follow, like Mitzi does?  Weirdest thing, but she is pretty
firm on that one.  No name, no follow.

I have no idea if that is even remotely helpful, but that is the sum of what
I know on the subject.  Good luck! /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie J
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2011 5:17 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] follow was Grave problems with Pilot Dogs program

To all of you who have taught the follow command, can you share tips on how 
you did it?

I taught Belle, but I don't really remember completely how I did it.  She 
picked it up very easily and was one of those dogs who would follow to the 
exclusion of all else.

I've been working on the concept with Monty off and on for a while now, but 
he isn't very good at following.  He wants to be out front and in the lead. 
that's fine most of the time, but sometimes I do need him to follow, like 
yesterday when we were following someone in a parking lot to a particular 
car.

Thoughts? Ideas?
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sheila Leigland" <sleigland at bresnan.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 7:51 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Grave problems with Pilot Dogs program

> When I got my first dog I taught him to follow on my own. They don't want 
> the dogs to just follow people so they don't risk teaching it.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lyn Gwizdak <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
> Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 3:45 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Grave problems with Pilot Dogs program
>
> Carin,
> I've known several people who got dogs at Pilot.  They went during the 80s
> and 90s and they had traffic training and their dogs worked fine as far as

> I
> could see.  What I did hear is that they don't teach the "Follow" command.
> I have since heard that other schools aren't teaching the "Follow" command
> either.
>
> To me, the "Follow" command is a very good one that I use all the time 
> when
> I'm in a store or just out and about with other guide dog users and I 
> don't
> know the route - usually inside a mall or store.  Out on the street, I use
> the regular guide commands.
>
> Lyn and Landon
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Karen Alexander" <kalex710 at gmail.com>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 4:42 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Grave problems with Pilot Dogs program
>
>
>>I spoke with Alec a member of Nagdu and a guide dog handler. I found out
>> that Pilot Dogs train their dogs for only three months. It seems that 
>> they
>> are not thoroughly trained with traffic, etc. I am just in the beginning
>> state of choosing an organization.
>>
>>
>>
>> I could used input from anyone on this list regarding Pilot Dogs both
>> positive and negative.
>>
>>
>>
>> It is a grave concern to me to be given a dog who could put both of us in
>> harms way. How can a service dog organization not be called out for 
>> unsafe
>> dogs?
>>
>>
>>
>> The newbie,
>>
>> Carin
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Karen Alexander
>>
>> home:    330 864 8351
>>
>> mobile:  330 715 4690
>>
>> 710 White Pond Dr #705
>>
>> Akron, Ohio 44320
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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