[nagdu] teaching dogs to ignore attention

Mon Jan 3 14:44:52 UTC 2011

Shannon and all,

If someone has a few ideas on this subject, I'd love to hear them as well.
My Fallon, whom I've had for a year, is a pretty good guide when folks,
especially children, aren't around.  But the difference I see in her
compared with other dogs I've had is that I believe she doesn't understand
the "i'm in harness so I'm a working firl now" part of her life.  People
have told me she is really into making eye contact, so people seem to
gravitate to her.  Once people are around, I don't feel very safe with her,
and that's not a good place to be.  A TSE trainer has observed her, and you
know she was as good as gold then.  I do use a gentle leader from time to
time, and that does help.  But I'm wondering if some dogs never get the fact
that the harness is their signal to be all business.

 I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday, and your dogs, too.  Fallon got a
hedgehog which rattles, squeaks, and grunts, and it's presently the top toy
around here.  A friend of mine says that toy sounds like him when he's just
waking up (lol.)

Sherrill

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of solsticesinger
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 8:59 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] teaching dogs to ignore attention

I'm curious to know how you managed to teach him to ignore the attention.
Ms. Caroline can be incredibly solicitous of people, and that's a behavior
I'd like to curb, if possible. I've heard of people who have taught their
dogs to ignore the attention of other people while in harness, but this is a
skill I've not mastered.

Shannon and Caroline
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2011 1:28 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Stupid people?

> Mike,
> This idiot was more than just someone who wasn't aware about not petting
> service dogs.  He was an idiot having a tantrum because he didn't get his
> way or that he didn't like being told to stop doing something by a woman.
> A person who is just uneducated doesn't react angrily that way and
> ordering Jessica and her mom to leave his jewlery stand.  A person who is
> just uneducated will usually apologize and then you can tell them why it
> is best to leave service dogs alone.   When they hear the reason for the
> no pet rules, then they usually understand - thus another sucessful
> educational moment!  There are people in this world who just don't give a
> crap about learning something or that their actions can harm a person with
> a disability.  They are selfish people who have never grown up and they
> act like overgrown spoiled brats. Fortunately, the number of respectful
> people vastly outnumber the rude idiots!
>
> Jessica, you were right to report this man's behavior to the mall
> authorities - this is totally unacceptable for a vendor in a mall.
>
> Now, what I do is to teach my dog to ignore the attention and this makes
> the person grow bored real fast.  They lose interest in a dog that ignores
> them! If Landon reacts like Jessica's dog did - and he does - I just tell
> Landon to "leave it" and pull him close to me.  Most of the time, people
> get the idea that Landon needs to be left alone.
>
> Happy New Year, everyone!
>
> Lyn and Landon
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Hingson" <mhingson at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2011 12:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Stupid people?
>
>
> This does not surprise me.  I am constantly amazed at the number of people
> today who simply do not know what a guide dog is and how to behave around
> one.  However, rather than being angry or even calling people "stupid" I
> urge adopting, when possible, an attitude of education.
>
> While such may not have been possible at the stand still remember that
> most
> people do not understand.  Society does not teach and often they make it
> difficult for us to teach.
>
> We can only do what we can, but please don't stay angry.  Go out and help
> us
> make people more aware.
>
>
> Mike Hingson
>
> The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
> "Speaking with Vision"
> Michael Hingson, President
> (415) 827-4084
> info at michaelhingson.com
> To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking
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>
>
> for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit:
> http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Jessica Pitzer
> Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2011 11:39 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Stupid people?
>
> Today, Kip and I went shopping with my mom. I was holding her arm,
> heeling Kip who was behaving very well. We stopped at this little
> stand in the mall which had these rings you could get engraved with
> your name on them. I was feeling the different types of rings, when I
> had noticed that Kip had broken his sit, and his tail was beating my
> legs. I immediately knew someone was petting my dog, so I turned a
> little to my left and said very politely, can you please stop petting
> my dog, he's a working dog and you are distracting him. Without
> missing a beat teh guy says sure, but leave my stand right now. I was
> taken aback, I just stood their. My mom was like lets go this guy
> asked us to leave. I was like no mom he has no right to ask us to
> leave, my dog was going nothign wrong and neither were we, the got got
> enraged and told us to leave right now. My mom and I found the mall
> manager and reported the situation, and were told it'd be handled. I
> was just shocked, my dog was well groomed, was sitting perfectly at my
> left side while I browsed, bothering no one, and yet what an idiot.
> Jessica and Kip
>
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