[nagdu] teaching dogs to ignore attention

Mon Jan 3 20:41:04 UTC 2011

Hi everyone.

I have struggled with this as well.  Little Brie loves to just take me
right to people she knows.  She also likes children.  I have been told
by sighted people that she has a look in her eyes that is saying "I
know I'm not supposed to greet you, but I really love you."

I have tried working through these situations by telling her to "Leav
it" before correcting.  Then, we try again.  I tell the person to stay
put while we work around them again.  It usually works because she
really only tries to greet people she knows.  She can really spot a
dog person.  Lol!

Another thing I have done is set up these kinds of situations.  Just
as James said.  Brie also gets very distracted when she hears her name
called by others, so we had to work on that.  At school I have had one
of my friends try and call her name, and I have rewarded Brie for not
doing anything.  It's a great feeling when your dog doesn't listen to
other people in harness.

Just a few suggestions.  We are not quite there yet, but I know she
tries hard to resist the urge to say hi to everyone.

Oh, and, that hedgehog toy sounds awesome!

On 1/4/11, James Brown <jbrown321 at comcast.net> wrote:
>     I'm still a rookie handler, but I have a masters in psych, so I do have
> some knowledge of how to train behavior.
>
> Recreate the environment you want to simulate by recruiting a person to try
> and distract the dog inside the environment in question.  For example, if
> the pup has a problem with kids, get a kid to try and knock the dog off his
> game when working; then reward for desired behavior and correct for negative
> behaviors.
>
> Good luck,
> JB
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "solsticesinger" <solsticesinger at gmail.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 7:59 AM
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> 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
>> Are you a fan of women's music? If so, join me, each Wednesday evening
>> from 7-10 eastern, for The Eclectic Collection: a Celebration of Women In
>> Music. Point your media player to:
>> http://mojoradio.us:9090
>> ----- 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
>>> availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com
>>> Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!!
>>> http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_
>>> 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3
>>>
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/mhingson%40sbcglobal.
>>> net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/solsticesinger%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jbrown321%40comcast.net
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/kaybaycar%40gmail.com
>

-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
Eyes for the Blind

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16