[nagdu] Wet floor signs

[Julie J]

My first thought was to work in a quiet place where there is a sign or to 
relocate one of these signs to a convenient place where you could work. 
*smile*  The way I'd do it would be to figure out how far away she is 
tensing, then work just short of that click and treat.  then repeat moving 
just a bit closer each time.  Then I'd move the sign or add in another and 
repeat.

I don't know if you use clicker training though.  So here are some other 
ideas...borrow a sign so you can have it around during happy times like 
playing with toys or eating.  You could try heeling around the signs keeping 
far enough away that she isn't too stressed with loads of verbal praise. 
this might be tough if you are in area where things move around a lot. 
There's also counter conditioning, which is just a more straightforward 
pairing good things with something perceived as unpleasant to change the 
association in her mind.  In this case it would involve going straight up to 
a sign and giving her a treat until she associates the sign with good 
things.  Really just a variation of the other suggestions.

Or I had another thought...teach her to target the signs.  So instead of 
going around she would take you to the sign to show you.  You might have to 
use one of the other ideas to get her over the initial nervousness, then 
teach the targeting.

I've not had a dog nervous about wet floor signs, but Monty is nervous 
around ladders.  No clue why.  Someday I will have to work on it. But for 
now it isn't that big of a problem because we don't come across that many

HTH
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie McGinnity" <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 10:06 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Wet floor signs


> Hi everyone.
>
> I know this might seem kind of random, but have any of you had any
> trouble with navigating around wet floor signs with your dogs?  Our
> university is littered with them.  They are in corners, behind doors,
> and yes, right in the middle of hallways.  In the past few semesters
> they have crept up on Brie and me.  Usually, she sees them in time to
> pause and try and take me around them, but I have not been paying
> attention or did not react fast enough to avoid them, so we go
> crashing into them, knocking the stupid thing to the floor with a loud
> smack.  Other times she clears the wet floor sign just fine, but my
> backpack or sleeve brushes it, which is enough to knock it over.  Now
> she is terified of them.  Every time we go near one, she tenses, and
> she starts not wanting to move.  I don't know what to do because
> around the cafiteria is a wet floor sign minefield.  Today I even
> tried to walk her up to one in a heal--not working, and she didn't
> want to go near it.  She wouldn't budge.  I'm not sure how to cure
> this.  I know it's my fault for not listening to her before or not
> reworking the wet floor sign areas, but I need her to get over this
> fear.  As soon as she sees one of those things she is afraid, and this
> happens way before I can see the sign with my limited vision.
>
> Have any of  you experienced anything like this?  Any advice would be
> so welcome.  Thanks, and I hope your all having a nice snowy week!
>
> -- 
> 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
>
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