[nagdu] GDB's new methods

[Sherry Gomes]

It doesn't though.  The dogs are taught that they can only take the treat
from the handler.  Even my retired guide Bianca, who is so smart she tends
to get into mischief at home, was always perfect when working, in terms of
being around food.  I could go into any restaurant and she wouldn't search
for crumbs.  She'd pass by food ont he street when we were working.  One
time, at a picnic, she tried to grab something off my plate.  She wasn't in
harness, and I drug that food out of her mouth and corrected her.  She never
did it again.  My current guide Olga can be around food, open trash bags,
even dog food spilled on the floor, and she won't go for it, even off leash,
even if I'm not near her.  I've had dogs from well before food rewards and
after, and my dogs trained on food rewards are better around food than my
dogs who weren't.  I don't mean that every dog is going to be that way.  GDB
knows behavior around food is a huge issue to me, due to a bad experience
with a dog many years ago who would dive at anything he thought could
possibly be food.  So, they give me dogs who have been less likely to
scrounge, as long as those dogs fit my other needs, and they give me tons of
practice on food distractions during training.  believe me, before I tried
using food rewards, I believed the exact thing you do.  A trainer I trust
absolutely challenged me to try it, and I have never ever regretted it.



-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Larry D. Keeler
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 10:00 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDB's new methods

Sonds like that method makes a dog a chow hound instead of a work hound! 
Incidently, I never reward Holly with treats.  She sure gets enough of them 
but not in connection with work.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margo and Arrow" <margo.downey at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 11:37 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDB's new methods


> yeah, me, too.  I would think you'd have to or maybe have to do a treat 
> sort of thing to have these shorter classes.  let me say that again:  In 
> order to have these short classes, I'd think that maybe you'd have to 
> constantly give food rewards.  Hope that made sense.
>
>
> I know Arrow encountered a recent GDB graduate from the shorter classin 
> Dallas and he was sniffing her pocket until I corrected him and she had 
> doggie reats in her pocket.  that's all I know, folks, so I'll stop here.
>
> Margo and Arrow
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 8:35 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] GDB's new methods
>
>
>>I thought GDB was using clicker training, the click & treat, with the
>> treats decreasing frequency as the dog figured out what was wanted.
>> (That's my understanding of C&T, which I admit is rather vague.)  But I
>> was talking to a friend about it, and she thinks that GDB is not 
>> clicking,
>> just using food rewards, and that the treats never decrease.  She thinks
>> that the new GDB graduate is constantly handing out treats, at least at
>> every up-curb, and probably other places.  We're picturing a guy
>> schlepping a 5-pound bag of kibble for a long walk!
>> Are there any recent GDB graduates on the list who've been trained in the
>> new methods?  What is it really like? Now I'm eaten up with curiosity!
>> C&T me!
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>>
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