[nagdu] Wanting to Chase all moving animals, especially small ones...

[Hannah Chadwick]

Julie,
Thank you. I do have a few friends who are guide dog users, and I've spoken
with them. However, they haven't had all these things pop up that I've had.
Juanita, it sounds like your dog listens well. I usually have to do some
serious corrections or just drag Princess away from the distraction. I don't
like doing this, but it seems that I have to or she won't budge.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie J.
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 8:08 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Wanting to Chase all moving animals, especially small
ones...

Hannah,

I think the struggles you are having with Princess stem from a discrepancy
between what you expected and what you got.  It could be that what you
expect is absolutely within normal parameters for a guide dog and Princess
isn't trained to that standard.  Or it could be that what you are expecting
is not attainable or not at this point in the partnership.  Either way, it's
clear that you are not happy with her level of guiding.

If it helps I think everyone had ideas of what a guide dog would be like
before they actually got one;  marvelous, ease of travel, less getting lost,
safer, faster etc.  I'd also bet that most of us had some surprises in the
first year.  I know for me I seriously underestimated how much the dog would
think on his own.  that sounds silly.  It's true though.  I never
anticipated all the give and take that would be involved.  I never thought
I'd stand on the corner and have discussions with the dog about which
direction we'd be going.  I thought I'd say left and the dog would go left.
While that's generally true, there are a million exceptions to why it isn't
exactly true.

Do you have friends with guide dogs in your area?  It might be helpful to
visit with some people in person and see how they work with their guides.
Email isn't always the best means of communication.  We do tend to talk
about the more positive aspects of having a guide, although I have noticed a
trend in the past few years to be a lot more honest about the less pleasant
bits.

I guarantee you that each and every guide dog handler has had their share of
struggles, especially in that first year or so.  Monty, bless his heart, was
a distracted horror for the longest time.  In the very beginning when I was
still training him, he used to bounce up and down when he saw another dog.
I mean literally bounce up and down like TTigger. He used to pick up all
sorts of crap off the sidewalk, trash, sticks, bugs, a snake once...oh and
the dead bird.  I remember walking round and round at the park with him so
we could come to an understanding about the squirrels.  Now he's pretty good
about the squirrels, rabbits and cats, but if one gets within two or three
feet of 
us, he will make a lunge for it.   They usually don't get that close, so 
it's a compromise I'm willing to live with.   He doesn't pick up stuff 
anymore and he's 99% better about other dogs.  It took work to get there.

My experience is different though because I owner train.  I expect nothing
in the beginning.  You were expecting a fully trained and trustworthy guide
and you didn't get that.  I think the question now is, what are you willing
to do? There are lots of options and people have made many suggestions. I
hope you find the path that is right for you.

all my best,
Julie








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