[nagdu] Dog distractions

Tue Apr 24 00:23:32 UTC 2012

Thanks Lisa, I will try this.

B A Guerrero and Seeing Eye Dog Godiva
guerrero.avila at sbcglobal.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lisa belville
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 11:27 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dog distractions

Bertha,

My Katy goes kookoo, uh, Labrador, for other dogs.

What works for us is called Calm Petting.  A long time GDF trainer showed me

this technique and it works wonders.    Not sure if the GDF trademarked it 
or not, but it is a sanity saver for me.  <grin>

Calm petting works like this:  Doggy gets distracted, person stops doggy,
makes doggy sit and face the person, then starts gently rubbing doggy's
chest while softly whispering something mushy like good girl.

The key here, though, is to catch the signs of distraction early in the
game.  Katy is very obvious when she's entering Labby Lala Land.  She starts
panting, snorting, and trotting; basically getting very bouncy and wiggly in
harness.  If I don't stop and do the calm petting, even a two-handed high
prong pinch shock collar gentle leader harness snap correction doesn't work.

And yes, I'm deliberately being sarcastic by using the numerous correction
and collar types.  <grin>

So, if this is happening with Katy, I halt, make her sit, position myself in
front of her and start very lightly rubbing her chest right below where the
harness chest strap is.  Usually she'll start licking my thumb because it
just so happens to be closer to her mouth.  this is how I know the calm
petting is working its magic.

This technique works better because it makes Katy focus on me and it looks
better to the uninformed public than having them see a meany blind chick
wrestling with her doggy that's just trying to be social.  <sigh>

If we're just walking past a yard where a dog is tied to something or if the
dog is across the street, a stern leave it works wonders.

Katy is like your girl in that once she's sniffed the uh, forbidden fruit,
she's all serious and ready for more work.  Katy is a good worker otherwise,
she's just a very dog-focused Lab, so I've just learned to compromise and
not let her get away with socializing when working without negative
consequences for her.

Lisa

1st Law of Procrastination: that which can be done will be done . . . 
TOMORROW!!
Lisa Belville
missktlab1217 at frontier.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bertha Avila Guerrero" <guerrero.avila at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NAGDU NFB" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2012 12:36 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Dog distractions

> Hello all,
> Recently we have been working on new routs because we are moving to a new
> house. As we work these routs we have encountered several dog 
> distractions.
> Any suggestions as to how to handle this? I begin to tell her to "leave 
> it"
> when I know we are coming to a dog, then if necessary I use a leash
> correction, but this doesn't always work. My Girl is a happy Little thing
> and wants to play with other dogs. I have been teasing and saying I am 
> going
> to get her a pet, Haha.
> Once She gets used to the dogs in the area we work in, She is fine and
> ignores them. However, I would like to stop this behavior sooner than 
> later
> in our new neighborhood.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions.
> B A Guerrero and Seeing Eye Dog Godiva
> guerrero.avila at sbcglobal.net
>
>
>
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