[nagdu] guide dog question

[Tami Jarvis]

Jessica,

Interesting questions! I've learned bits and pieces of T touch and used 
that and other calming massage techniques on my husband's rescue 
coonhound who needed all that calming she could get! It worked really 
well with her. I use some on Mitzi, my poodle guide, as well, and on the 
pup, just because it's nice bonding and cuddling. /smile/

I'm a positive trainer and trained my own guide, so that affects how I 
deal with unwanted behaviors at home or in harness. I do use a Gentle 
Leader on the poodle guide to keep track of the nose, which can be 
adventurous all on its own, there at the end of the long, supple poodle 
neck. So I can use the GL to tell what the nose is doing, and that has 
become a key part of our communication. At need, I can also use it to 
inhibit when she turns into Ms. Sniff, or to pull her head around away 
from a distraction, which is negative reinforcement. Then I can reward 
for the wanted behavior I ask for.

For my husband's mutt puppy, now 14 months, I've had to play around 
finding what works. A head collar won't stay on her short, wide snout, 
and she has no neck, so we use a nylon martingale collar, much like the 
one Larry describes. She is also super strong, so when we're out and 
about, I won't take the leash unless she is wearing her martingale style 
prong collar. It has nylon tips over the metal prongs, so is relatively 
gentle. Because it is also self-correcting, I have a fighting chance of 
not losing an arm or experimenting with human flight. /lo/ I'm 
considering giving the pup some basic guide dog training, but am first 
working on more leash training and then will practice around the house 
using the prong collar with the harness... She's a good girl, but a pup, 
so... Flying across the street against my will is not something I want 
to do! /lo/ With Mitzi, I could just brace myself and stand when she got 
rowdy as a youngster. With this one... I need a sure way of control, and 
that is all there is to it.

I agree strongly with others who have said that what collar you use and 
how will depend mostly upon your dog and you. If your dog is showing 
signs of being stressed, it could be that moderating the amount and type 
of correction you use could really help. Or adding more reward for 
wanted behavior. With a new dog, I do think you need to go with the way 
that dog was trained. But finding out the best balance for both of you 
will come along as part of the team building process. Or so it seems to 
me. /smile/

Best with your new pup!

Tami



On 12/10/2012 10:55 AM, Jessica Pitzer wrote:
> Hello,
> My name is Jessica and I have a guide dog from another school.
> I don't know if you can or will help me seeing as my dog is from
> another school but I thought it can't hurt to ask.
> I recently started talking with laurie stevens from seattle about t
> touch massage and went and had a private session with her.
> we explored many things.
> I learned some t touch massages which my dog loves.
> She also advised me to go away from the traditional chain collar to a
> flat collar. I'm cool with that but I'm so confused, too, because with
> all my dogs i've been to correct correct correct, and my dog does have
> a bit of a dog distraction, so of course my instinct is to give a
> leash correction.
> So if you can help a non grad with a dog from another program, can you
> help me and in what way, can you give me some tips?
> Also we are a new team, I've been working dogs since the end of 2008
> but had some bad matches, and we got matched on oct 22nd, 2012, and
> returned home nov, 2, 2012.
> Thank you, my contact info is below
> my number is 919 584 3522 or 321 735 0045 and
> my address is 4511 manchester dr. rockledge fl 32955
> Thanks
> Jessica
>
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