[nagdu] Distractibility

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Sat Jan 14 14:14:58 UTC 2012 

Next time around, I'm thinking of rating things on a scale from 1-10.
Breed, 1.  Gender, 2.  Correctibility, 7.  Traffic skills, 11!
Something like that.
I always write a letter to go with my application, letting them know about
my current lifestyle and what I want/need in my new dog.

Whatever his distractibility issues, Ben's traffic and crowd work are top
of the line.  We usually get 2 or 3 traffic checks a month, and sometimes
2 on one crossing, despite having the light.  Ben takes it all in stride,
does his stuff and carries on without batting an eyelash.  Good boy!

Tracy

> Tracy, also remember that the things a trainer finds in a dog may not
> always
> be the same things you find.  The trainer is the trainer; you are you.
> that's why matching is an art nd a science.  (smile).  That's why it's
> subjective and objective at the same time and it sounds as if I'm talking
> out of both sides of my mouth about this.  (smile).
>
> Next time, have the trainer define things.  Sensitive means so many
> things--what you interpret that it means and what it means to the trainer
> sound very different perhaps.
>
> and, then, you know, we can only have close to perfect dogs anyway.
> (smile).
>
> Believe me, I have honed my dog criteria every time I have gotten a new
> one.
>
>
> And I 'm sure you have, too, so hone away.
>
> Margo and Arrow
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 2:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Distractibility
>
>
>> Oh ya Margo, I've been writing that letter to TSE in my mind for years!
>> :.)  And you have a good point about making sure we agree on
>> definitions.
>> My trainer told me that Ben was a sensitive guy.  I still haven't
>> figured
>> out what she meant by that.  She also said that if I praised him to
>> enthusiastically in the street that it distracted him, so maybe that's
>> what she meant by "sensitive."  Beats me.
>>
>> They did do a good job on many fronts.  I wanted a dog with a
>> faster-than-stroll pace, who could work in the City 2 or 3 days a week,
>> but still be happy on the days we didn't go in.  I didn't want a dog who
>> would be bouncing off the walls when he wasn't working.  I didn't want a
>> dog who would bug Echo to play a lot, because Echo doesn't enjoy other
>> dogs.  And Ben is all those things.  So I'll just have to add that I
>> want
>> a dog who's a bit easier to correct, and less interested in goofing off,
>> and I'll have an A #1 dog!
>> Huh, it's probably just as well Ben can't write to the list.  No doubt
>> he
>> has complaints of his own.
>> Tracy
>>
>>> when it's time to get another dog, which I hope is way far in the
>>> future,
>>> talk to the staff at Tse or wherever you go to get your next dog and
>>> give
>>> just the concerns and contrasts you gave in this email.  have the
>>> school
>>> define to you or work out a mutual definition of a city dog.  what is a
>>> city
>>> dog?
>>>
>>> buffalo is fast-paced in soem places and slow-paced in other places.  I
>>> ask
>>> for a dog with lots of flexibility; a dog that does not require
>>> routine;
>>> a
>>> dog that enjoys being stimulated by solving problems; a dog that I
>>> hardly
>>> or
>>> never have to steady; a dog that strolls; a dog that requires mostly
>>> gentle
>>> verbal corrections and occasional leash corrections.  Ben is probably a
>>> harder dog than Arrow.  I also like a dog that takes things in stride
>>> during
>>> his work and arrow does that.  if he can be with me, wherever I go,
>>> it's
>>> okay and we'll figure it out in some kind of way.
>>>
>>> If we go to a place he hasn't been for a while and this is mainly
>>> outdoors
>>> or a new place outdoors, he will foget his manners and start to sniff.
>>> if
>>> the places are more routein, he won't sniff.
>>>
>>> Margo and Arrow
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 11:34 AM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Distractibility
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Margo.
>>>> I guess I just worry that, since I work in the City, I will always get
>>>> a
>>>> tough-minded city dog.  Ben doesn't bat an eyelash at New York
>>>> craziness.
>>>> He doesn't usually bat an eyelash at my corrections, either.  It's a
>>>> trade-off, I guess.  But Buffalo is supposed to be a fast-paced town,
>>>> and
>>>> Arrow doesn't sound too tough, so you give me some hope.
>>>> Echo was very easy to correct, but she's a soft GDB gal, while Benny
>>>> is
>>>> a
>>>> Jersey boy through and through.  Yo!
>>>> Tracy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Arrow doesn't distract by other dogs and he does sniff sometimes but
>>>>> a
>>>>> gentle hup-hup does the trick.  I never have to steady him.  We just
>>>>> stroll
>>>>> along at a gentle pace--very relaxed.
>>>>>
>>>>> Margo and Arrow
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 10:18 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] My new dog
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Buddy.
>>>>>> That's encouraging.  At least there are some dogs out there who are
>>>>>> not
>>>>>> easily distracted.  Ben's weakness is sniffing, and my corrections
>>>>>> don't
>>>>>> make much of an impression.  I want my next dog to not always be
>>>>>> looking
>>>>>> for a chance to cop a sniff.
>>>>>> But, other than that, Ben is very easy to live with, very tranquil
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> without any bad habits besides sniffing and emptying on route. Well,
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> acting like "Are you talking to me?"  Little wise guy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tracy
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Tracy,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> My experience mostly agrees with your experience, but Leno must be
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> mutant or something, because, approaching a year and a half later
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> he's
>>>>>>> *still* really quiet. There was a brief time when he'd get a little
>>>>>>> distracted by other dogs, but that settled down very quickly, and
>>>>>>> even
>>>>>>> that wasn't bad at all. Nothing like Chet's distractibility, and
>>>>>>> nothing
>>>>>>> that was at all hard to get control over. Still, I do think Leno's
>>>>>>> pretty
>>>>>>> unusual in that respect; it was pretty much what I saw was what I
>>>>>>> got,
>>>>>>> no
>>>>>>> surprises.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>>>>>>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jan 12, 2012, at 7:46 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi Mark!  I've been wondering how it was going for you.  Glad to
>>>>>>>> hear
>>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>>> going well.  And he sounds like a fine fellow.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In my experience, dogs may start out quiet, but, once they start
>>>>>>>> feeling
>>>>>>>> comfortable, they start coming out of their shell and testing you
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>>> what rules will stay and which will go.  In class, it takes a week
>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>> two
>>>>>>>> to start.  Not sure if it's the same at home, but I'd think it
>>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>>> be.
>>>>>>>> Hope all continues to go well.
>>>>>>>> Tracy
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> My new dog is doing well. I got him on Tuesday the 3, and
>>>>>>>>> yesterday
>>>>>>>>> we
>>>>>>>>> were doing subway work.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> He is an almost 80lb male shepherd. His coloration was called
>>>>>>>>> "sable."
>>>>>>>>> The tip of his tale is black, almost like he dipped it in a
>>>>>>>>> bucket
>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> paint. He is extremely well behaved, and whenever I stop to talk
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> someone, he lays down on my left side. Whenever I am at a
>>>>>>>>> counter,
>>>>>>>>> he
>>>>>>>>> automatically lays down between my feet and the counter. He never
>>>>>>>>> barks,
>>>>>>>>> or chews anything in the house. Unless there is some sort of
>>>>>>>>> super
>>>>>>>>> compelling distraction like pidgins, he listens to me almost 100%
>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> time.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> My only complaint is sniffing distractions, and bird
>>>>>>>>> distractions.
>>>>>>>>> However, the bird distraction is more amusing than dangerous.
>>>>>>>>> Whenever,
>>>>>>>>> he
>>>>>>>>> sees a bird on the sidewalk in front of him, he stairs at it,
>>>>>>>>> while
>>>>>>>>> walking strait at it. When the bird gets scared and flies off, he
>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>>> happy, bouncing and wagging his tale.  I don't get on his case
>>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>> bird
>>>>>>>>> distractions so long as he doesn't go after birds that are not in
>>>>>>>>> our
>>>>>>>>> path
>>>>>>>>> anyway, and as he is approaching the bird, he can't mess up his
>>>>>>>>> guide
>>>>>>>>> work.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I have a red rubber stick that my dog loves. This is like doggy
>>>>>>>>> crack.
>>>>>>>>> He
>>>>>>>>> wants this rubber stick, more than he wants beef jerky or other
>>>>>>>>> high
>>>>>>>>> value
>>>>>>>>> food treats.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Let's call the dog Jon. That's not his name, however, that's the
>>>>>>>>> alias
>>>>>>>>> we
>>>>>>>>> are going with to he decides he doesn't want to run over and make
>>>>>>>>> friends
>>>>>>>>> with everyone that says his name.
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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