[nagdu] Distractibility

Margo and Arrow margo.downey at verizon.net
Sat Jan 14 15:36:30 UTC 2012 

I remember meeting Ben at the Seeing eye reunion gathering in 2009--very 
nice, good boy.

I always write a letter or send an email.  there are a few pieces of my 
criteria that I emphasize that I won't go home with a dog that does this or 
doesn't do that.  For example, I want a dog that strolls and I won't buy the 
thing they often say, "He or she will slow down."  the dog must start out 
that way and continue that way or I won't go home with that dog.  the eye 
has listened very well.

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: Saturday, January 14, 2012 9:14 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Distractibility


> 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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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>>>> for
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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>
>
>
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