[nagdu] micromanaging your dog

[Julie J.]

Steve,

Yes absolutely.  There is management and then there is micromanagement.  
The former is what is necessary for a peaceful and productive working 
relationship.  the later is overcompensating perhaps out of fear of 
failure or lack of trust.

I've never thought about micromanagement and the success of the team, 
but it makes a load of sense.  Micromanaging is going to cause stress 
for both the person and the dog.   I think it also is a symptom of some 
underlying issue, like I said above, perhaps that's a fear of failure or 
a lack of trust that the dog will behave appropriately.  It's hard 
though in that first little while to know just exactly how much leeway 
to give to the dog or when exactly to step in.  It takes a bit to figure 
out the particular dog and what they need as far as management.  And of 
course a lot changes in that first year and what started out as 
necessary management can very easily be micromanagement a few months later.

Interesting stuff.
Julie






On 3/4/2012 10:58 AM, Steven Johnson wrote:
> Hi Julie,
> I would have to agree with your insight.  So, with this in mind, can this
> result in, or have the potential to impact that bond or bonding process?  I
> am really thinking of new handlers with dogs matched within the past year as
> this seems to be, and is most often the most critical period.  I guess in
> part what I am thinking, is if there is a correlation with unsuccessful
> teams and micromanagement, versus successful teams and less micromanagement?
> As you noted, our guides are still dogs, and dogs will be dogs, but
> management of their behaviors is in part, what we need to be good handlers.
> Taking this to another level and micromanaging, from my viewpoint, may have
> a potential to have negative consequences on the success of that team.
> However, it also, I suppose, has to do with the type of handler one is, but
> more importantly the type of dog...not the breed, but how the dog can deal
> with this level of management that it has never been exposed to in its
> overall training.  I think we all have seen or witnessed how others manage
> their dog, and think to ourselves, I would never do that, and realize that
> this is a choice that they have made, and may indeed be a part of their
> overall training.  I just find this an interesting subject as the last thing
> we want as handlers, is to put undue stress on our guides, and from my
> perspective, micromanagement has the potential to do this.
>
> Steve
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2012 10:40 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] micromanaging your dog
>
> Steve,
>
> This is something I've been thinking about and working through lately.
> I think in the beginning of team formation a higher level of management
> on the part of the human is frequently necessary.   Then we sort of get
> in the habit of providing that same level of management not because it's
> necessary, but because that is just the way we've always done it.  I don't
> think it's a deliberate or conscious thing, like I'm going to micromanage my
> dog because he is stupid and untrustworthy.  Nobody thinks I have to control
> my dog's every action or he'll go totally nutters, pee on the floor, jump up
> on old ladies and steal candy from
> little kids.   Or at least I hope those aren't actual daily concerns.  I
> do think there is a load of pressure on guide dog handlers to keep their
> dog's behavior at a level near perfection.  We all know that dogs are dogs
> and they aren't perfect, still that is what is expected.
> Micromanaging the dog is a fear response I think.  It's a way for us to try
> to  guarantee that no mistakes will happen.  the thing we overlook is that
> humans make mistakes too!
>
> I wrote more about this idea in the recent thread about cooperation vs.
> force.  I've been closely examining everything I do with Monty lately to see
> what is truly functional and what is just leftover from his earlier training
> days.  I'm clearing out what is no longer necessary and replacing it with
> what works now.
>
> Julie
>
>
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