[nagdu] GDF training

[Ava Foster]

Wow, I can say for certain that if/when my vision again and
permanently goes from low vision to legally blind, as long as I do not
lose too much more hearing, I would love to apply to GDF. Your methods
absolutely intruigue me, as does your contract, and thank you for
sharing! I taught leash guiding to my owner trained guides, and can
see why you no longer teach it for crossing streets; the give in the
leash, at least imo, lets me walk too far and there's no "hard stop"
that a harness handle gives in the event of a traffic check. I love
using leash guiding - a GDF grad taught me years ago how to do it
properly, I hope! - around my block at home; it's just so free
feeling! I think Cocoa like it also. Plus it's great for short
distances. Ava and Cocoa the Yellow Labby

On 3/16/12, Jenine Stanley <jeninems at wowway.com> wrote:
> Thank you all for your interest in how GDF's training is slightly different
> from that at other schools. As always the disclaimer applies that everyone's
> mileage may vary on this but these have been my experiences as a graduate
> since 1990 and staff member since 2008.
>
> Back in 1990 when I first went to GDF, I knew a bit about having a guide
> dog. I'd had 2 already from another school. I also knew that dogs could do
> more than what that school told me they could but I had no idea how to get a
> dog to the point of being able to do all those extra things.
>
> Needless to say, I was amazed when taught at GDF that I was indeed a dog
> handler and had the knowledge and power to teach my dog additional things.
> This was back before clickers and food rewards.
>
> Nothing wrong at all with using those training techniques but I was taught,
> and GDf still does teach people, how to teach my dog to find things for me
> without using a clicker or food. It was my job to retain the training
> techniques.
>
> My first instructor told me that my dog would do as much or as little as I
> expected of her as long as she understood those expectations.
>
> At that time during our training, we learned how to show the dogs the
> difference between a flight of stairs going up or down. I could then say to
> my GDF dog, "Find steps up." In a staircase and he or she would choose the
> correct flight of stairs. Same with escalators.
>
> This has been dropped from most classes now as people just weren't using it,
> but it's something I work with each of my dogs during class to master.
>
> The greatest difference I saw back in the '90's with my GDF dogs that
> continues to this day is the use of the "find command". More schools are
> indeed using this command in many ways but it's been at GDF for much longer
> than I've been associated with them.
>
> During class at the Smithtown facility, you are expected to have your dog
> find your seat in the dining room each day, an empty seat in the lecture
> rooms, your own room, doors, the training vans, the trash cans at the relief
> area and anything else you want him or her to find for you. I teach my dogs
> to find the Coke machine right away. <grin>
>
> All of this is done without clickers or food or other external devices. The
> dogs work for praise.
>
> Yes, we do use clickers in some phases of training but not during formal
> class and wean the dogs off them quickly. We do use food and suggest its use
> in problem solving but we don't expect you to carry around a treat pouch to
> get your dog to work.
>
> Some of the things people from other schools find challenging about class,
> and I'm speaking here of class in our facility, include the footwork. We
> have you step off with your right foot, using your left leg as a fulcrum to
> steady yourself.
>
> I had to work to overcome my original training of investigating the curb
> with my right foot then stepping off with the left. This often found me
> losing my balance and stumbling off the curb onto my dog. I've never done
> that starting with the right foot.
>
> Some people will note that their dogs don't care which foot they start off
> on and the dog adjusts. Some dogs do. Others struggle with it. I'm told
> often by grads and observers that our dogs watch the handler's feet for
> position and any uncertainty and correct their guiding accordingly.
>
> We also do some of the turns a bit differently. I'm struggling here to
> recall what was done in my last class regarding left turns as I do them the
> original way I was taught at GDF. This involves coming to a corner and
> before giving the "left" command, turning my body 90 degrees to face left,
> trying not to twist the handle of course. My knees are against my dog's
> side. Then I give the "left" turn command and my dog has space to back up
> around any obstacles like shrubbery or poles at the corner.
>
> The right turn command also is a tad different from what I was used to
> before. It involves taking a step back with the right foot then putting your
> weight on that foot and moving the left one back as well to give the dog
> space to make the turn.
>
> In my early days at GDF we used a lot of hand signals. Those were dropped by
> Mike Sergeant but are being reinstituted. Some people choose to use them and
> some do not. I can't live without them. The thought is that using hand
> signals does alert your dog to focus more on your body movements for
> direction.
>
> The final thing that is different about GDF that is probably the toughest
> thing to learn is leash guiding. Yes we teach it and yes we teach it in a
> very specific way to stay safe.
>
> Do many dogs guide on leash? Sure they do but can they do so in Manhattan?
> Our dogs have.
>
> That said, we have drastically revised our leash guiding instructions due to
> the increasing traffic threat out there. Distracted drivers don't give dogs
> enough time to react when leash guiding so we no longer recommend using
> leash guiding for street work. It can be used indoors, in familiar areas
> outside without traffic but isn't recommended for street crossing any
> longer.
>
> The distance between the dog's head and shoulders and your body is
> significantly shorter when leash guiding, giving less reaction time. Your
> hand should be in a specific position on the leash with a specific length of
> leash between you and the dog. It's not as easy as it sounds.
>
> I can imagine some of you saying "that's not really very different from my
> school."
>
> It may not be now as many schools have picked up on some of our methods.
> Some instructors still get into friendly but heated discussions with me
> about why the "Find" command is impossible and often misused. My response is
> to ask if those misusing the command are from schools who teach it during
> class thoroughly such as Southeastern and GDF. The answer, a sheepish no.
>
> When teaching your dog to find something, you're also paying attention to
> the dog's signals when it's not there. You also are a partner in helping to
> find it, not just giving a command and hanging on.
>
> I'll end this message with a situation that always gets me. I've even caught
> our grads doing it. Them I can chide, in a friendly way of course.
>
> We're in a room, say at a convention, and someone comes up and asks how to
> get out of the room.
>
> My thought, "Tell your dog to 'find outside'. Or whatever the command is you
> use to find a doorway. Your dog can do these things. It's up to you to
> practice and keep him sharp. It's also up to you to use your knowledge of
> orientation to give him clues. That's what GDF taught me. Hope this helps.
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>
>
>
>
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