[nagdu] traffic work at GDF

[Jenine Stanley]

Hi All, 

Let me clear up the question about traffic training at GDF. 

Terrie is correct that at one time we did use, for some teams, a strategy by
which the person could administer self traffic checks. 

Please capitalize, bold and italicize this for yourselves. We are no longer
teaching individuals how to traffic check their dogs as a means of regular
maintenance of traffic training. 

In the past this was easier to do because we could hear almost all of the
cars passing us. We understood most traffic patterns and could easily judge
when to give a command. That is just not the case any longer and with the
increases in distracted drivers, GDF does not feel this practice is safe.

This is similar to our stance on leash guiding while crossing streets. It's
just not safe anymore. 

I won't even describe the practice of self traffic checking save to say that
it was used for teams with very good orientation skills who worked
unpredictable traffic such as heavy city traffic or complex parking lots a
great deal.  I rarely used it for my dogs but it was interesting to know
about.  

Again, we do not use this practice now and are not likely to ever use it. 

Our traffic training is very similar to that of other schools in that we use
a specific car or cars from the school and at some point during class,
usually twice, we will drive the car at teams in the standard method of
traffic checking. I believe that for some teams, the traffic checks are
announced and explained first, if there's any history of accidents or other
anxiety in the handler over traffic. We want the process to go as naturally
as possible. 

The next time though the checks just happen. 

We also train in Queens and it never fails, the natural traffic checks we
get there can't be beat, though I wish they could sometimes. <grin> 

We teach you to ask the dog to go "" when a car is blocking your path, not
command it to do so. The dog waits until the car passes and it's safe to
move. This questioning command of "Hop-up, forward" is very different from
the command "Hop-up, find the way" which is used on sidewalks to give the
dog the decision power around obstacles. 

Hope that explains things. As always, off list questions are welcome, but
no, I'm not going to explain our self traffic checking. <grin>

Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com
http://www.twitter.com/jeninems