[nagdu] some miscellaneous issues and updates from AleehaandDallas

Tue Nov 19 16:01:59 UTC 2013

If it's helpful, the way I teach my dogs to go under a chair is to first
sit myself, then get the dog to turn around and sit near or between my
knees, facing away.  Then I pet him a bit, then tell him Down and slide
him back until he's under the chair.  Then a bit more petting.
HTH.
Tracy

> Only problem is that I don't trust him not to get into mischief if
> he's facing backward. He is a scavenger and will grab any old thing.
>
>
> On 11/18/13, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>> Hi Aleeha.
>> Whatever works.  Sometimes Ben is just determined to be backward, and
>> all
>> my efforts to turn him around go for naught.  But, so long as he's not
>> getting into mischief, hey, whatever.
>> If Dallas is nervous about getting under your chair, it is especially
>> important to be patient with him.  If he thinks you're getting annoyed
>> with him, he may get even more nervous.
>> You can try working on it during your regular day, but it might be more
>> productive to work on it at home at first, where you can both be relaxed
>> about it.
>> JMO.
>> Tracy
>>
>>> Bi,
>>>   I am trying to get him to face outward, but he literally will not. I
>>> have to really coax and cajole him to get him settled. In my class
>>> today, all he wanted to do was go in head first. Be actually ended up
>>> settled next to my chair.
>>> Aleeha and the studious Dallas
>>>
>>> On 11/17/13, Buddy Brannan <buddy at brannan.name> wrote:
>>>> Putting the dog under the chair with the head facing backwards also
>>>> seemed
>>>> counterintuitive to me, and I never did it. At TSE when I went, I was
>>>> never
>>>> corrected on this; it was a habit I got into with my first dog. In any
>>>> case,
>>>> it seems to me that having the head facing forward, between your feet,
>>>> would
>>>> give you better control over where your dog’s head is and what his
>>>> mouth
>>>> may
>>>> or may not be trying to grab off the floor, not to mention less
>>>> likelihood
>>>> of people trying to give your dog stuff without your knowledge or
>>>> consent.
>>>> --
>>>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>>>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Nov 16, 2013, at 11:20 PM, minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I agree with Nicole, that just seems counterintuitive for a dog to do
>>>>> that. Also, a lot of chairs have bars and stuff on them so I don't
>>>>> think squeezing them in there would be very comfortable.
>>>>>
>>>>> On 11/14/13, Nicole Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Head facing the back of the chair? No offense , but, JMHO, there's
>>>>>> your
>>>>>> problem right there. Some dogs don't like putting their heads in
>>>>>> confined
>>>>>> spaces. Also, they like to be able to see what's going on, even if
>>>>>> they
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> not directly involved in it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of daniel
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2013 5:29 AM
>>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] some miscellaneous issues and updates from
>>>>>> AleehaandDallas
>>>>>>
>>>>>> hey aleeha, I wonder what it is about these dogs that set off the
>>>>>> veehicle
>>>>>> nervousness? If I remember correctly you went to training the class
>>>>>> before
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> did (summer)? And I know Irene is having issues with all veehicles
>>>>>> along
>>>>>> with another member of my class. As for the chair thing: at tse they
>>>>>> taught
>>>>>> us to put the head facing towards the back of the chair...for some
>>>>>> reason
>>>>>> irene hates this. I've just started putting her with her head facing
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> table (or the front of the chair) and now she does just fine...
>>>>>> When you get over the veehicle problem with dallas, could you let me
>>>>>> know
>>>>>> how you did it? I'm trying food rewards and they don't seem to have
>>>>>> much
>>>>>> affect...
>>>>>> hope dallas is doing well,
>>>>>> daniel and the allways sleeping Irene.
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Aleeha Dudley" <blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2013 11:23 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] some miscellaneous issues and updates from
>>>>>> Aleeha
>>>>>> andDallas
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>    I contacted The Seeing Eye last week and spoke with someone
>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>> these behaviors. I am working on them and hope to get them to
>>>>>>> improve.
>>>>>>> Dallas did show his fear of vacuum cleaners during training, but
>>>>>>> never
>>>>>>> exhibited any of these other fears.
>>>>>>> Thanks for all your wonderful suggestions!
>>>>>>> Aleeha and the currently snoozing Dallas
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 11/9/13, Nicole Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Did Dallas exhibit any of these behaviors during training? Have
>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>> contacted the school about any of them? As for suggestions...
>>>>>>>> Do you have a chair at home with which you can practice him going
>>>>>>>> under the chair? You might want to try it without the harness a
>>>>>>>> few
>>>>>>>> times as he might be nervous about the harness getting hung. Also,
>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>> would not recommend forcing him to go under the chair if he is
>>>>>>>> afraid
>>>>>>>> as this might just make things worse. Do you have a clicker and
>>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>>> clicker training? You could try to use it to train him to go under
>>>>>>>> the chair. Start by sitting in the chair and having Dallas lay
>>>>>>>> between your feet facing away from you. Click and treat. Once he
>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> comfortable with that, make sure his tail and hind legs are not
>>>>>>>> sticking out and gently scoot  him back a tiny bit toward the
>>>>>>>> chair
>>>>>>>> by putting both hands on his chest and pushing backwards. Don't
>>>>>>>> push
>>>>>>>> him all the way under the first time but rather work up to it.
>>>>>>>> Each
>>>>>>>> time, have him stay in that position for a little while and then
>>>>>>>> let
>>>>>>>> him get up. When he gets up, make sure that he is not getting
>>>>>>>> hung.
>>>>>>>> He might be afraid of going under the chair because he got stuck
>>>>>>>> once. Also, of course, make sure that you do not inadvertently
>>>>>>>> move
>>>>>>>> the chair while he is under it and get on his feet or tail or ear
>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>> something.
>>>>>>>> As for the bus, I would recommend giving Dallas treats. Can you
>>>>>>>> tell
>>>>>>>> when there is going to be a stop? If so, you could pet him and try
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> keep him from jumping up. I would not use a correction for him
>>>>>>>> jumping
>>>>>> up.
>>>>>>>> Instead,
>>>>>>>> gently pull him back into a down position and try to calm him
>>>>>>>> down.
>>>>>>>> Once he is back in the desired position, give him a treat. Also,
>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> this something that he does in all vehicles or just in buses?
>>>>>>>> What does Dallas do when you vacuum at home? You could try get him
>>>>>>>> used to it. Take Dallas in a room and shut the door. Have a friend
>>>>>>>> go
>>>>>>>> a few rooms away with the vacuum cleaner, but make sure that you
>>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>>> some way to communicate, such as a cell phone or walky talky. Put
>>>>>>>> Dallas in a down position and give him a treat. Then have the
>>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>>> person turn on the vacuum cleaner. If he immediately jumps up,
>>>>>>>> turn
>>>>>>>> the vacuum off and start over.
>>>>>>>> Keep doing this and using treats until he does not jump up any
>>>>>>>> more.
>>>>>>>> It may take a few sessions as doing it continuously for a long
>>>>>>>> time
>>>>>>>> can make it worse. Once he does not jump up, slowly increase the
>>>>>>>> amount of time that the vacuum cleaner runs. Then, once he can
>>>>>>>> tolerate it for more than a minute, have your friend move one room
>>>>>>>> closer so that the noise is louder. Keep doing this until Dallas
>>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>>> tolerate it in the same room.
>>>>>>>> If you take Dallas out on a regular schedule and know that he does
>>>>>>>> not need to go when he pulls over into the grass, then I would
>>>>>>>> give
>>>>>>>> him a leash correction, and the same for when he just randomly
>>>>>>>> stops,
>>>>>>>> especially if it seems random and he does not seem to be confused
>>>>>>>> or
>>>>>>>> anything.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aleeha
>>>>>>>> Dudley
>>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2013 1:21 PM
>>>>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] some miscellaneous issues and updates from Aleeha
>>>>>>>> and Dallas
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello all,
>>>>>>>>  I know I haven't written in a while. It's been quite the busy
>>>>>>>> time
>>>>>>>> here.
>>>>>>>>  Good news: Dallas did fairly well at our state NFB convention
>>>>>>>> last
>>>>>>>> week.
>>>>>>>> He didn't have an accident in the hotel, but he was a bit
>>>>>>>> constipated
>>>>>>>> for a couple days. The biggest issue I saw was his dog
>>>>>>>> distractions.
>>>>>>>> He likes to twist around in harness, making things very difficult.
>>>>>>>> Most of the time, nothing but a high collar will get him even
>>>>>>>> close
>>>>>>>> to past a distraction.
>>>>>>>>  I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for a couple of problems
>>>>>>>> I'm having with Dally boy. He's a wonderful guide, but these
>>>>>>>> issues
>>>>>>>> are somewhat annoying. The first of them is his hesitance to go
>>>>>>>> under
>>>>>>>> chairs. I almost have to drag him under the chair, which makes
>>>>>>>> both
>>>>>>>> him and me uncomfortable.
>>>>>>>> A sighted person says he shows some fear when I try to get him
>>>>>>>> settled.
>>>>>>>>  Second, Dallas has a similar behavior on busses. He seems very
>>>>>>>> fearful and, at times, cowers under the seat, leaping up at every
>>>>>>>> stop.
>>>>>>>>  Third is his irrational fear of vacuum cleaners. I can handle
>>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>>> at home, but when one is being used, in a restaurant, say, I
>>>>>>>> literally cannot keep ahold of him.
>>>>>>>>  The last issue is the most serious. Dallas likes to pretend he
>>>>>>>> needs to park, pulling off to the grass and not going. He also has
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> tendency to stop in the sidewalk and stand there, looking around.
>>>>>>>> No
>>>>>>>> amount of coaxing will get him going again.
>>>>>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>> Aleeha and the little yellow Dally boy
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>> able.co
>>>>>>>> m
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the
>>>>> dusty
>>>>> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
>>>>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
>>>>> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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