[nagdu] Owner training questions
Nicole Torcolini
ntorcolini at wavecable.com
Sat Aug 2 00:07:17 UTC 2014
Hahaha, yes. I did not stop the daily obedience until after I came home from
class, but, before class was over, Lexia was extremely bored with it, and
she would actually do the next command before I could say it.
I think that what people mean when they ask if you are training the dog is
if the dog knows enough to be trusted as a guide dog yet. Yes, the training
process never stops, but, at some point, somewhere between 80% and 90% of it
is done, depending on how much you continue to train after that. I think
that most of us do a good amount of training with our dogs after returning
home or when there is a major change in the environment, especially if you
have your dog target specific objects or remember certain routes; Lexia
excels at both of these and will basically train herself. And then there is
just random training sprinkled here and there, but I would not say that I am
necessarily training 100% of the time. If someone asked me if I was training
Lexia, I would probably either say no or no but she learns new things when
we go new places or something like that as I think that saying yes would
confuse people.
Nicole and Lexia the lerner
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan via
nagdu
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2014 6:15 AM
To: Julie J.; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Owner training questions
Ooh.I really love this answer, Julie.
I agree with you on formal obedience sessions. Within weeks after I have
gotten home from guide dog school, I also stopped the formal obedience
sessions. I figured that my dog would get enough of that in the regular
course of our day. He has, and anyone who's met me and my dog(s) would
probably tell you I have well-mannered and well-behaved dogs. Besides, they
know when they're being set up and when they are not.
It's sort of like when people ask me, "Are you training that dog?", which
doesn't happen very often anymore. The correct answer is, "Yes, every day".
When will you be through? Hopefully never. Seems to me that even maintaining
training is itself training.
On Aug 1, 2014, at 7:19 AM, Julie J. via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Barb,
>
> It depends on how you define "train". I work on skills with the dog every
waking moment. In the house that's manners, refining housebreaking, playing
nicely, keeping reasonably quiet and other necessities of peaceful living.
It's not a formal training session, but I am actively monitoring and
redirecting or correcting as needed.
>
> I'm not a huge fan of the formal obedience practice sessions. In the very
beginning when the dog is learning sit and down etc. I will set aside
specific time to work on those things. When the dog shows some level of
understanding I pretty much stop doing specific obedience sessions. I
sprinkle obedience throughout the day, incorporating it into our regular
activities. The dog learns to behave all the time and that sit means sit,
in the yard, at the park, in the laundry room, when there is food, when
someone is at the door, when the neighbor's dog is coming for a visit etc..
>
> Out of the house loose leash walking or harness training, varies quite a
bit. In the beginning I try to do more trips that are shorter. Later we'll
do less outings, but each will be for longer. I pay attention to what the
dog can handle and how much exercise they need. I do have a fenced yard and
they run out there quite a bit. When Jetta was here when she was a baby
puppy, I'd take her out probably 3 or 4 times a day, just for a walk around
the block or the two blocks to the park or the like. Those were probably
only 5 or 10 minute walks, but it was all she could handle at the time.
She'd sit in the middle of the sidewalk when she was done and she would not
move.
>
> Gradually as the dog matures and it physically and mentally able to go for
longer stretches, I increase the duration and difficulty. A slow day for
harness training for Monty was 20 minutes. Most days we'd go for more like
an hour. Remember too that I live in a very small town. I can walk to the
city limits in any direction in less than an hour. Towards the end of
harness training I was increasing what he was doing until it reached the
same level as I would need from a fully trained dog.
>
> My philosophy is that if the dog is awake, you are training him. You can
teach him what you want or you can ignore him and he'll choose what to
learn, which may or may not be what you had in mind.
>
> Julie
>
>
> From: Barb breuer via nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 10:34 PM
> To: Amber Meloy ; the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU
> Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Owner training questions
>
> I was wondering how many hours aday do you people who train your dog
train?
>
> Barb
>
> Sent from Xfinity Connect Mobile App
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
>
> From: Amber Meloy via nagdu
> To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
> Sent: July 31, 2014 at 4:43 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Owner training questions
>
> Hi all,
>
> There has been a large amount of discussion recently about owner training
on the list and since I have decided to get a new guide dog, I have made a
number of decisions, and I am now considering another one.
>
> The first decision that I made was that I wanted a poodle because I would
not have as much problem with hair. I searched and searched but the only
school that I could find that issued poodles to anyone who did not have
allergies or someone in their family with allergies, was Pilot Dogs.
>
> I applied and continued to research various topics about poodles, about
training methods, about how I felt about training etc etc. As I searched,
and the more questions I asked myself, the more I started thinking that
maybe I wanted to owner train.
>
> There are a lot of things that I am very unsure how to handle, and I
> am writing here in the hopes of finding some advice. I understand
> that having a grasp of the training methods you choose to use is
> essential, and I have every intention of practicing alone and in my
> head and reading before actually attempting to teach a dog anything.
> But before I get to the point where I teach a dog anything, there are
> a few things I have to take care of.such as acquiring the dog.
>
> And so this brings me to a few of my first questions:
>
> What strategies have you, as an owner trainer, used to find the right dog?
I have read a lot about a test that is done to test temperament, but I do
not recall this test's name at the moment, nor do I know for sure that this
is what is used. I understand that no one can be absolutely guaranteed to
have made the right choice; that dogs wash out; that this is a fact I may
have to face. But there has to be something that you did in the beginning
to say, yes, I think I'll give this dog a try. You didn't pick him or her
because s/he was cute. Or cuddly. Or energetic. Or did you?
>
> Another big question I have is about costs. Before anyone comments that
of course there will be costs, don't. I understand that. But what I am
looking for is a general idea of some of the things you bought/paid
for/services needed, and maybe an average of how much that
thing/service/experience costed you. For example, if I choose to get
various vaccines, I can look those up anywhere. Any vet's office will let
me know those things. If I want to know about the cost of a crate, I could
look online or go to a pet store. If I want to know the cost of foods I
will feed, I can find that information. But what I'm looking for
information on is acquisition of your dog; acquisition of puppy vest for
still in training; acquisition of harness; any assistance for sighted
assistance in training, whether that was for training traffic checks or for
observation only or for a trainer's professional opinion etc. Expenses that
aren't readily available for me to just look up.
>
> Finally, if anyone is willing to talk with me off list, I would be very
grateful. If there is such a thing as a list for owner trainers so that I
am not cluttering this list with my questions, I would also love to know
about that as well. I joined the clicker solutions list and am hoping that
when I come across a problem with particular behaviors I am trying to shape
that this will be a viable resource.
>
> Thank you all for your input, however much or little it is.
>
> Amber M
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/barbandzoe%40comcas
> t.net
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------- _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.co
> m
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------
>
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.2247 / Virus Database: 3955/7452 - Release Date:
> 07/31/14 _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/buddy%40brannan.nam
> e
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecable.co
m
More information about the NAGDU
mailing list