[nagdu] Too much Sniffing

Thu Jan 16 13:55:13 UTC 2014

Hey Darla!

My advice is going to differ markedly from the other responses but please
don't take it as contrarianism.

As your classmate and fellow GDA attendee (aka "someone who went through the
same training you did") I'd advise that, before taking on a new piece of
equipment or training methodology outside of what we learned, go back to
basics.

First and foremost would be our situational awareness - for example just
yesterday as I was leaving the dental school, Tucker while in harness
started to stretch out to sniff my dentist's bag. I caught it in time with a
sharp but quiet verbal correction accompanied by a light but
attention-getting leash correction - just as we'd been taught - and the
problem was solved. In another situation, Tucker was sniffing at an idling
car as we passed in front of it during a crossing. However he was still
moving forward, he didn't break his line of travel, and as soon as the
perceived potential for danger was passed, we continued our travel as
normal.

When I got a visit from an instructor to address traffic issues, we found
that I was half the problem. I was travelling too fast through crossings and
Tucker was becoming desensitised to the traffic (as we currently live in the
middle of so much of it!). Point being, re-evaluate yourself from time to
time. What could you as a handler be doing or not doing to stay on top of
the sniffing outside of the "need" to purchase more equipment?

My opinion, and it's only my opinion, is that we have to remember what we
learned at our specific school, in our specific context. If the answer is
not forthcoming by review of our own notes and lectures, we contact the
school for an answer - lifetime tech support? Heck yeah! - which should
always be on our list of options as they're the ones who trained our guides
and would know best about how to handle problems within the context of the
GDA-specific training they received. Remember, the guides came to us fully
trained; we picked up the process where the trainers left off via exercises
we enjoyed (mostly, ha ha) during our month on campus.

Sometimes I'll even ask one of the puppy raisers for advice if I feel the
issue is dog behaviour related rather than guide dog training specific. Our
raisers hang out with one another and know/knew everyone's pups to some
degree or other. This is one reason I stay in touch with Tucker's raisers.

If the Huckster is taking you off line of travel and pulling you in new and
interesting directions while you're just going from point A to point B,
yeah, I'd be worried about that, but still we received enough in the way of
training without the need to run to a new piece of equipment every time a
new problem arises. We weren't trained on Haltis or gentle leaders or "TA
for Dogs" or whatever, and I would feel uncomfortable using any of these
methods unless and until I felt I had no other choice. It just seems to me -
again, my opinion! -  that chasing new pieces of equipment and new training
regimes that our dogs were neither raised nor trained on potentially invites
further confusion and stress.

So, to recap:

1) Review the school-specific training for any bad habits your guide or you
may have picked up inadvertently
2) Contact school if you can't work it out on your own, because lifetime
tech support rules *laughs*
3) *Only* after you feel all other options exhausted should you try out new
training materials/equipment outside of what GDA gave us

I realise this isn't your first rodeo either, and I know you have much more
time and experience in Guide Dog world than I. Still, I can't help thinking
that if I were in your position I would use common sense, and a liberal
application of the K.I.S.S. Principle. *smiles*

My tuppence, your mileage may vary.

Karl and Tucker, leavin' the rat race in 2 weeks

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 8:08 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Too much Sniffing

Oh right, Nicole; the Martingale collar which I need to see as a young
friend is trying to use one that sounds different than the one I saw.
Sincerely,
Darla & Sniffy Huck

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole Torcolini
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 10:03 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Too much Sniffing

If you find that you need to give a high collar correction often, there is a
collar that stays in that position. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 7:54 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Too much Sniffing

Hi Nicole,

	I haven't done the high collar; it isn't the easiest thing for me to
manage, but I appreciate everyone's ideas and help he is such a great dog
but for that.
Darla & hardworking Huck

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole Torcolini
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 9:38 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Too much Sniffing

What kind of correction are you using? Were you taught  about the high
collar position? Also, another piece of equipment that some people choose to
use is a pinch collar. I personally don't like the idea, but it does work
for people. I have a friend who used to have a sniffy lab. She would use the
pinch collar in its intended way once or twice, and then the dog would
behave.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 12:33 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: [nagdu] Too much Sniffing

As all of you know, I love this dog to pieces but oh that labbie nose; he
sniffs way too much and doesn't seem to mind the corrections. Sometimes,
"Leave it" works, but at other times, it works for that distraction but not
the next.

                Any ideas?  GDA does not use the gentle leader or haltie.

Desperately,

And Huck the biggest Nose of the Midwest

Darla J. Rogers

djrogers0628 at gmail.com

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