[nagdu] Dogs finding things here and abroad

[blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com]

I think the concern is that there are more consumers here in the United States and that there are less time to train the dogs to do specific things. I know that, when I left the Seeing Eye, they had given us some instructions about how to train our dogs to find chairs. Also, seeing-eye dogs are trained to touch doorknobs with their noses, simply by clicker training. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 5, 2014, at 12:18 PM, Dan Weiner via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Now here is a question.
> Having looked over the archives I see Viviana asks about the differences
> between guide dogs here and abroad.
> This  queery, , coupled with our thread about finding the light poles or the
> button etc brings me to a question:.
> 
> Dog guide handlers, users, whatever you want to say from other countries
> tell me about their dogs being trained to find seats, poles, really all
> sorts of things and it does seem from talking to them (some of them I do
> trust as I've known them for years) it seems that the dogs are successful at
> doing this and really are good at it right out of training.
> In the case of all of my dogs, they have learned but it has taken me halling
> butt and working really hard at it to get it  to be consistent.
> This is not only the case with me but with most or all of my dog guide using
> friends here.
> 
> Also the web sites and literature from the guide dog organizations abroad
> talk about the dogs being trained to find myriad things, seats, bus stops
> mail boxes, doors (the dog putting their nose on the handle), benches, many
> many things.
> So, are the dogs in Europe say taught in a mmore consistent way to dfind
> things and then why isn't it that our dogs aren't?
> 
> Curious to hear points of view on this or maybe say, from our Swedish guide
> dog user here as to how things aare there and opinionions from everyone on
> this subject.
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Dan and the Parker Pup
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Craig Heaps via
> nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 12:01 PM
> To: Daryl Marie; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Crosswalk light success!
> 
> Yay!
> 
> I taught Chase "Find the button".  He likes that game because it means
> treats.  But now he finds every button, even when I don't give the command. 
> Better all than none, I suppose.
> 
> He also sometimes gets locked onto the dog urine odors at the base of the
> pole and doesn't look up for his treat.
> 
> Craig and Chase
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daryl Marie via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 7:10 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Crosswalk light success!
> 
> 
>> Hey!
>> Ever since training with Jenny, we have struggled with scrounging (I've 
>> posted about this).  One of her favorite scrounging/sniffing places is at 
>> the base of crosswalk light poles (where you push the button to change the
> 
>> light).  On a whim on Monday night, I got off the bus one stop early to do
> 
>> some work with her on finding these posts.  It wasn't pretty.
>> Me: Jenn, find the post.
>> Jenny (misses the post entirely and goes around the corner)
>> Me: Not quite, my  girl.  Let's try again.
>> We turn around, Jenny goes right past the post while I flail around trying
> 
>> to find it.
>> Rinse, lather, repeat.
>> Third time:
>> me: Jenny, find the post.
>> Jenny finds the post but starts scrounging.
>> Me: Good post, nose up.
>> We take the corner again, turn around.
>> Me: Jenny, find the post.
>> Jenny finds the post, her shoulders right below the button, her nose is 
>> up.
>> Me (throwing a fiesta): YAY!  Good girl!
>> 
>> Now for the past three days, every time I ask for a post, she has found it
> 
>> perfectly and kept her nose up!  Her tail wags even before I praise her, 
>> because she knows she's done good!
>> 
>> SO proud!
>> 
>> Still need a little work on scrounging in general, but this is SO good!
>> 
>> Hope this encourages those who are struggling with distractions or 
>> scrounging that it can be done.
>> 
>> Daryl
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/craig.heaps%40comcast.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/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.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/blindcowgirl1993%40gmail.com