[nagdu] Doggie distraction... success?

Fri Oct 3 21:23:48 UTC 2014

On 10/3/14, Raven Tolliver via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> The Golden guy has a moderate to strong dog distraction. Compared to 2
> years ago, we both have improved tremendously about handling this.
> Most days, the Golden Guy will pull toward or look back at other dogs.
> For the looking, I just snap my fingers rhythmically to keep him
> focused, and it works. When he's pulling, I do restrain him just with
> the harness and drag him in the right direction.
> The days are increasing though where we'll pass dogs, some of them
> being vocal and pulling toward him, and he will walk by them without
> even speeding up as I have taught him to do to get passed the
> distraction faster. On those days, I praise the hell out of him. It's
> just such an improvement. I don't think this distraction will ever go
> away, but every small success means a lot to me, and I let him know
> it.
> Daryl, it's good that even in the presence of the distraction, and
> even when trying to go for it, Jenny will listen. That is a wonderful
> thing. I've pretty much lost the Golden Guy when he starts pulling and
> trying to get at a dog, which is why I have to drag him away. I hate
> doing it--it just goes against my force-free philosophy. But I haven't
> found a work around yet.
>
> On 10/2/14, L Gwizdak via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi folks,
>> I've been a longtime guide dog user since 1973.  I have pretty much seen
>> everything in guide dogs and their handlers.
>>
>> When I want to let my dogs do something, I ask myself, "How will this
>> impact
>>
>> my dog's work in harness?"  Sometimes behaviors can spill over into work
>> in
>>
>> harness.  An example would be say, I want to let my dog play with dogs
>> alot
>>
>> and I let my dog do that.  It could be possible that I may find I have an
>> increased problem in dog distraction while working.  If I find that my
>> dog
>> cannot handle certain freedoms, well then I'll have to curtail things
>> either
>>
>> forever or until the dog "gets it" that it can do some things off harness
>> and not working and not do them in harness.  This takes maturity in the
>> dog
>>
>> and consistancey in the handler. I NEVER allow people to feed my dogs
>> people
>>
>> food.  This WILL spill over into work in the form of trouble controlling
>> the
>>
>> dog in a restaurant or picnic situation.  I had a friend who ruined
>> someone
>>
>> else's guide dog that became a real pill in a restaurant.  He did this
>> ONE
>> time to my dog and I ripped him a new one over that.  He didn't do that
>> again with any of my dogs. Another person feeding your dog a meal because
>> they are dog-sitting your dog is totally different.  It is the dog's meal
>> in
>>
>> his dish.
>>
>> I do pet-assisted therapy with my guide dogs.  The dog is out of harness
>> but
>>
>> on leash and under my control at all times.  we deal with frail and/or
>> senior people at nursing homes mostly.  Wwe visit places with disabled
>> kids
>>
>> or psych wards of hospitals.  I tailor what I let my dogs do on leash in
>> all
>>
>> these different environments.  With some of the younger folks, I'll let
>> my
>> dog get a bit silly and roll on his back but always, always on leash and
>> under my direct control.
>>
>> As to petting in harness, I do allow it with friends but do not encourage
>> it
>>
>> with the general public on the street or bus.  I teach my dogs to look at
>> people petting them in harness on the streets like any other distraction.
>> If my dog responds to the petting, I tell the dog to "leave it" and
>> continue
>>
>> on my way.  I used to try to explain to people why they shouldn't do this
>> but they act like idiots mostly and makes me angry.  So, I say nothing to
>> the person and correct the dog just like I would for a loose dog or bird
>> or
>>
>> other animal.  When my dog doesn't respond to the person, they give up
>> and
>> go away.  I have found that people like to distract our dogs due to their
>> childish need to play with a dog regardless of what that dog may be
>> doing.
>> Sometimes they get mad when I correct the dog (mostly verbal correction).
>> I
>>
>> just calmly say, "I don't know what your problem is, you caused the dog
>> to
>> get the correction."  They mostly then shut up and go on their way. LOL!
>> This is to the general public who are just on the streets.  With friends,
>> my
>>
>> rule is no petting or interaction of any kind IF I am holding the harness
>> handle and walking.  If we stiop and talk, I will drop the handle and let
>> my
>>
>> dogs say hello -  usually with a command to my dog of "Say hello".
>>
>> Each team has to do what is best for them and their dogs.  There's no
>> real
>> right or wrong.  I would recommend that interaction with others be
>> limited
>> if you just came home with a new guide.  The dog needs to learn you and
>> your
>>
>> rules first.  That way, bad habits don't happen while you are out working
>> the dog in public.
>>
>> Lyn
>>
>> "Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like
>> asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Abigail Bolling via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "Daryl Marie" <crazymusician at shaw.ca>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the
>> National
>>
>> Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 7:37 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doggie distraction... success?
>>
>>
>> Jada is the same way. today she decided to run me straight in to one of
>> my
>> friends who has a service dog. Thank goodness Alex understood why Jada
>> wanted to say hi to his pup, Carlos and he watched me while I corrected
>> Jada. Then he offered to let me try to walk by again to make sure the
>> problem was taken care of.
>> There are certain dogs on campus, including the new puppies who are in
>> training, that jada will walk past with no acknowledgment, but there are
>> others which make the tail wag wildly and she will whine a bit. Still
>> others
>>
>> she will bark and and quite frankly growl. (that dog did try to attack
>> her
>> though)
>> I think it really does depend on the dog and the relationship your dog
>> has
>> with the strange, or sometimes not so strange other pup.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Abby and Sleepy Jada
>>
>> Abigail BOlling
>> Wright State University: Social Work
>> "Keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart, and just let the
>> music
>>
>> play." (Julie Anderson-Diamond, Nov 15, 1962-Feb 22, 2014)
>> On Oct 1, 2014, at 9:42 AM, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi!
>>> Jenny has an inconsistent dog distraction; sometimes she will completely
>>> ignore another dog, and sometimes she thinks that even though she's
>>> working that it's a great idea to say hello and not listen.
>>>
>>> Yesterday was definitely a "greet every other dog!" day... but I don't
>>> know what to make of today.
>>>
>>> This morning we got on the bus, and there was a little dog in a carrier.
>>> Jenny took me right to the dog, but she was very calm and listened to my
>>> command to find a seat on the crowded bus.  She sat on the steps and
>>> calmly waited, but sniffed the air around the other dog, who was sitting
>>> across the aisle and down a couple of rows. She did stay calm, no
>>> whining,
>>>
>>> no tail-wagging, or anything.  When it was my stop, then - and only then
>>> -
>>>
>>> did she try and check out the other dog.  She sniffed some, wagged her
>>> tail, but then listened when I told her to leave it and find the door.
>>>
>>> I'm not sure what I think about all this this morning... I know others
>>> have spoken to me about dog distractions...
>>>
>>> Daryl and Jenny (who is playing with her food puzzle)
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Raven
> "if God didn't make it, don't eat it." - John B. Symes, D.V.M.
> http://dogtorj.com
>
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>
My dog has a moderate animal distraction. Most of the time when he
sees a bunny or dog, telling him "leav it, straight" is enough to get
his attention. When dogs are really close to him (especially when they
are barking) or if he sees a cat he does not particularly like, he
will pull toward the animal and even bark at cats. When this happens,
I make him stop (sometimes sit), put myself between my dog and the
distraction, pet him calmly under the chin, and eventually use the
touch command. If he responds, I know he is able to continue working.

Danielle and Thai