[nagdu] Heavy traffic.

[Marianne Denning]

When you hear or see a big vehicle coming stop and work to calm him.
Then give him a treat and praise and continue on your way.

On 4/13/15, Deanna Lewis via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Good morning all,
> I have been home just over a week with my new dog, Mambo. He is doing well
> so far, but we are having a slight issue. As many of you know, I had to
> retire my previous guide early, due to fear and anxiety issues. The thing
> that really increased his fears was travelling on the busy street that we
> live on. So, I specifically requested a dog that is good with heavy traffic
> and loud noises. During training, Mambo  and I did a lot of work in heavy
> traffic areas with buses and trucks travelling by. The streets we worked on
> during class were very similar to our home environment, there was no grass
> between the sidewalks and the street. The only difference that there may
> have been, was that the sidewalks here are a bit more narrow. He did well
> with traffic during class, but now that we have been home I've noticed he's
> acting a bit timid with the traffic.
> When a bus or truck goes by, he will either slow down or stop. At times, he
> has even pulled away from the traffic and veered into driveways. He seems
> fine when cars go by, it's just the bigger vehicles that make him act like
> this. I should also say that the traffic is on our right and coming towards
> us, not from behind.
> I know you may be wondering if I am anxious about the traffic because of
> Pascal's issues, and maybe Mambo is reacting to that. But, I really don't
> think that is it. I've been working very hard to not pass my previous fears
> onto the new dog. Months ago, I did notice that when travelling with my
> cane, I did get nervous at this difficult intersection, even without a dog.
> But, I have not been feeling stressed or anxious while walking down this
> street in a long time.
> Another unusual thing about this is that Mambo tends to walk in the middle
> of the sidewalk, he does not hug the left side (which would be furthest from
> the street). So, I am not sure if the traffic is really bothering him or
> not.
> If this continues, I will definitely call my field rep and ask that he come
> visit me or give me some advice.
> Do you all know any techniques or tricks that I can try to get him more used
> to the buses and trucks that frequently pass by?
> I thought about doing obedience exercises on the sidewalk, next to the
> street. Any other ideas?
> What should I do when he slows down or stops? I have been telling him to
> hopp up if he starts to veer into driveways.
> Thank you all so much!
> Deanna and Mambo
>
>
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053