[nagdu] unfamiliar areas

Mon Apr 20 01:52:55 UTC 2015

When I am with another personin an unfamiliar place, I will typically
have the person either walk behind or next to me, depending on the
available space, and give me verbal directions. Sometimes, I will use
the follow command in places which have a lot of turns or when the
other person isn't really sure where we need to go.  I mostly use the
follow command to get to a table in a restaurant or walk around an
unfamiliar store.

I have found that with my dog, the ability to execute the follow
command successfully was a matter of maturity and practice. When I
first got him, he generally understood and performed the follow
command, but he missed some clearances of obstacles on my right side
often enough that I did not use it frequently.
After I had him for a few months, he improved significantly,
successfully avoiding obstacles nearly all of the time. The only
problem I have had with the follow command recently is occasionally
not completely stopping for blended curbs, which I have begun to use
treats to reinforce such stops. I prefer the person in front of me to
talk or make some kind of noise to let me know where they are. My dog
likes to show me when we are passing intersecting hallways, doorways,
or stairs (he absolutely loves the find commands) and I can't always
tell if he is turning his head because of this or because the person
has turned.

Danielle and Thai

On 4/19/15, S L Johnson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello:
>
> I have used follow with all my dogs.  Pilot doesn't teach it either so, I
> taught Eva myself.  Actually my brilliant girl taught herself.  Eva followed
>
> my sister to her car the afternoon when I got off the bus our first day
> home.  I let my sister give Eva a little petting and then I pointed to my
> sister and told Eva to follow her.  Eva amazed both of us by following
> perfectly as if she'd been taught it before.  I kept saying follow in a
> happy excited voice making this a great fun part of guide work.  When we
> reached the car, I gave lots of hugs and praise.  I continued working on
> this as we stopped at the pet and grocery stores.  That same week, I
> continued to practice this with my sister or parents and gave plenty of pets
>
> and praise for a job well done.  It might be easier if you start teaching
> follow with a person your dog knows.  These dogs will naturally want to
> follow someone they like.  If Eva gets distracted and isn't following, I
> give her a verbal no for the distraction, then immediately remind her to
> follow.  Now Eva will find my sister, mom or dad if we get separated in a
> store.  I feel I am much more independent having my dog follow instead of
> going sighted guide.  Sometimes the person with you is carrying things or
> the space is too narrow to walk sighted guide.  Some examples where follow
> is helpful are; when a clerk is helping you in a store, when you are being
> led to a table in restaurants, when a nurse is leading you to an exam room
> in a medical office, in bus terminals and airports when your hands are full
>
> so going sighted guide is not possible.  Some dogs might seem to lose
> confidence and try to depend on the sighted person so, it is up to you to
> keep them focused and their confidence level up.  Occasionally my last dog
> Tara would look at the person with me to help her figure it out but, with
> encouragement, she would do her own work and only follow when I asked her to
>
> do it.  If the dog does make you bump into something or stumble on a curb,
> then stop to correct your dog even taking the time to rework it.    People
> are very understanding when you explain that you must not let the dog get
> away with sloppy work even when they are following  another person.  I think
>
> follow is an extremely useful command that all guide dog schools should
> teach.
>
> Sandra and Eva
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elise Berkley via nagdu
> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2015 7:11 PM
> To: Sherry Gomes ; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
>
> Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] unfamiliar areas
>
> I was told to be careful using the follow command because your dog will
> just
> follow anyone and you may not want them to follow that person.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sherry Gomes via nagdu
> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2015 3:41 PM
> To: 'Marianne Denning' ; 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of
> Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] unfamiliar areas
>
> I discourage my dogs from following people, and instead, I ask someone I'm
> with to walk behind me and give directions for me to pass to my dog. I've
> had dogs in the past that became too dependent on following and I don't
> like
> the loss of control I feel using follow. I feel like it takes away my
> handling in a way, that the dog won't listen as well to me, and I feel it
> diminishes the dog's initiative. Having said that, I know tons and tons of
> handlers who like using the follow command and use it well and effectively.
> It's all down to personal preference, and neither way is better than the
> other.
>
> Sherry
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marianne Denning
> via nagdu
> Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2015 12:43 PM
> To: Danielle Burton; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
> Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] unfamiliar areas
>
> Some of my dogs have been better than others.  That is why I ask the
> person to keep talking.  If I wanted to teach the command I would
> probably begin by having my dog follow someone he/she knows and give
> frequent rewards and praise when the dog is successful.  Then, find
> someone your dog does not know so well and keep working on the skill.
>
> On 4/19/15, Danielle Burton via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
>> This conversation leads to a question I have. GEB doesn't teach the
>> follow
>> command. So, my dog doesn't know to follow. She will sort of but not
>> really.
>> How would you go about teaching this? Also, they do not recommend you do
>> this because the dog could risk not paying as much attention. Is this
>> true
>> for those of you handlers who have worked multiple dogs?
>> Thanks,
>> Danille and Willa who hasn't figured out how to follow yet
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Apr 19, 2015, at 11:40 AM, Pam via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> hi everyone. i'm just wondering what u all do if u r working your dog in
>>> an area that is not familiar to u but u also have a sighted person with
>>> u
>>> too. do u just follow the sighted person with your dog? it's not
>>> something
>>> i've really done yet so just curious what others do. thanks 鈤猴笍
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>
>
> --
> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
> (513) 607-6053
>
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