[nagdu] unfamiliar areas

Mon Apr 20 10:38:59 UTC 2015

thanks everyone for all you're help :)

Sent from my iPhone

> On 20 Apr 2015, at 02:52, Danielle Sykora via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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>> 
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