[nagdu] families and our dogs

Sun Feb 22 00:50:57 UTC 2015

Not every person who decides to use a non-correction collar does so
because they know nothing about dog training. My dog wears a nylon
buckle collar and I have chosen this for several reasons, none of them
being that I am an incompetent trainer. As long as the handler is
comfortable with the decision, there is nothing wrong with a service
dog wearing something other than a correction collar. Corrections can
be given verbally, through the harness, with any type of collar (a
quick jerk on the leash will apply pressure to your dogs kneck no
matter what collar he is wearing), or not at all.

Any type of equipment a dog wears can cause injury if it is used
improperly. As long as you are shown or research the correct way to
use a specific type of collar, your dog should be fine wearing it.

HTH,
Danielle and sleepy Thai

On 2/21/15, Cindy Ray via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Mary, I think he is uncertain because he hasn't done this kind of walking
> much. I think he probably could use the experience. I have never had a dog
> injured by the chain collars.
> Cindy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mary Wurtzel via
> nagdu
> Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2015 11:36 AM
> To: 'Danielle Sykora'; 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of
> Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>
> Hello,
>
> I know what the gentle leader is, but I am not sure about the halty.  I
> have
> a device which the trainer called the buckle-high.  Is this the same as the
> Halty?
> I also put a cloth collar on Felix because some people said the chain could
> hurt their necks.  however, this collar was too big.  I am not sure what to
> use for correction.
> I really do thank everyone for their support.
> Now, this morning we were going to walk in our neighborhood to listen to
> birds at our wet lands.  There was such a narrow path shoveled on the
> sidewalk that Felix didn't want to work because he was so worried about me
> falling.  Now I feel guilty because I feel I have failed to teach him how
> to
> work well in the snow.
> I think I am just in need of Spring, LOL.
> Next weekend we are supposed to go to a camp for a birding event.  Now I
> wonder if Felix will work on the trails.  I don't know how well the trails
> are cleared.
> I seem to be making up for never posting on the list.
> Mary and Felix
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle Sykora
> via nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 4:05 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>
> Working my dog in ice, snow, and cold temperatures is not a very enjoyable
> experience. Working with your dog indoors as much as possible will keep his
> skills sharp and give him much needed exercise.
>
> I have found a Halti works very well with my dog in places where there is
> likely food on the floor. He rarely tries to scavenge with it on and it
> also
> helps me deal with his tendency to sniff. I understand why it can be very
> difficult to predict and stop scavenging in some dogs.
> Thai has figured out that if he pretends not to notice the food until it is
> in reach, I will have a difficult time stopping him from eating it.
>
> Practicing food refusal using the clicker can be very helpful. I used to
> try
> to make leaving a strategically placed piece of food as a behavior on its
> own but my dog would not go for the food when he suspected I was setting
> him
> up. I have recently started incorporating food when practicing other
> commands E.G. leaving a piece of food on the floor and calling him to me or
> telling him to find something.
>
> Danielle and sniffy Thai
>
>
> On 2/19/15, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Great suggestion, Becky!
>> I was not taught the "short leash" in training, or I just never used
>> it (I can't remember), but after the followup visit from hell, the
>> trainer recommended it.  It has worked wonders, not only for
>> scavenging, but keeping Jenny close to me if she is wanting to pull
>> away.  I use this regularly in tight spaces, or on the way to the dog
>> park, and it has saved me much frustration.
>>
>> Mary, I am also wondering if his collar is too loose?  Most dogs who
>> scavenge, you can feel before they get anything, because their head
>> moves down or to the side.  If the collar is loose enough so that more
>> than two fingers can fit beneath it, that will likely prevent you from
>> feelign his head dip down or sideways.
>>
>> Daryl
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Becky Frankeberger via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> To: 'Mary Wurtzel' <marywurtzel at att.net>, 'NAGDU Mailing List, the
>> National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 11:20:31 -0700 (MST)
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>>
>> Mary don't give your dog so much leash. Tighten up on the leash and if
>> you feel that head drop give him the hup up or whatever get moving
>> command your school or you taught him.
>>
>> Becky and Jake
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mary
>> Wurtzel via nagdu
>> Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 6:49 AM
>> To: 'Daryl Marie'; 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of
>> Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>>
>> Hi Darrell,
>>
>> Here is your message about clickers.
>> I will try to pay more attention to whether there is a signal before
>> the scrounging behavior.  It has been going on since I brought him
>> home.  It happens mostly at restaurants.  He did get a Nutterbutter
>> off a lower shelf at our grocery store.  I do keep him on close watch
>> knowing in that store they keep lots of stuff at his nose level.
>> The thing is that yesterday he was guiding at an eve vent and did a
>> flawless job.
>> Thanks again.
>> Mary and Felix
>> P.S.  The thought of giving Felix up is so painful.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daryl Marie
>> via nagdu
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 12:01 AM
>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>>
>> Hi, Mary,
>> I agree with Cindy's advice; if the criticism is helpful or useful,
>> take it as it is intended and leave the rest.  How is the criticism
>> being
> handled?
>> Is it simply a comment that someone notices things aren't going well,
>> or are there suggestions offered?  Either way, take what is useful and
>> the rest can go away.
>>
>> Jenny, like Felix, can be a bit of a scavenger.  We have worked on
>> this a LOT over the past few months.  I have copied and pasted a few
>> things that have worked for us, from previous archives of the list,
> modified for Felix.
>>
>> Are you able to take him to an unfamiliar place and play the Leave-it
>> game with him?  I tried doing this with Jenny and it made a big
>> difference; at home/work, she won't try and pick up the
>> popcorn/bread/tomato, but in an unfamiliar environment she might, so
>> it was a great training exercise for her to go somewhere she's never
>> been (a friend's apartment, etc.) and work with her on that.
>>
>> Are there certain things he does that indicate to you that he's about
>> to scrounge?  Once you stop him before he starts, the behavior should
> improve.
>>
>> Has this been an ongoing issue for him, or is it new?  Has he had
>> success scrounging somewhere before?  Have you kept him on the same
>> food, switched food, or given him vaccines or medications recently?
>> Are there certain foods/items that are a particular struggle for him
>> to
> resist?
>>
>> The Halti is a good tool, but is definitely not to be used all the time.
>> Are there particular places he scavenges more than others?  For
>> example, for some reason I will never understand, there's a one-block
>> bit of sidewalk where Jenny has always had trouble (I think there's
>> apartments there); if we walk north, she's fine, but walking south is
>> a whole other matter.  There's all kinds of good ground candy in the
>> grass verge...  Perhaps you could take him to a place like that and
>> walk with him there, with the Halti, and praise him for not picking up
>> the food (I know it sounds like you're praising for nothing, but
>> really you're not).  This worked wonders for Jenny, and now all I have
>> to do for the most part is talk her through that sidewalk and
>> occasionally tell her to leave it if she goes for something (which she
>> does).  Also, are there certain things that trigger the scavenging (i.e.
>> boredom, weather changes, after a good rain)?  Once you figure out
>> what, if anything is triggering it, then you can be a lot more
>> prepared and less frustrated when it happens.
>> Ultimately, you can greatly reduce the use of the Halti.  Over the
>> past six months I have used the Halti nearly daily, then once a week,
>> then less... I think the last time I broke it out for her was when we
>> were at the vet's six weeks ago, but I always carry it in my purse.
>>
>> Jenny  knows when she's been set up for food refusal drills.  I have
>> tackled this in two different ways:
>> 1) Gone somewhere unknown (a friend's apartment, for example).  This
>> tends to trigger scrounging behavior in her, so it's a perfect time to
>> work with her on it.  She doesn't feel set up, I get to actually work
>> with her on it, and everyone's happy.
>> 2) use the clicker for food refusal.  Even if Felix knows you're doing
>> it.
>> With Jenn, I found that treats tended to make the food much more
>> irresistible, so I have been clicker training her with praise.  This
>> has greatly reduced the scrounging.
>>
>> I have by no means arrived, but those are things that have worked for us.
>>
>> Mary, if you would like me to walk you through how I have used clicker
>> training with Jenny girl on this, I would be more than happy to
>> describe the process and how ti has worked for us.
>>
>> Good luck!
>>
>> Daryl
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Mary Wurtzel via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 18:54:46 -0700 (MST)
>> Subject: [nagdu] families and our dogs
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>>
>>
>> Felix and I just celebrated our third anniversary together.
>>
>> My family remains rather critical of my handling of my dog.  It is
>> true that we still have a pretty major problem with scavenging.  Our
>> field rep came and worked with us.  I am realizing that I must
>> practice food distraction training on a daily basis.
>>
>> It is a real problem for us to work a whole lot especially outside.  I
>> have a balance problem with falling on ice.  Our temps have gone below
>> zero also.
>>
>> I am quite discouraged right now.  I know I should probably go
>> practice at a mall.  I seem to be just venting on this list, but if
>> anyone has ever felt discouraged and can offer a word of cheer, I
>> would appreciate it.
>>
>>
>>
>> Mary and Felix
>>
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