[NAGDU] Use of treats during training

[Tami Jarvis]

Tracy,

That makes sense. In theory, the dog in early training will learn to 
associate a straight crossing to the upcurb with reward, then the treats 
will be phased out as the straight crossing becomes automatic. The way I 
do it with my dogs, we're still doing quiet, safe streets to learn to 
cross properly, and the treat at the upcurb is phased out by the time we 
start working on real traffic awareness. Both Loki and Mitzi have 
started ignoring offered treats at the down curb in favor of watching 
for traffic, in fact. They want to make sure it's safe, then cross and 
get on with going somewhere. It might be different with a more food 
motivated dog, however. Definitely, the trainer would need to be sure 
the treats have been phased out and the dog is paying attention to the 
right things before the dog goes into service.

hth,

Tami

On 06/27/2016 11:33 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
> It's not the treating I'm worried about.  It's the potential laser-like
> focus while crossing on getting the treat when we get to the upcurb that
> concerns me.
>
>> I sure hope you don't have cars turning into you at upcurbs. Downcurbs,
>> sure, but those crazy New York drivers need to stay the hell off the
>> sidewalks.
>>
>> When Hilde started forgetting to stop at curbs, a skill she had from six
>> months old or so, I did start treating at both up and down curbs. This
>> worked for us, in part, because a lot of this reinforcing behavior
>> happened on quiet streets, but also, you really don't want to spend an age
>> doing the treating. We were able to remove the treats pretty quickly,
>> since again, this was a skill she already had, but she just needed
>> reminding that yes, it really is important.
>>
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Jun 27, 2016, at 1:12 PM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I'd be really concerned about offering a treat at the upcurb.  Sure, it
>>> would encourage the dog to find that upcurb and not mess about, but will
>>> he also be watching carefully for traffic?  My bet is he will be focused
>>> on that curb, and the treat he's going to get. He'll still see that
>>> idiot
>>> turning on top of us, but will he notice as soon as he would otherwise?
>>> Doesn't sound like a recipe for success to me.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello, beautiful people.
>>>> Dan W.  from Florida withies Royal Majesty, Parker Dog here.
>>>> Well I'm wondering about something, for example, is there life on other
>>>> planets, and is there life before coffee--smile.
>>>> Well, all right, seriously...I've heard a lot of comments and talk
>>>> about
>>>> the
>>>> fact that many of the guide dog programs are using a significant amount
>>>> of
>>>> food rewards during training.
>>>> I don't mean the occasional treat that I've always used, say to reward
>>>> for
>>>> finding something or whatever, but say, treats every time a dog finds
>>>> an
>>>> up
>>>> curb or down curb, carrying around a treat bag and so on.
>>>> I'm wondering what peoples' experiences have been.
>>>> I've heard that a majority of US programs are doing this now...and as I
>>>> said
>>>> it seems to be a lot, not just the occasional reward.
>>>> So what happens if you can't give the dog a treat every time, will the
>>>> dogs
>>>> get used to having treats phased out? And what about a dog who might
>>>> already
>>>> be food distracted, couldn't that lead to scavenging, or generally,
>>>> well
>>>> silliness--smile.
>>>>
>>>> It does concern me.
>>>>
>>>> As I've said I have always incorporated treats in my method but
>>>> occasionally
>>>> as a special reward, and it would seem to me that a dog would need to
>>>> be
>>>> able to work for praise and just for the love of working...tell me what
>>>> everyone thinks and what's going on.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I hope everyone's doing great.
>>>>
>>>> Dan the man and his four-legged side-kick
>>>>
>>>> dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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