[NAGDU] Softer Dogs?

Jordan Gallacher jordanandbelto at gmail.com
Wed Mar 22 01:01:39 UTC 2017


I know all too well what you mean by Mardi Gras and the stress among other things it can create.  Crazy thing is that September was the best dog I have ever had when it came to crowds.  She was not afraid to make a hole for us in crowds.  Belto is a very calm lab for the most part, and his first big experience with crowds was Jazz Fest last year.  While he does not tend to make holes for us to fit through, he is very good at following in those situations and also taking commands well.  Every dog is different, and I tend to use what tools are needed to work the dog.  September did not need treats at all to work.  Belto really does not need them either, but I do find that he does occasionaly lose the drive I know he has, and when that happens, I use treats at some up curbs.  
Jordan

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of The Pawpower Pack via NAGDU
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 6:11 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: The Pawpower Pack
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Softer Dogs?

This is interesting because although I'm a clicker trainer, my current dog, Soleil the labradore and agent of chaos is NOT a soft dog by any means.  I live in New Orleans and need a dog who can work Mardi Gras— the season lasts almost a month— or other high stress situations  with confidence and not fall apart.  I need a dog who can be comfortable dealing with my idiotic hard-headedness and out hardhead me when necessary.  I have a feeling that it would take a very firm correction  to get Soleil's attention.  And yet she does so well with the clicker.  Learns new things quickly and her weird lab food issues aside— which have always been a thing, is the best guide dog I have ever had.  She is equal to Bristol who is my best dog and I never thought I'd find another who was so great.  
I think that people should do what works.  I know there is an issue with treats that I don't quite understand. But treats are tools, just like a correction collar is a tool.  There are tools that I would prefer not to use and others have tools that I use that they wouldn't.  
I can't speak to the program end because last day I was at one— like almost 20 years ago— it was still pretty physical. Meaning many corrections


 Rox and the kitchen Bitches: 
Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
Pawpower4me at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 21, 2017, at 5:03 PM, Bianka Brankovic via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi list,
> 
> my first two dogs were still trained with the training cart which is considered to be cruel by some people. Personally, I feel that the dogs that are trained with positive reinforcement tend to be more cooperative, it’s easier to work through little problems. My handling style has evolved a lot during the 15 or so years i have handled guide dogs. I am much softer with a dog now than I was in the beginning yet I have a much better grasp of my dog’s reactions and know my own limits better than I did at the beginning. This has hopefully lead to fewer handling mistakes. 
> 
> I do believe that if you find the right motivator you can train nearly any  dog with positive reinforcement. I feel though that the use of more sensitive dogs on the whole may have the down side that guide dogs are no longer as stress tolerant  and resilient  as they used to be. 
> 
> I feel it’s our responsibility as handlers to give honest feedback to the schools  about what works and what doesn’t, after all, schools are service providers. .. 
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> bianka 
> 
> 
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