[NAGDU] finding things

Sat Nov 4 17:51:33 UTC 2017

*Hi Dan,
Over the last seventeen years I've used "Find", or "Find the" daily as 
an organic part of working my pups. Except for teaching the pup new 
things to find, I don't  normally consciously take time to train it 
since we use it a lot. Now, that isn't o say, that if I found the pup 
losing the edge that they need to have, that I won't  focus a bit more 
on that particular object to reinforce it...

Your, Mileage May Vary,

Wayne And Harley D

*On 11/1/2017 11:55 AM, Dan Weiner via NAGDU wrote:
> just a point of discussion, I really think these skills finding 
> chairs, elevators, buttons all of those are something my dogs have 
> learned
>
>
>  but to get them to be consistent I've had o really hall butt and 
> practice even if they were exposed to it at guide dog school, what 
> have other people found?
>
> Warmest regards,
>
> Dan and Parker the chair-finder--smileOn 11/1/2017 12:16 PM, Jean 
> Menzies via NAGDU wrote:
>> Andy, thanks for your detailed response. It really helps in comparing 
>> how the dogs might work, not taking into account personality of 
>> course. In 34 years of having guide dogs, I have gone through 3 
>> different programs. I change based on what taught skills I think will 
>> best suit my lifestyle at a given point. All the programs have been 
>> excellent, and my choice to change is not based on anything except 
>> examining the skills the dogs are taught and thinking about what I 
>> need. Thanks for sharing.
>>
>> Jean and Bode
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Andy Borka via NAGDU
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 7:12 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Andy Borka
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] choosing a school
>>
>> Hi Jean,
>>
>> I recently graduated from Seeing Eye. In fact, Alec and I came home 
>> in August of this year. We will attempt to answer your questions as 
>> much as possible.
>>
>> Food rewards used or not used
>> During training, food rewards are usually forbidden. The dogs are 
>> taught to drive from your love and praises after each successful 
>> task. Only when you get home might a trainer recommend food rewards 
>> along with clicker training. This is done after arriving home because 
>> your dog will not have any concept of where he/she is at the time. 
>> After building their confidence with a route, phase out the treats, 
>> then the clicker
>> Skill sets –Is Find the ... taught? If so, what objects or items are 
>> the dogs taught to find initially?
>> They are taught inside/outside and doors. Aside from this, your dog 
>> is taught to generalize. An example is a table. If you normally sit 
>> at a table in a lounge, then ask your dog to find a table, he might 
>> take you to the one you would normally sit at, but he will take you 
>> to a table. After sitting in a specific spot for a few days, he will 
>> start taking you directly to that spot. Seeing Eye dogs are heavily 
>> patterned for your specific needs. Therefore, most of the patterning 
>> and generalization is done during class. Right now, Alec can find 
>> inside, outside, the door, home, park, the bus, the wall (at a 
>> specific street corner), the service desk at Walmart, the checkout 
>> register at Walgreens, the down ramp at certain street corners 
>> (offset crossings), things I drop on the ground (my keys on one 
>> occasion), steps (both up and down), cars I normally ride in, 
>> specific people he knows fairly well, and return points during a 
>> route. Most of these he learned during class or after getting home.
>> Traffic work – exposure to quiet cars
>> Seeing Eye has a quiet car they use during traning and traffic 
>> checks. During class, staff members will drive around in different 
>> types of vehicles. When students attempt to cross the street, they 
>> will give you and your dog a traffic check. A traffic check is a 
>> situation where the driver poses a potential danger to you or your 
>> dog. An example is pulling out directly in front of you during a 
>> crossing. One of these cars is a quiet car. Often, they request the 
>> general public give you traffic checks at random. I remember a time 
>> where we ended up boxed in between four cars during a crossing. The 
>> unfortunate complexity of this situation is the cars that boxed us in 
>> were still moving. Alec expertly guided me out of the problem and 
>> across the street. Traffic is an important topic. Roughly 4 hours of 
>> lectures are dedicated to handling traffic.
>>
>> Application process: Number of references, home video
>> The application process is not complicated. Go to seeingeye.org, 
>> click admissions, then apply, then apply online. You create a 
>> username/password. When you arrive at the application, you have to 
>> fill out sections related to contact info, vision, general health, 
>> mobility, references, class date preferences, etc. You have to 
>> provide three references. The cost for a dog is $150 paid to the 
>> school whenever you can afford to do so. When the initial application 
>> is approved, they send you medical forms to have your doctor fill out 
>> and send back. They will send a trainer out to evaluate your current 
>> mobility skills. Since you have a dog, I don’t know how they would 
>> evaluate mobility skills. In the same visit, the trainer would give 
>> you a juno walk. If everything is good to go, you will receive a 
>> class date. At that time, they would walk you through the legal 
>> paperwork and travel arrangements.
>>
>> These questions have been answered based on my own experience, and 
>> what trainers have told me during class.
>>
>> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>>
>> From: Jean Menzies via NAGDU
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 2:10 PM
>> To: NAGDU
>> Cc: Jean Menzies
>> Subject: [NAGDU] choosing a school
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>>
>>
>> Without going into the details now, I am looking at dog retirement, 
>> and getting applications started for dog  number 7. Even if I end up 
>> delaying exceptance, the paperwork will be good for two years, and 
>> there are reasons to get going on it now.
>>
>>
>>
>> My current dog is from Leader. He is wonderful, and I really like the 
>> skill sets that LD puts on their dogs. But in deciding if I stay or 
>> change schools, I want some information on the Seing Eye as well.
>>
>>
>>
>> For anyone who has been to either school recently, or for those who 
>> have been to both, I would like your thoughts on the following points:
>>
>>
>>
>> Food rewards used or not used
>>
>>
>>
>> If food rewards are used, are they phased out or maintained
>>
>>
>>
>> Skill sets –
>>
>> Is Find the ... taught? If so, what objects or items are the dogs 
>> taught to find initially? E.g., empty chairs/benches, stairs up/down, 
>> pushbutton poles, doors, inside/outside, etc.?
>>
>>
>>
>> Traffic work – exposure to quiet cars
>>
>>
>>
>> Application process: Number of references, home video
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm interested in comparing the skill sets and working styles of the 
>> dogs, so please, no info on meals, rooms, etc. That's not important 
>> to me. Any info anyone can provide on current training from the two 
>> programs would be appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jean
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