[NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?

Tue Aug 21 14:11:12 UTC 2018

Hi Danielle.
I think everyone obsesses over something before going to class, and maybe
footwork is your obsession.  I have found, when I actually get to class,
whatever I was obsessing about turns out to be no big deal.

Like Becky's husband, my brother isn't big into food rewards, so he
learned the technique at GDB, then pretty much dropped it when he got
home.

It's good to research and find out all you can, but I think a person also
has to listen to what their heart is saying about some place.  So, if I
found that 2 schools looked fairly equal in quality, I'd go with the one
my heart was telling me was right.  Facts matter, of course, but I think
it also helps a lot to have confidence in the school you choose, and to
feel comfortable there.
Tracy

> Yes that is what I am talking about. The emphasis is more on the lef
> foot whereas my previous training emphasized the right foot. ALso, you
> don't just stop you have to give the halt command otherwise the dog
> views this as a negative as in something is wrong. Then, there are the
> heavy emphases on food rewarding. There are also differences where
> making turns and during sidewalkless work. GDF also has a 2-week
> program for anyone interested. My gut is just tellling me it's alot to
> unlearn in such a short period of time.
>
> On 8/20/18, Nancy VanderBrink via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> So I will be going to GDB for my next dog and I'm curious to see how
>> well
>> this goes for me.  I've noticed that their handling style is different
>> such
>> as having to do a lot with your left foot and I'm just a right foot
>> person
>> and of course working on some bad habits.
>> I've previously been to a four-week training experience and one-on-one
>> training when we had to  retire my first guide quite young.
>> I'm honestly looking forward to it and the shorter timeframe works
>> better
>> for my working life.
>> Just my two cents.
>> Nancy
>>
>> Please forgive the typos as this message was most likely generated using
>> voice dictation
>> Nancy Irwin
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Aug 20, 2018, at 1:08 PM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> This is my theory, and I'll stick to it until I see good evidence to
>> change it:
>> For first-timers, it's about learning how to work with a dog, and
>> bonding
>> with a particular dog, and it takes time and practice to learn a new
>> skill.  It's like learning to dance; you may have a great teacher, but
>> it
>> still takes lots of repition to do it smoothly and to set new habbits.
>> For retrains, class is about learning to work with a new dog, and
>> hopefully reshaping some bad habbits.  Otherwise, they could just drop
>> off
>> the dog and work with you over the phone, and wouldn't that be nice.
>> But
>> it takes a while to learn to dance with a new partner, too, especially
>> an
>> inexperienced partner.  And, in my experience, it takes a while for the
>> dog to get comfortable and come out of its shell.  For the first week or
>> so, it usually has on its company manners, but then it starts showing
>> more
>> of its whole self, and often seeing how much it can get away with.  Or
>> it
>> starts to see that this is for real, and can get a bit stressed and
>> start
>> working differently.
>> The upshot is, it takes time to do some things, and there's a limit to
>> how
>> much can be cut off that time.
>> Tracy
>>
>>> I love the two week classes, and now that I am employed, I could not
>>> see
>>> doing anything longer.  Leader's Florida class is even shorter at only
>>> 10
>>> days, and that worked well for me for a bunch of reasons one of which
>>> it
>>> was short and two I know Naples like the back of my hand.
>>> Jordan
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tara Briggs via
>>> NAGDU
>>> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:19 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Tara Briggs <thflute at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?
>>>
>>> Hey Tracy! Sorry about the dictation mistake. I listen back but I
>>> donÃ¢?Tt
>>> always catch them. I accidentally sent my friend a text message with
>>> the
>>> mother of all swearwords in the middle of it. For some crazy reason I
>>> completely missed it. We had a good laugh about it. Anyway, if there
>>> are
>>> any GDB graduates on this list, what do you think about the shorter
>>> training times? How short are they? I would love to hear your thoughts.
>>> Tara
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Aug 17, 2018, at 12:30 PM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Tara.
>>>> I've done the schedule you're doing at TSE twice, and it's been fine.
>>>> A
>>>> couple of my classmates had dog switches, so had to stay extra with
>>>> the
>>>> first-timers, but that's a great thing about the way TSE runs
>>>> classes--retrains get out early, unless there's a problem.
>>>> I do think first-timers need more time to get accustomed to working a
>>>> dog, as well as getting into good habits of work and care.  I think
>>>> GDB
>>>> is offering everyone very short classes, and I'm not sure that's a
>>>> good
>>>> thing.  But then it's been a long time since I was a first-timer, and
>>>> maybe it's not as hard as I remember.
>>>> I think, overall, it's a good thing.  Most of us have active lives,
>>>> and
>>>> it can be hard to get away.
>>>>
>>>> I'm very amused that your message said "guy ducks" for Guide Dogs!
>>>> Dictation, I guess.
>>>> Tracy
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tara Briggs
>>>> via NAGDU
>>>> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:15 PM
>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> Cc: Tara Briggs
>>>> Subject: [NAGDU] Faster training times. Is this a growing trend?
>>>>
>>>> Hi all! I recently got the wonderful news that I will be going to get
>>>> my
>>>> new puppy on September 24. I will be going to the seeing eye. Back in
>>>> 2009, I arrived on the Saturday and we got our dogs on Monday
>>>> afternoon.
>>>> This time, I will be arriving on Monday and we will get our dogs on
>>>> Wednesday morning. This arrival on a Monday means that our training at
>>>> the Seeing Eye has been shortened by two days. I gather that other
>>>> kind
>>>> of schools have done a similar shortening of training. I think that
>>>> guy
>>>> ducks the blind has shortened their training by quite a bit although I
>>>> donÃ¢?Tt know this for sure. Anyway, am I accurate in saying this is a
>>>> growing trend among Guide dog training schools? If so, what are
>>>> anyoneÃ¢?Ts thoughts or experiences? Thanks!
>>>> Tara
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> NAGDU:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> NAGDU:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/thflute%40gmail.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> NAGDU:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jordangandbelto%40gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NAGDU mailing list
>>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> NAGDU:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NAGDU mailing list
>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> NAGDU:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/vandyvanderbrink%40outlook.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> NAGDU mailing list
>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> NAGDU:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/singingmywayin%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,
> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
> tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will
> have been all of these.
> George Washington Carver
> Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>