[NAGDU] Commands was Re: another GDF question
dchandler001 at carolina.rr.com
dchandler001 at carolina.rr.com
Sun Feb 17 15:41:36 UTC 2019
<My theory would be that you don't want to overburden your dog with too many different commands. So leave it might be ok as well as find but too many commands might be confusing to the dog.
Deb and Tally
---- Danielle Sykora via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I have heard a few different reasons rationalizing why they no longer teach leave it. You would have to contact them directly to get the official response. The first is that the correction word of no sounds less negative to the public then leave it. The second was something along the lines of well if you are totally blind how would you know the distraction was there ahead of time to tell the dog to leave it. The third reason, the one I heard the most often and that makes the most sense, is that people were using leave it incorrectly. As in, they would walk down the street saying leave it, leave it, leave it over and over so that the dog basically tuned it out. similar to how many pet owners will tell their dog sit, sit, sit, sit while the dog completely ignores them.
my opinion on these reasons: The first doesn’t exactly make sense to me. I think leave it is less negative than no in terms of what the general public will think. In fact, I often find people respect leave it more when they are petting my dog or allowing their dog to interact with mine, because they recognize that leave it is something many pet owners use to tell their dog to not engage with a distraction. It is like if I say no, they don’t know what I’m correcting my dog for. When I say leave it, they are more likely to associate it with their own actions. Not in all cases of course, but just a trend I have noticed
The second reason is actually ridiculous and I’m kind of shocked that this person said it to me. sorry that is pretty blunt, but I noticed a bit of a rift between the instructors and students , and the higher ups in the training department and these types of conversations were a little frustrating at times. While during the dogs puppyhood, leave it will often be used preemptively when the puppy raiser spots a distraction and is reminding the dog not to pay attention to it, leave it essentially turns into more of a correction for inappropriate behavior once the dog gets older. Once the dogs are fully trained, they theoretically should know better than to engage with distractions. So leave it then becomes hey, I know you are starting to get distracted and you better stop now. It does not require vision to notice perked ears, turning of the head, quickening pace, etc. indicating that your dog is beginning to get distracted.
The third reason is the only one that I think makes sense. I can certainly see people using leave it way too often, to the point where it doesn’t have much meaning for the dog anymore.
Personally, I don’t agree with the decision to remove this command from the vocabulary. I started using leave it immediately with my dog once home. Well to be totally honest, I used it in class as well out of habit.
Danielle, Thai, and Jackie
Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 16, 2019, at 10:25 PM, Miranda via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> I wonder why they do not teach leave it any longer. I also wonder why other schools do not teach commands such as back, under, off, up/stand, drop it or give, about, etc.? I also wonder why some schools may not specifically teach the dogs to find such designated objects as elevators, stairs, seats, curbs (great when you’re looking for a curb that might not be add a street crossing such as a couple curbs that we deal with on the route to our internship). These are commands that I definitely would find useful.
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Feb 16, 2019, at 5:04 PM, Danielle Sykora via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Most schools teach the same commands up to a point, and then start to
>> differ somewhat. I think GDF teaches the most commands of any program,
>> or at least they used to in my experience. A few commands have been
>> dropped... long story. I wrote down all of the commands my dog knew
>> for no apparent reason after coming home from class in November, so
>> here you go.
>>
>> Obedience
>> 1. Sit
>> 2. Down
>> 3-4. Up/stand
>> 5. Stay
>> 6. Come
>> 7. Whistle recall: comes to the sound of a whistle
>> 8. Off
>> 9. Heel: stands on left side facing forward
>> 10. Walk: walks on a loose leash on left side
>> 11. Switch: comes from a heel position to stand on right side, usually
>> when going through doors with hinges on the left
>> 12. Touch: touches nose to hand
>> 13. Leave it: Officially, GDF no longer teaches students to use this
>> command for reasons that don’t totally make sense to me. However, this
>> command is used while the dogs are puppies so they are familiar with
>> it.
>> 14. Under: lays under a chair or table
>> 15. Up front: goes in front of handler off a curb or into the grass,
>> given prior to the “get busy” cue
>> 16. Get busy
>> 17. Drink
>> 18. Out/drop it: drop whatever is in your mouth
>> 19. quiet
>> 20. OK: releases from previous command
>>
>> guiding commands/tasks
>> 21. Forward
>> 22. Left: 90 degree turn to the left
>> 23. Right: 90 degree turn to the right
>> 24. Halt: slow to a stop
>> 25. About: 180 degree turn while guiding
>> 26. back
>> 27. Inside: go through a door, jump in the car, and find the entrance
>> to a building
>> 28. Outside: go through a door, jump out of the car, and find the exit
>> of a building
>> 29. Over left: move to the left or walk on the left side of a
>> sidewalk/street/hallway
>> 30. Over right: move to the right or walk on the right side of a
>> sidewalk/street/hallway
>> 31. Careful: used to warn of an upcoming difficult spot to work, or as
>> a correction when not working an obstacle correctly
>> 32. Follow: follows a designated person
>> 33. Steady: slow down/pull less
>> 34. Hup up: walk more quickly, or move closer to whatever the dog is
>> trying to show the handler
>>
>> Find the…
>> 35. curb
>> 36. Seat: this can be a specific seat have sat in before, or any empty
>> seat available
>> 37. Stairs up
>> 38. Stairs down
>> 39. Door
>> 40. Bed (place): goes and lays in bed
>> 41. Bus
>> 42. van
>> 43. garbage/trash
>> 44. The way: used to tell a dog to find a clear path through a crowd,
>> the safest way around an obstacle that blocks the entire sidewalk, and
>> similar situations
>> 45. Button: elevator button or crosswalk button
>> 46. Elevator
>> 47. Escalator up
>> 48. Escalator down
>> 49. ramp
>> 50. Counter: checkout counters
>> **Graduates are strongly encouraged to teach additional find commands
>> throughout class and once home, teaching the dogs to target frequently
>> used rooms, buildings, and stores.**
>> **GDF also formally teaches leash guiding, which is a concept, not a command.**
>> **Commands may vary slightly from instructor to instructor.**
>>
>>
>> Danielle, Thai, and Jackie
>>
>>> On 2/16/19, Madison Martin via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hi all, I was just wondering, out of curiosity, what commands does GDF
>>> teach
>>> their guide dogs? Do all schools tend to teach their dogs the same
>>> commands?
>>> Look forward to hearing back from you guys! Thanks
>>>
>>> Madison
>>>
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