[NAGDU] the fetch command

[nellie at culodge.com]

I was so lucky with my first guide, Sully because he had tremendous drive for retrieving.  He was never thought  that at school but just had a natural ability.  I discovered after a while if I dropped something and was trying to feel around with my foot or hands to find it and couldn’t, he would be standing there just waiting for me to give him the "fetch it up command."  He drops it right in my hand.  I never have him do it in harness, just at home.  He is fantastic with picking up milk jug lids, the remote back and batteries after I drop it or even will run and get my shoes.  He has never fetched anything without me giving him the "ok" and it sure has come in handy many many many times.  Now Rosy my second lab on the other hand has absolutely no interest in retrieving.  I have tried to get her to fetch in the yard for exercise and she has no clue what I am talking about.  She is so wonderful in so many other ways I am not going to push it with her.

-Janell

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Danielle Sykora via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2019 2:27 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Danielle Sykora <dsykora29 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] the fetch command

Guide dogs were taught to retrieve in the past, but programs discontinued this practice a few decades ago. Essentially, they considered it useful but not essential, and did not think it was worth dropping otherwise good guides because they didn’t enjoy retrieving.

Danielle, Thai, and Jackie 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 18, 2019, at 2:39 PM, Madison Martin via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all, I was reading a fictional book about these kids who visited a 
> guide dog school, and it talked about how the instructor was teaching 
> the dog to fetch a glove that he dropped while he was working the dog 
> in harness. So I was wondering, is this something that guide dogs are actually taught to do?
> Or do you think that it was just made up for the book? I'm just 
> curious that's all. Look forward to hearing back from anyone who might 
> be able to provide an answer to this! Thanks
> 
> Madison
> 
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