[NAGDU] pace and pull

Sat May 25 16:26:35 UTC 2019

Jean I have the opposite problem with my new Guide. Oh by the way, his name is knothead!  He is one!!!!!!   Cruising around with him is like hanging on to a 747 with full throttles.  At least I’m getting a work out hell I may even lose an ounce or two! 

My time at GDF was great. Some big changes in training that I’ve had to overcome, but at least Kevin was still there and for sure I didn’t lose any weight! Donna the nurse is still there and she still remembers you. She remembers the two of us as the “northerners”. She thinks we talk with an accent. 

I’m sure you and Boomer will get it together.   Bryan

Sent from Bryan's IPhone 

> On May 25, 2019, at 7:54 AM, Jean Menzies via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Thanks, Susan.
> 
> Thanks for the reminder to stay well back, as it is so easy to walk up on a slower dog. I'm also hoping that as he gains confidence, his pace in more congested areas will pick up a bit. Aw, and remembering that the dogs with issues at first can turn out to be the best. Thanks.
> 
> Jean
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Susan Jones via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, May 24, 2019 5:21 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Cc: Susan Jones
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] pace and pull
> 
> Jean,
> 
> I received a dog that was very slow at one time.  One thing I did was walk doubles with someone who had a really fast dog.  That helped some, but she was always very slow.
> Turned out, she was one of my very best dogs!
> 
> One thing you might try when she slows down due to congestion is back yourself up an inch or two, and be very diligent about following her lead. Allow her to get the sense that she is leading you, albeit slowly.
> 
> I hope this is helpful.
> 
> Susan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jean Menzies via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, May 24, 2019 7:21 PM
> To: NAGDU
> Cc: Jean Menzies
> Subject: [NAGDU] pace and pull
> 
> Hello all.
> 
> I have been home with a new guide for three months now. This dog has some wonderful traits, but so far we have had to have a home visit to work on inconsistency. I won’t go into those details, except to say that I am now taking him back to kindergarden and using food reward and praise at every curb and whenever he responds positively to what I ask. After things appear solid, I will be slowly decreasing food reward and hoping that consistency stays.
> 
> I mention that only to say that I am working on that first and foremost. However, once that is fixed, and I hope it will be fixable, then I need to work on pull at slower speeds.
> 
> My normal pace when things are clear is fast. I like a nice solid pull, and this dog does well at both pace and pull at faster speeds. When streets are busier, though, with pedestrians, shop doors possibly opening, etc., his pace is much slower. I accept that the slower pace is appropriate for those situations, but the problem I have is that when he walks slow, there is absolutely no pull in harness. I feel like a ship without a sail, and it takes a great deal of concentration to feel his movements and even sometimes trust that he is working. The lack of pull at such slow pace makes me feel vulnerable.
> 
> For those who have trained their own dogs or worked with this kind of issue before, how can I increase his pull at slower speeds? I understand pull can be taut to some degree. Note that he also has some body sensativity, and when I add a slight back pressure either on purpose or accidentally at slow paces, he might just stop or maybe side-step left. He has no problem with pull at faster speeds or when he decides to pull.
> 
> Ultimately, if the bigger inconsistency problem resolves and I am able to back off on food rewards, I then need to work on pull at slower paces if I can. Does anyone have ideas on how to do this? One thing at a time, but I’m wanting to have a bit of a plan going forward.
> 
> Jean and Boomer
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