[NAGDU] Fixing pokiness

[Jean Menzies]

Hi Tracy

Wow, sounds like you wrote that message for me. Yes, I too have heard that a 
million times, but it's harder when it's in the moment and happening. My boy 
will also stop when he feels harness pressure if he is in a pokey mood. But 
if he is on his own agenda and working well, his pull is very nice. Very 
inconsistent in pace and pull, seeming to depend on mood. But he is a safe 
worker. The food reward regime I am to use for the ten day 100% treat phase 
helped at first, but now he is fading back into more inconsistent pace and 
pull with very little lead out at times. So I can hardly wait until I am 
supposed to start weaning back on food in the next week or so. Right now I 
have created a treat-focused expectancy where he stops and looks for treats 
after doing something he thinks deserves one. lol. But I am following the 
trainer program, so I will see how this all works out over time.

All that to say that your points are excellent, and I will try that as he 
slows down and stops.

Jean
-----Original Message----- 
From: Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 7:05 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: Tracy Carcione
Subject: [NAGDU] Fixing pokiness

I had follow-up yesterday, which was useful, and some of the tips might help
Jean, too, or someone else.

My follow-up was for a strong left tendency, but also touches on hesitancy.
The stuff the trainer said is stuff I've heard for decades, but still need
to be reminded about sometimes.

1.        Keep a firm tension on the harness, so he feels me and I feel him.
When I first did this, he stopped, but a little encouragement got him going,
and then he went faster.

2.       2.  If he slows down, I have to immediately slow down, too, and
keep up the firm tension in the harness.

3.       If he slows down because of a crowd, I should encourage him, and be
sure not to move up on him, trying to go faster.

That's pretty much it.  Simple, ay?  Heard it a million times, right?

The trainer thinks Krokus is a touch slow for me (which is true), and we've
both gotten used to not having much tension in the harness, but that's not
really working for us.  She also thinks I haven't been correcting him as
much as I should, especially for sniffing.  I keep telling him "No more nice
guy!", but then I forget again.

Anyway, keeping a firm tension in the harness, and insisting he work right
up to things, was already making a difference in his creeping, occasional
hesitance, and to some degree his left tendency yesterday, so I'll really
try to keep it in mind.

Tracy



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