[NAGDU] "Well-trained"

Fri Jul 16 14:10:23 UTC 2021

Hi;
I have to ask, what school were your dogs from?  Only one of my five dogs
seemed to be destination oriented.  For example when I went into our local
rather large right aid all I had to do is start in the general direction of
the pharmacy and I could count on finding the counter.  My current dog is a
good guide but he basically goes where you tell him to go which I guess is
what should happen.  With Mr. destination I was taking a route that we
traveled frequently and I decided we'd go a different way.  Well his feet
were in concrete.  He was certain I was going the wrong way and didn't want
to have any of it.  Its interesting how they are all different.
Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sharon S via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2021 2:57 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sharon S <koala at areujoking.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] "Well-trained"

Hi, I was rather spoiled with my first dog. She was great on destination
work and only had to go to a place once and then she knew it.

I remember one day I was going to meet my dad at his work which we had been
to before but this time we were coming from a different direction. I was
meant to call dad when I was getting close to the bus stop and he would come
and meet us. Of course this was a day when I forgot my phone at home. I
wasn't sure what to do, dad was expecting me at a certain time so I figured
he would make his way to the bus stop around that time. So, I waited for a
bit with no sign of dad, then I went into the nearest building looking for
someone who could call him for me but there was no desk at the entrance so
that wasn't any use. I knew myself ruffly where I needed to go so we set
off. I really wasn't sure if we were going to make it but at least we would
get closer to his office. Before I knew it we were at a road to cross and I
knew we had to cross one to get there. So we crossed the road and my dog
then headed to a set of steps. We went up these stairs and into a building,
which turned out to be the front entrance to my dad's office. I was very
pleased with my dog that day but I don't think any of my dogs since would
have been able to do it.

I have had two labs and two golden retrievers and they all have been
different. These are the breeds our local schools work with. They have tried
other breeds over the years but they keep going back to the labs and
retrievers.

When applying or each dog I have never requested a particular breed or sex.
So I have now had two girls and two boys.

I only had training at the school for my first dog the rest have been done
from home. What I liked about the home training was they let me continue on
with my normal activities and just used them as part of the training.

Bye for now.
>From Shaz.
Canberra, Australia.

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, 26 June 2021 2:04 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: [NAGDU] "Well-trained"

I think "well-trained" is affected by expectations.  

To me, "well-trained" means a dog can work with a totally blind person,
without sighted assistance, in a wide variety of situations and in areas the
handler is not familiar with.  If it can do that, it is trained well enough
to work with anyone.

I get the impression sometimes that some trainers expect that the handler
can see a bit, or will have sighted help available, or will not be going to
unfamiliar areas without a sighted person along.  Any or all of these things
may be true for some people, but by no means for all.  They certainly aren't
true for me.

One is an expectation that blind people lead limited, circumscribed lives,
and the other is that we go out and do what we want to do, when we want to
do it. JMO.

Tracy

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