[nagdu] being reported to your school and thoughts on posative training methods

[Meghan Whalen]

I entirely agree with you.  I am so glad that I have immediate ownership of 
my dog upon graduation.  I'm also glad that the school she is from will 
contact local athorities to investigate if they think there is abuse.

Thankfully, I haven't yet been reported, but I'm sure I'll only be lucky for 
so long.

I must say though, that it is very very refreshing to see schools 
introducing clicker training in their programs, and I hope they continue to 
further adopt the practices around clicker.  When used correctly, it is such 
a wonderful tule.  It also looks much better to the public to see fewer 
leash corrections.  The simple truth is that you have to look hard to find 
training classes for pet dogs at this point that will encourage leash 
corrections.  All of the classes I have found myself in with my own pet dogs 
have been centered on posative reinforcement.  It is high time schools start 
treating dogs the way the rest of the world finds it ethical to treat dogs.

I have been instructed to use clicker to shape a solid recall with Dayton, 
to teach him to get into his training vest, to help teach him food refusal, 
and I must say, the things he has learned with the aid of clicker, he is 
more excited to do.  He will more than willingly lay down or sit when I tell 
him to, but he loves to come, to heal and to put his vest on, because these 
are things which have involved clicker.  He adores praise, so he's just as 
happy to come to me for a nice scratch behind the ears and under the chin.

Anyways, I've gotten way off topic here.  I am very interested in the 
opinions of others on food rewards, clicker training and the rest of it.  I 
know a lot of people don't like the use of food rewards in guide work, and I 
know old habits are hard to break, but there has to be a way to at least 
lessen the need for correction.  Maybe more intensive training needs to be 
taken on by puppy raisers with food refusal, dog distractions and the rest 
of it.  Dayton is already learning food refusal, and I think that such an 
early and entensive training process will benifit him in the long run.  He 
is learning that ignoring the food is not simply something that should be 
done or he will receive a correction, he is learning that ignoring the food 
is a posative thing.  He is ignoring the food because he has posative 
associations with ignoring it, not because he doesn't want to be slammed 
with a correction.

Okay, I'm really done rambling now.

Meghan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] being reported to your school


> As an owner trainer I am always fascinated by the phenomena of being 
> reported or reporting to the schools various perceived indiscretions of 
> guide dog use and abuse.  Certainly I agree that there are horrible cases 
> of abuse out there, but what I hear about 99% of the time are cases that 
> involve lack of facts, lack of knowledge of guide dogs, revenge or just 
> plain medaling.
>
> I honestly do not understand the whole concept of reports to the school. 
> Why is that people will report to the school but rarely to local police or 
> animal enforcement agencies?  Why is it that people will rarely just go 
> directly to the blind guide dog handler and ask what's going on?
>
> I truly believe that if we want change to occur at the guide dog programs 
> it has to begin with us.  I think calling the programs and making reports, 
> even legitimate ones, perpetuates the programs custodial attitudes.  Why 
> not instead work with local law enforcement to address the situation?  Why 
> not instead directly confront the person about their behavior with their 
> guide dog?  Instead of offering judgment why not try some attempt at 
> understanding?
>
> If I am missing something obvious here, please tell me.  I really would 
> like to understand this.
>
> Julie
>
>
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