[nagdu] Wanting to Chase all moving animals, especially small ones...

[Lisa belville]

Hi, Hannah.

Were you able to get in touch verbally with a Pilot trainer?  It sounds like 
some follow up might be helpful.

These aren't necessarily deal breakers, in fact most of us have had some of 
these issues with our dogs.  But having a trainer who knows the school's 
training techniques goes a long way toward building your confidence as a 
team.

Lisa


1st Law of Procrastination: that which can be done will be done . . . 
TOMORROW!!
Lisa Belville
missktlab1217 at frontier.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hannah Chadwick" <sparklylicious at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 10:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Wanting to Chase all moving animals,especially small 
ones...


> Julie,
> Thank you. I do have a few friends who are guide dog users, and I've 
> spoken
> with them. However, they haven't had all these things pop up that I've 
> had.
> Juanita, it sounds like your dog listens well. I usually have to do some
> serious corrections or just drag Princess away from the distraction. I 
> don't
> like doing this, but it seems that I have to or she won't budge.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 8:08 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Wanting to Chase all moving animals, especially small
> ones...
>
> Hannah,
>
> I think the struggles you are having with Princess stem from a discrepancy
> between what you expected and what you got.  It could be that what you
> expect is absolutely within normal parameters for a guide dog and Princess
> isn't trained to that standard.  Or it could be that what you are 
> expecting
> is not attainable or not at this point in the partnership.  Either way, 
> it's
> clear that you are not happy with her level of guiding.
>
> If it helps I think everyone had ideas of what a guide dog would be like
> before they actually got one;  marvelous, ease of travel, less getting 
> lost,
> safer, faster etc.  I'd also bet that most of us had some surprises in the
> first year.  I know for me I seriously underestimated how much the dog 
> would
> think on his own.  that sounds silly.  It's true though.  I never
> anticipated all the give and take that would be involved.  I never thought
> I'd stand on the corner and have discussions with the dog about which
> direction we'd be going.  I thought I'd say left and the dog would go 
> left.
> While that's generally true, there are a million exceptions to why it 
> isn't
> exactly true.
>
> Do you have friends with guide dogs in your area?  It might be helpful to
> visit with some people in person and see how they work with their guides.
> Email isn't always the best means of communication.  We do tend to talk
> about the more positive aspects of having a guide, although I have noticed 
> a
> trend in the past few years to be a lot more honest about the less 
> pleasant
> bits.
>
> I guarantee you that each and every guide dog handler has had their share 
> of
> struggles, especially in that first year or so.  Monty, bless his heart, 
> was
> a distracted horror for the longest time.  In the very beginning when I 
> was
> still training him, he used to bounce up and down when he saw another dog.
> I mean literally bounce up and down like TTigger. He used to pick up all
> sorts of crap off the sidewalk, trash, sticks, bugs, a snake once...oh and
> the dead bird.  I remember walking round and round at the park with him so
> we could come to an understanding about the squirrels.  Now he's pretty 
> good
> about the squirrels, rabbits and cats, but if one gets within two or three
> feet of
> us, he will make a lunge for it.   They usually don't get that close, so
> it's a compromise I'm willing to live with.   He doesn't pick up stuff
> anymore and he's 99% better about other dogs.  It took work to get there.
>
> My experience is different though because I owner train.  I expect nothing
> in the beginning.  You were expecting a fully trained and trustworthy 
> guide
> and you didn't get that.  I think the question now is, what are you 
> willing
> to do? There are lots of options and people have made many suggestions. I
> hope you find the path that is right for you.
>
> all my best,
> Julie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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