[nagdu] Wild GDB rumor?

[Tracy Carcione]

Whew!  Thanks Kelby.  It sounded too weird to be really true.
Tracy


> I just graduated from GDB.  We are not trained to walk ahead of
> the dog if a path is narrow, but we may slow down depending on
> the location.  I will occasionally give my dog leash cues around
> an obstacle if he is unsure, but only if I have a good idea of
> where I am and what the obstacle is.  I am totally blind and I
> would certainly not say GDB's dogs are trained to work with enly
> partially blind clients.  (I know for a fact the trainer's use
> blindfolds when they are with the dog most of the time.)
>
> Kelby
>
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 08:12:20 -0400
> Subject: [nagdu] Wild GDB rumor?
>
> The other day, a friend shared with me the things she heard about
> at the
> ACB convention.  One thing that shocked us both was that GDB is
> teaching
> people, when there is a narrow path, to step *ahead* of the dog!
> Say
> what!!!  I've done that, and lived to tell the tale and learn
> from my
> mistake, but it's a darned good way to get hurt or killed.  Is
> this just a
> wild rumor, or is it an example of trainers being out of touch
> with
> reality?  Or has GDB become Guide Dogs for the High Partials?
> Well, high
> partials who never go out at night, because it would be too
> dangerous and
> scary.
> Surely this isn't actually what GDB is teaching?
> Another thing my friend heard is that, if the dog is unsure of
> how to go
> around an obstacle, the person is supposed to direct the dog
> using the
> leash--give a leash cue.  Great, if you can tell where to go.
> Me, I
> usually can't, being, you know, blind!
>
> Anyhow, any recent GDB graduate want to confirm or deny this
> rumor?
>
> I have been pondering a new theory:  guide dogs used to be
> trained as if
> their partners would be totally blind, and now they're being
> trained as if
> their partners will have some usable vision.  I've occasionally
> thought
> that Ben might have done better sooner if he had a person who
> could tell
> faster when he was getting ready to cop a sniff, for instance.
> And our
> trainer seemed to think I should know when bushes were coming up,
> though
> just how I would know that beats me.  But then, how do these
> guide dogs
> for the visually impaired pass the blindfold test?  So maybe my
> theory is
> full of holes, but it doesn't seem like training is as rigorous
> as it used
> to be, if one can believe books.
> Tracy
>
>
>
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