[nagdu] Doggie distraction... success?

[Julie J]

Raven,

I think it will continue to get better.  Monty was a total nut around other dogs when he was younger.  I'm talking about horrid whining and warbling, jumping up and down, pulling like mad.  I used to walk up into the grass in people's yards to get him off the sidewalk so the other dog could pass.  It would be all I could do to just hand on to the leash so he didn't break loose.  Any hope of training went out the window on these ocassions.  I would work on when I could, but sometimes people walk their dogs and you can't plan for it.

So fast forward six years and now Monty can walk past loose dogs barking inches from his face.  Of course I don't go out of my way to test him, that seems mean, but it is so refreshing to know I'm not going to have to plan elaborate detours if there's a dog.
This is what keeps me going with Jetta.  Her dog distraction is not near what Monty's was, but it is still something we work on.  She loads better in only these first few weeks.

Julie
 

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 3, 2014, at 4:23 PM, Danielle Sykora via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 10/3/14, Raven Tolliver via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> The Golden guy has a moderate to strong dog distraction. Compared to 2
>> years ago, we both have improved tremendously about handling this.
>> Most days, the Golden Guy will pull toward or look back at other dogs.
>> For the looking, I just snap my fingers rhythmically to keep him
>> focused, and it works. When he's pulling, I do restrain him just with
>> the harness and drag him in the right direction.
>> The days are increasing though where we'll pass dogs, some of them
>> being vocal and pulling toward him, and he will walk by them without
>> even speeding up as I have taught him to do to get passed the
>> distraction faster. On those days, I praise the hell out of him. It's
>> just such an improvement. I don't think this distraction will ever go
>> away, but every small success means a lot to me, and I let him know
>> it.
>> Daryl, it's good that even in the presence of the distraction, and
>> even when trying to go for it, Jenny will listen. That is a wonderful
>> thing. I've pretty much lost the Golden Guy when he starts pulling and
>> trying to get at a dog, which is why I have to drag him away. I hate
>> doing it--it just goes against my force-free philosophy. But I haven't
>> found a work around yet.
>> 
>>> On 10/2/14, L Gwizdak via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hi folks,
>>> I've been a longtime guide dog user since 1973.  I have pretty much seen
>>> everything in guide dogs and their handlers.
>>> 
>>> When I want to let my dogs do something, I ask myself, "How will this
>>> impact
>>> 
>>> my dog's work in harness?"  Sometimes behaviors can spill over into work
>>> in
>>> 
>>> harness.  An example would be say, I want to let my dog play with dogs
>>> alot
>>> 
>>> and I let my dog do that.  It could be possible that I may find I have an
>>> increased problem in dog distraction while working.  If I find that my
>>> dog
>>> cannot handle certain freedoms, well then I'll have to curtail things
>>> either