[nagdu] Two weeks with Taylor - Update

Mon Oct 13 17:05:11 UTC 2014

Lisa,

You’ve got the right idea. If what you’re doing is working, there’s no reason to up the correction level. Often, just a stop and wait a second really helps a lot. Really, you’re doing very well. The important thing, and you’ve really internalized this it seems to me, is knowing your dog. That takes time, but you’re certainly well on your way. 

BTW, now that you’ve got your permanent harness, can you describe it? I’ve heard from a shop that sells harnesses in Germany tells me that it’s required in Germany that the harness be white in color. 

— 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194 
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name

> On Oct 13, 2014, at 12:32 PM, Lisa via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hey Nicole,
> 
> yes, when Taylor finds this particular gate, I praise him and he is so happy about that everytime.
> Hm, I'm not exactly sure what correction and redirection practically mean... When I notice that he is getting distracted but is still kind of concentrated, I tell him "Forward" and then he's back to his task most of the time. But when he's really distracted and pulling and going elsewhere, I often stop for a moment to get myself orientated and him focused again and then I show him our direction and start walking again. Leash corrections have been shown to me but I try to avoid them so far because I figured that my other corrections are working fine as well.
> 
> take care
> Lisa
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicole Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: "'Lisa'" <dreamymarmot93 at yahoo.de>; "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 9:32 PM
> Subject: RE: [nagdu] Two weeks with Taylor - Update
> 
> 
>> Lisa,
>> 
>> Glad that things are going well. Luckily, Lexia does not destroy
>> things that are not toys, but she definitely  does a number on those ropes,
>> which, for some silly reason, she likes more than the other toys. I am glad
>> to hear that he likes to work. When he gets distraction, do you use
>> corrections, redirection, or some combination of both? When he finds the
>> gate, do you praise him?
>> 
>> Nicole and Lexia who will destroy certain toys
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lisa via nagdu
>> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 10:42 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] Two weeks with Taylor - Update
>> 
>> Hello everyone!
>> 
>> Now it's been two weeks since Taylor and I graduated from guide dog
>> training.
>> Those two weeks have been both exhausting and incredibly fun.
>> By now, we have destroyed one toy (a rope with two knots that now consists
>> of a thousand single strings), figured that this dog tries to chew on
>> EVERYTHING that he can find, including our wardrobe, soap, plastic bags,
>> shoes, paper, bottles just to name a few items. But I got him some obviously
>> delicious chew bones of cowhide and his behaviour inside the apartment is
>> getting better literally day by day.
>> His guiding is flawless as it has been during training and it is so great to
>> work him. When I take the harness, he is so excited and happy. And other
>> dogs, children and most of the other things you face outside don't distract
>> him. Only when people start looking at him too fascinated or dare to say
>> something, he starts pulling like crazy. But I was able to correct him and
>> get him focused again anytime so far.
>> 
>> The last few days, we've been working on finding a certain entrance. There's
>> a building I have to go to quite often and when I was still using my cane, I
>> could find it easily. But now that the dog is on my left side, I cannot look
>> at the different stones there anymore. So I wanted to show Taylor the right
>> gate and then make him remember it. I now have a command for this gate and I
>> was so astonished how incredibly fast he learned it. We went there several
>> times now just to practice it and by now, he guides me to the gate
>> everytime. I'm so proud of him.
>> 
>> Furthermore, the school made him sleep in his crate in a seperate room with
>> the door closed during the night. I thought it was quite reasonable during
>> training, so we all would get some proper sleep. But now since training is
>> over, I had the wish to have him around me during the night as I have during
>> daytime. So one evening, I didn't tell him to go in his room. At first, he
>> was totally confused and started running around and playing in the bed room.
>> When he was still up at 1 AM and started eating the carpet, I decided to
>> give him one more night on his own. ;-) But since the evening after this, he
>> has been sleeping on his blanket in our bed room so quietly and peacefully.
>> This is just awesome. So we are much closer and he is much more involved in
>> our everyday life.
>> 
>> Okay, I think this is enough for now. Let me say once again that I'm really
>> happy to be here on the list because I already learnt a lot from your
>> e-mails!
>> 
>> take care and greetings from Germany
>> Lisa
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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