(VICT) Re: Block vs. Back-up, was: Re: Pulling or not pulling
- From: "Mona Ramouni" <mramouni@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:56:18 -0500
Ann,
As always, you did a magnificent job at explaining things. As a matter of
fact, I'm keeping this email for future reference. Even after Cali comes to
me for good, there will be so much I will have to learn, and your advice to
me and others is so treasured.
Just out of curiosity, how does Panda handle snow? Does she try to avoid it?
Does it bother her? Does she take you around as much of it as possible? I'm
just wondering because we've got plenty of snow here, and one of my problems
is finding a path through it in order to get to my destination. When the
snow is thick, it's sometimes hard to find where the sidewalk ends and the
grass starts. How do you go about it?
Again, thanks for all the sage explanations, and take care.
Mona
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 3:54 PM
Subject: (VICT) Block vs. Back-up, was: Re: Pulling or not pulling
> Hi, Christy,
>
> In guide work, the different behaviors of the dog are used in different
> situations. One behavior may be more suited to a particular situation
> than
> another behavior is. And the different behaviors of the dog also give
> cues
> to the handler about just what environmental elements the guide is
> responding to. This gives the handler more information about the
> situation,
> and helps the handler to better direct the guide as to what to do next.
>
> So, for example, I teach my guide to stop at downcurbs (single step down)
> without stepping off the curb. If there is a curb cut or a blended curb,
> she stops at the place where the pavement changes from sidewalk to street.
> At the upcurbs, she pauses with her front feet up on the curb or with her
> front feet on the cement sidewalk, if it is a blended curb. (Then I
> usually
> have her go forward a few steps so that we are completely out of the
> street
> before I click and treat.) If there is a single step, such as in front of
> a
> door or up to a sidewalk from a parking lot, she will sometimes tap with a
> front hoof on the curb to let me know it's there.
>
> If we are approaching a flight of stairs from the bottom, she stops with
> her
> front feet on the first step, and she waits for a "forward" cue before
> continuing up the steps. If we are approaching a flight of stairs from
> the
> top, she will stop at the top of the stairs, without taking a step down.
> When cued to go forward, she will step down with her front feet and stop
> again. This tells me that it is a flight of stairs, and not just one
> step.
> She waits for another "forward" signal before proceeding down the flight
> of
> steps.
>
> We use the block across the front of the handler for dangerous situations
> where I need her to make it very clear to me that it would be unsafe to
> step
> forward, such as if we are walking up to the edge of a train or subway
> platform, or toward the edge of a loading dock or the edge of a swimming
> pool, or if there is an open manhole or other hole or broken up pavement
> in
> our path during construction projects, or in the case of an overhead
> obstacle like pieces of wood protruding from the back of a pick-up truck
> or
> apartially-closed overhead door. Panda will also "firm up" if I am asking
> her to move over to the left when we are walking along the edge of a
> sidewalkless street to let me know that there is a good reason why she is
> not moving over further to the left, like a storm drain, an icey patch, or
> a
> pile of brush at the curb.
>
> In thinking about the difference between the block and the back-up, I
> realized that the block across the front is used with stationary obstacles
> which would present a danger only if I were to take steps forward,
> disobeying the cardinal rule of guide work, "Follow your guide!" or "Don't
> step out in front of your guide!" The back-up, in contrast, is only used
> where a moving object, like a vehicle, is coming toward our path, and we
> need to back up fast to get out of its way . The back up is an emergency
> move, used when there is not enough time for the guide to block and push
> me
> back, or when doing this would actually put her, and possibly me, in the
> path of the vehicle. If I am following my guide correctly, and I am in
> the
> proper working position and my hand is on the harness handle correctly,
> then
> I will respond immediately to her reversal of direction and will move back
> smoothly with her.
>
> As always, this is just how my guide and I work. Different teams and
> different training programs have different conventions, and the language
> of
> the communication system between guide and handler evolves as the
> relationship grows. I think it's important for us to know the many
> variations in training and cues used by guide teams, so that we can be
> more
> aware of the various working situations we might encounter and of the
> options available to us for clearer communication with our guides.
>
> I hope this description has been clear enough and that it might prove
> helpful to you in your training process.
>
> Best,
> Ann
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <care4k9@xxxxxxx>
> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 12:58 AM
> Subject: (VICT) Re: Pulling or not pulling
>
>
>> Ann,
>>
>> Thanks for going into greater detail about the handle holding and
>> what happens if the dog backs up. I never even thought that a dog would
>> back up as I have been teaching Mickey more to lean into me or cross me
>> when something comes up.
>>
>> So this would be my questions to you folks, what is better to
>> teach, like say a curb, a dog to stop, put their front paws on the curb
>> or
>> steps and stop, cross in front of you etc.
>>
>> This is why awhile back I wanted to work with a guide dog
>> instructor, but that jsut all fell through and I"m on my own. I need to
>> be
>> told to try holding your hand this way, teach your dog to back up, not
>> cross in front of you this way etc. etc. Poor Mickey, he's going to have
>> rules changed on him while mom figures this all out!
>>
>> Christy Hill
>> A'Mickey
>> ***************
>> http://home.att.net/~care4k9
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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