(VICT) Re: happy new year and walking with Panda on ice
- From: Sheila Styron <sheilastyron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:20:44 -0600
Hello all, and happy new year!
Ann, I was wondering if Panda provides support for you if you slip on
the ice, or if you happened to lean on her if you slipped, would it
distress her? Can miniature horses get good traction on ice?
Sheila Styron, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
816-363-3172
sheilastyron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: vi-clicker-trainers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:vi-clicker-trainers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ann Edie
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 10:18 AM
To: vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: (VICT) Re: Clyde.
Hi, Ridge,
I always treat with the hand on the opposite side from where the animal
is
working. If you treat with the hand on the same side as the animal, he
will
naturally tend to look back at your hand going to your pocket or pouch,
and
tend to get out of position, especially for guide work. If you carry
your
treat pouch or use a pocket on your opposite (right) side, the dog will
tend
to stay forward to look across your body in anticipation of the coming
treat.
One thing you have to be careful of though. You have to be deliberate
about
not letting the dog come across your body and come to your hand to take
the
treat, but rather to present the treat just where you want the dog's
head to
be. This is what is really meant by treating for position.
All of my animals stop when they hear the click. This is fine. I just
click at a time and place where I want them to stop anyway. For
example, I
encourage or use praise words while I want a behavior to continue and
then
when we reach a curb and the guide stops, I can click and treat for the
entire chain of behavior which led to the curb stop. This has the added
benefit of keeping stopping at curbs on a really high rate of
reinforcement.
Of course, when I am first teaching a new behavior which is not yet
established and ready to be made part of a chain, I would c/t after just
that little behavior is complete, even if that means a lot of stops
during a
walk. It makes things clear to the trainee, and it keeps the mood
positive
and happy, which is what I want above all in my working partner. I
never
want her to feel that her work is something she has to do, or else...!
I
want her to feel that every time we work together is a great opportunity
to
show me what she knows and can do, and to get praise and treats of
appreciation and thanks.
Recently, we have had lots of snow, preceded by ice, and followed by
freezing rain and rain. All of this makes for some treacherous walking.
Panda has been so good about altering our regular routes, sometimes on
my
request, and sometimes on her own initiative, to go around places where
snow
is piled, or where there is ice under water, or where rain water has
frozen
into glassy ice; it has been a true joy to go out walking with her! And
I
never thought I would be saying that it is a joy to go out walking with
anyone on icey streets and sidewalks!
There is one place, for example, where there is a raised stretch of
sidewalk, or what would seem to be designed as a sidewalk, except that
the
local authorities seem to think it was put there as a depot for storing
snow
plowed off the street on one side and the parking lot on the other side.
Generally, Panda takes me across a wide parking lot entrance and to the
curb, and then up onto that stretch of sidewalk. But now that is
totally
impossible.
Her first solution to this puzzle was to offer going to the right of the
sidewalk, and walking along the street. But I decided to try going to
the
left instead, through the large parking lot. Unlike some dogs, Panda
did
not object to this departure from the routine, but said, "Sure, I can do
that!", and off we went. We did have to dodge a few cars in the parking
lot, including a couple of sightseers who deliberately dog us just to
get a
better look at the little horse. But we parallelled the sidewalk and at
the
end Panda brought me back to the downcurb in position to cross the next
parking lot entrance and go on our way.
I clicked for her ready response to my suggestion to try "left", and
then
c/t'd again when she stopped or changed course to avoid vehicles, (after
we
had safely passed them, of course.) I c/t'd again when she stopped at
the
next crossing.
Now, as the snow is still there, Panda automatically takes me to the
left of
the sidewalk after stopping as close to the curb as the mounds of snow
and
icey skirts permit.
I work with Panda on my left side, and my gloved left hand remains on
the
harness handle throughout. I wear a hunter's vest which has large
pockets
to keep treats in. I can wear this vest over my winter jacket. I leave
my
right hand ungloved, because I have never gotten the hang of retrieving
a
tiny treat from my pocket and delivering it with a glove on. The vest
allows me to keep my bbare hand in my jacket pocket--not the treat
pocket--between clicks, so that hand doesn't freeze. It is a lot easier
for
me to reach into the large vest pocket for the treat than it would be to
reach into a treat pouch or a pocket that was under my jacket. I find
the
vest really useful, as it goes on over whatever I am wearing, a T-shirt
in
summer, a heavy jacket in winter, or even a sweater or dress for more
dressy
occasions. (Okay, it does look a little strange over my "Sunday best".)
But I do have vests in several sizes and several colors to match my
outfit
and the season, larger ones for over winter layers and smaller ones for
summer wear. I get the vests at the Army-Navy Surplus Store, and they
have
become sort of the uniform of many horse clicker trainers, at least in
our
local area.
If you are using a cane in your right hand, this may make it awkward to
treat with that hand. But I guess you could hold the cane under your
arm
while you delivered the treat. My solution for the need to hold the
clicker
as well is to use a tongue click once your dog is clicker wise. That
eliminates one thing that you need to carry and juggle. Or you can
mount a
clicker on your harness handle if you can activate it with that hand.
But I
don't think you are using a harness with Clyde yet, right? Some people
also
fix a clicker to their leash, though.
Good luck, and have fun experimenting to see what works. I do think an
organized approach to training--having lesson plans, a list of the
behaviors
in order of teaching, and a journal of each day's training--is the best
way
to approach owner-training a service animal. Clyde sounds like a good
guy,
as far as temperament and trainability are concerned. So he sounds like
a
good candidate for investing the time and effort it will take to train
him.
It was truly sad about how Buckley was taken from you, sort of under
false
pretences. I'm glad that you now have another partner to work with, and
hope for the very best for the two of you.
Best of fortune in the New Year!
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ridge Euler" <ridge_e@xxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 9:22 AM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Clyde.
> hello Melinda,
> I always have a gentle leader on Clyde when we are out and about.....
> I
> never leave the house without one. we are getting better. if he
stops to
> sniff I say "come on" or "lets go" and with a little tug on the leash
( I
> use a 3 foot leash) he usually comes right away. I think the problem
is
> more me.... I don't know when he has to eliminate. so I think once we
get
> that down better in the mornings our walk will be better. I walked
him to
> the post office yesterday and that was better. not as much sniffing.
> when I try and treat him he stops and takes the treat. I guess it is
> click for movement treat for position. because he wont take a treat
while
> moving.
>
> does anyone have any suggestions about how to treat across your body??
> I
> have been working Clyde on my left which is the first time I have
tried
> this. I cant treat with my left hand because I am missing fingers and
a
> thumb on that hand I have to treat from my right....... this takes
longer
> to deliver the treat. also I am having trouble getting him to target
my
> hand. anyone know anything else I should be doing??
>
> Ridge and Clyde
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Melinda Rauch<mailto:mrauch@xxxxxxxxx>
> To:
>
vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxx
rg>
> Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 6:28 PM
> Subject: (VICT) Clyde.
>
>
> Hi Ridge,
>
> Melinda and Smokey, My Mellow Fellow here,
>
> Ridge, I'm so glad that Clyde is doing so well. I don't have any
> real training advice for you, but wanted to say that it sounds like
> the two of you are doing well, and that's so great. Keep up the good
> work.
>
> Actually, now that I think of it, smiles, I do have one bit of
> advice.
> You
> say that he sniffs at times. Have you ever considered using a head
> collar,
> like a Gentle Leader with him? I've heard that it can really help
the
> sniffing problem because you can keep better control of his
nose/head.
> Just a thought.
>
> Take care, and be safe out there!
>
> Your friends always,
>
>
> Melinda and Smokey My Mellow Fellow and April, now our angel dog.
> mrauch@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:mrauch@xxxxxxxxx>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.11/1201 - Release Date:
> 12/28/07 11:51 AM
>
>
>
>
>
Other related posts:
- » (VICT) Re: happy new year and walking with Panda on ice
