(VICT) Re: questions from a friend about her guide dog
- From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:55:29 -0800
This is something I have dealt with in Thane. I had it to an extent in Met
when he was younger too. With Thane it is not just about going home but
about each place I tell him we are going. His primary issue however had to
do with not getting enough practice when the weather changed.
I do a few different things with Thane when it arises now which is not too
often any more.
1) I have something that I call *square* it is where I reverse our direction
for about two sidewalk portions and walk a small square. Often times this
ends the hard pull and we are off.
2) is the same as what Sandy already recommended
3) is a word we began using. It is *self-correct* meaning correct yourself.
This is what I do most of the time now- just a simple phrase that lets him
know I need him to ease up so I don't lose my grip. In the beginning I lost
my grip at times and as a result he would literally be correcting himself by
the pull on the lead. I hated that happening as I wanted my dog clicker
trained not yank trained Grin. So I began to use that term for this. Maybe
it had a bad start but its terminology prevents me from losing my grip and
thus prevents the pull on the lead before he can stop for me to get the
handle again. I use this on occasion still if we have not been out a lot. I
also find he is more apt to pull if he has not got enough work in. He works
so much more smoothly on days when he has helped me go to town for errands.
Keep in mind the third option happened in earlier training that he would
correct himself like that. I worked hard to come up with a way to prevent
that since my poor grip was not really a preventable problem.
It was more like months before we made a real consistent impact on this, but
with an already trained guide who just needs the rules redefined, it may go
more quickly with consistancy.
Karyn and Thane
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