(VICT) Training vs Working

  • From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:51:06 -0800

That is such an easy thing to fall into- doing the training per se on the 
run. A lot of this- the training on the run is what caused issues in my work 
with Met. Issues that many of them I had to back up and start all over at 
the beginning on some of it. It has been so different with Thane if you have 
seen the article in the IAADP newsletter on public access I wrote- some of 
what I wrote there can be put to use here.
In your case its much different because Mickey is already a trained hearing 
dog. You are in the position I am at now. Thane is a trained Guide dog and I 
have to take the time once better weather comes again to work on community 
hearing alert training and service dog tasks separate from the work we do in 
the community for errands.
What I did to train the guide skills Thane needed and maybe it will help- 
maybe not, I first would go to the park with Thane and run some pup energy 
off of him- Mickey is used to working now but it may help to run some energy 
off beforehand. Once he had the idea of walking in harness we were able to 
train on the streets instead of the park but my next step was always to put 
the harness on and walk a short walk with him working on the various things 
depending on which stage we were at. This kept the hustle and bustle that 
can lead to frustration out of the mix entirely. It gave us the chance to 
learn together just like we would be doing if we were in team training with 
a program.
By this point Thane pretty much already knew the common commands I use- 
right, left, forward, back, behind, find the curb, around, halt etc
These helped us work together with wheelchair and guide cane just to take 
walks earlier on so they were pretty clearly understood when we began to hit 
the road in harness.

Karyn and Thane 


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