(VICT) Re: Serious issue with Gretch
- From: "dmgina" <dmgina@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:03:22 -0600
If you have someone who can go out with you, have them cross the street, and
then ask her to go find who ever it is.
By the persons name.
Then keep doing the crossing, until you know she has it.
If she shows stress, then see if you can heal her across praising all the
way.
If she shows fear again, then I would start to wonder about how safe you are
with her as your guide.
--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every Saint has a past
Every Sinner has a future
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sheila Styron" <sheilastyron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:26 PM
Subject: (VICT) Serious issue with Gretch
> Hello, all
> I have a program trained dog who is a real softie. Her name is Gretch,
> and she was three in April and became my partner a little before she was
> two. I request dogs who require much more encouragement than correction,
> because I had enough of that in my youth. While still in class, I
> remember one of my instructors saying that she would never have had the
> patience to work with a dog like Gretch. The reason why I do is because
> I like a dog whose leash you can drop and be sure they will stay put. I
> also like a dog who comes when called and who you can trust to be
> looking out for your best interests not the next adventure. Gretch is
> the third dog I have worked who fits this general description, and I
> have watched all these girls start out not at all sure if they could be
> or even wanted to be guides and blossom in to the most agreeable and
> dependable ones. I love all dogs, but this formula has worked out well
> in the past for me. Well, Gretch had some melt downs during the first
> 3/4 months of our partnership, but until today, she has been steadily
> improving in confidence, while of course still remaining a very good
> girl around the house, off leash, etc. Then today, she had a total melt
> down. It was hot, humid and windy, and I remember another melt down day
> when there was a lot of hot wind during our tentative early times
> together. Whether out of fear or resistance, Gretch absolutely did not
> want to guide me across busy streets with which we were totally familiar
> and where she hasn't balked or had any serious problems since the early
> days. Last year, when she was uncertain she wanted to be a guide dog,
> she developed a serious bowing to the left tendency that I got under
> control for the most part. Today, she planted her feet refusing to cross
> these streets, and then when I compelled her to cross after all else had
> failed with a mild to medium leash correction, she bowed strenuously out
> in to traffic, which I believe to be an effort to get away from the
> handler and the stress of the situation. Here I was out without a cane,
> carrying a 20 pound bag of potting soil with a dog who did not want to
> work. My happiest voice meant nothing to Gretch, and she wasn't at all
> interested in her clicker or her treats. So I corrected her forward with
> the leash at these corners, as nothing else was working. The medium to
> light correction got her moving out, but as I have already mentioned,
> she bowed in terror, but still managing to end up on the right corner. I
> didn't want to correct her, but I was desperate! I have already
> mentioned the heat and the wind, and here are two other things that
> scared her and probably can be factored in to the reasons for Gretch's
> meltdown. In July, the tip of her tail was nicked by a bathroom door
> that closed behind us on our way out, and I have noticed Gretch shying
> from doors we have passed through ever since. I am not a clumsy person
> and have been extremely careful and ultra aware around doors since the
> July incident, but she has still not become desensitized to them. Then,
> the clincher, almost two weeks ago, we were nearly backed in to by a
> delivery truck in our very own driveway the driver of which didn't see
> us coming up behind him. The truck was idling so quietly , that I didn't
> hear it myself until we were almost upon it. I vaguely remember Gretch
> being cautious, but I wasn't thinking about too much walking up my long
> driveway except what I was going to scarf down for lunch after working
> out. We came up behind the truck, and I let go of the harness to get the
> gate. This huge truck was so close I put my left hand on the back
> corner, and unbelievably, I felt it slowly start to back up. I yelled at
> the driver, and Gretch jumped out of the way. I was alongside and there
> was enough room between the truck and the wall that we were okay. The
> guy jumped out, admitting he hadn't seen us and inquiring if we were all
> right. I apologized for yelling and told him we were fine but that this
> experience had of course been pretty scary. As I opened the gate to let
> Gretch in, she was extremely skittish moving through, but because this
> happened in my driveway, I didn't think much more about it. In all the
> routes we've taken since, I can only now think of one street crossing
> where Gretch did something that was a little suspicious until today.
> Today was the first time we have traveled through this particular busy
> intersection since the truck incident in our driveway, and we had to go
> through this intersection four times, twice this morning and twice this
> evening. Last year when Gretch was a brand new baby guide dog, I tried
> all sorts of training and positioning techniques suggested by guide dog
> instructors as well as other experienced handlers to get Gretch to stop
> the bowing behavior which is a common tendency among some dogs lacking
> in confidence. What finally worked was to jolly her along and just make
> it all more fun. But today, she exhibited absolute terror in my opinion,
> and I feel that our situation is much more serious than it was then. I
> didn't get school follow up last year, because I felt I could handle it
> on my own, and fortunately, Gretch and I lucked out. I am going to
> request follow up this time around and quickly. I was really proud of
> myself today in one sense, because even though Poor Gretch did a
> terribly unsafe job getting me across busy streets, I didn't fall apart
> and managed to praise her sincerely nonetheless. Any of your thoughts on
> handling our situation with positive training techniques would be most
> welcome.
>
>
> Sheila Styron, President
> Guide Dog Users, Inc.
> 816-363-3172
> sheilastyron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
>
>
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