(VICT) Re: stairs and curbs
- From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:13:15 -0400
Hi, Julie,
Most of our curbs around here are ramped, blended, or completely flat. But
I still want to know where the border is between the street and the
sidewalk/shoulder. So I have Panda stop before the "downcurb"--(and c/t).
But I don't want to stop or pause in the street before the "upcurb", so I
have her go up onto the sidewalk with all four feet before stopping, so that
both of us are out of the street, in case a car comes around the corner fast
either entering or exiting the street we have just crossed. Using C/t, it
is easy to train the dog to stop just after exiting the street, even though
there is no "landmark" there to tell the dog exactly where to stop.
In the unlikely event that there is actually a curb step there instead of a
ramp or flat transition, Panda will pause briefly before stepping up. Since
I am walking at her hip, I am about a step and a half behind her front feet,
so I can feel the height of the step she takes up, and match my step to
hers.
For a single up step, not associated with street crossings, Panda stops
before putting her feet on the step and taps the step with her hoof--which
was her own "invention", but which I think is a great piece of auditory
information to have. When I give her the cue, she then goes forward up the
step and continues walking. If it is a flight of steps or several steps,
rather than just one step, then she will put her two feet up on the first
step and wait for the cue to go forward up the rest of the steps. For one
step down, Panda will stop before the step and wait for the cue to go
forward. For several steps down, she will stop before the first step, wait
for the forward cue, then put both front feet on the first step down and
stop again and wait for the cue to go down the rest of the steps.
I have found this latter procedure, which distinguishes between a single
step and a group or flight of steps, very useful, especially where stairs
are found in unexpected places, such as along pathways on college campuses,
or inside buildings along corridors or in open lobbies, where there could be
just one step or any number of steps. I like to know ahead of time, so that
I can prepare myself for the different balance and position they each
require. I have adopted this variation which I first encountered with my
two Fidelco-trained dogs.
I guess I don't worry about the extra second or two that it might take to
stop or pause at the steps, other than where we are in the street, because
we move along briskly on the flat and make up any time we may lose pausing
for curbs or steps or for c/t's.
Do you have your new dog yet, Julie? Or have you received any information
about the possible dog matches that you might be getting?
Best,
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie J." <jlcrane@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 11:39 AM
Subject: (VICT) stairs and curbs
>I am working on a training plan for my new dog and trying to iron out some
>details of exactly how I want to work this dog. So here's my question...
> How do you prefer to approach stairs and upcurbs?
>
> the options that I have come up with
> *complete stop before step, find with foot, continue
> *complete stop with dog's front feet on step, find faster with foot,
> continue
> *pause before step, expect step, step up without finding with foot
>
> If you have used more than one of these methods or something completely
> different, I would love to hear about it.
>
> I originally taught a complete stop, but then found it too time consuming
> so I then taught the pause method. That's faster, but isn't as accurate.
>
> Ideas? Thoughts?
> Julie
> http://www.livingblind.com/eml
> Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter
> and those who matter don't mind.
>
> Dr. Seuss
>
>
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