(VICT) Resuming work after a break; was: Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
- From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:26:26 -0400
Hi, Tami,
I'm happy to hear you mention that clicker trained animals do not lose their
working condition as traditionally trained animals do when there is a time
gap in their active work. This is definitely true of Panda. But because
she is of a different species, I have not been sure whether this is due to
the fact that she is a horse or to the fact that she is clicker trained.
Horses have been found to remember 95% of what they learned over a period of
2 years, or something like that, so I wasn't sure that clicker training
would have the same effect on the working ability of dogs as well.
But it makes sense, of course, that if learned tasks are associated with
positive consequences and pleasant memories, that the animal would be eager
to resume those behaviors when given the opportunity to do so, even after a
break, and that the added motivation would increase the animals consistency
and reliability.
The main effect that I see when we resume working after a break is that
Panda is even more eager to get out and work than usual, and she may kick up
her heels a bit with enthusiasm in the first block or two that we walk. It
is never a dangerous situation, and in fact,I always find it kind of
charming that she is showing such joy in her work.
I'm sorry that you have been having a hard time with your health issues, and
I'm glad that things are coming around for you now. Hope the situation
continues to improve, and you have smooth sailing from here on.
All the best to you and Mitzie,
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:36 AM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
> Ann,
>
> I second that! Many c/t's to both of you, Karyn and Thane! Your tales of
> adventure are also fun to read. I love the way you write about it all.
>
> Ann, I also really enjoyed your earlier post about the benefits of
> positive
> training and how you've seen the difference between Panda and your
> previous,
> traditionally trained guide dogs.
>
> I want to add another benefit, which I've theorized and have thankfully
> found to be true: If for some reason you're not able to get in those
> daily
> "meaningful routes," a positively trained dog does not lose her training!
> Now that I'm getting back to more regular work for her, I find that the
> only
> issues we've needed to re-address are with sniffing and distractibility.
> It
> took one short session on safe routes for her to recall her
> self-discipline
> and another on a longer, less familiar route to get her back into working
> mode.
>
> Then she got another UTI (yikes!) and picked up a limp... Ah, well. I'm
> focusing now on getting my own health improved and stable now that the
> consistency of treatment is under my control, and I'm still in a period of
> ups and downs while my overall improvement is starting to build up speed.
> So easy leash walks are still more my speed. At least I know all the
> disruption I've had to put us both through to be able to get myself back
> to
> remission won't permanently ruin my promising young dog. Whew!
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vi-clicker-trainers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:vi-clicker-trainers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ann Edie
> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 1:28 AM
> To: vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: (VICT) Re: Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
>
> Boy, Karyn, you and Thane are doing so wonderfully! Congratulations!
>
> You are being so organized and doing everything in such a nice
> chunked-down
> way! What a great example of what good training should look like!
>
> And I note that you are producing a wonderfully reliable and steady
> working
> guide and service dog entirely with positive methods, without stressing
> the
> dog with corrections or "proofing" as some claim is necessary.
>
> This is above and beyond the inspiration you provide to the rest of us
> with
> your can-do attitude toward your many disabilities and challenges! To say
> I'm impressed would be an understatement. I'm wowed!
>
> Great Job! Clicks and rewards for both you and Thane!
>
> Best,
> Ann
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 5:48 PM
> Subject: (VICT) Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
>
>
>> Thane and I have had a very busy summer, but not over-busy. From learning
>> to
>> ride the bus, to learning to ride Max (light rail), to building up to
>> riding
>> longer distances- not just for Thane but also myself. Its been quite an
>> adventurous time.
>> Since the addition of Thane in my life, I have had a significant
>> reduction
>> in stress which had impacted my health. As great as the journey was with
>> Met, I did not realize until months after his passing how much my own
>> well
>> being had been impacted.
>> I am for sure not the person of yesterday. I have a newfound joy to get
>> out
>> and do with my new sidekick, but with many great lessons from Met to take
>> me
>> on my way. I remember when I was adventurous and care free with Met as
>> well.
>> Its a really neat side, but I also have to use my head and work on
>> building
>> up to things. For the most part I have done well doing my prepatory phase
>> which has made our adventures quite exhilarating. Thane actually works
>> better in new surroundings than in our own boring neck of the woods. This
>> is
>> not to say that he does not work well here- as he does. There is just
>> that
>> extra spunkiness I can feel in him as we move along in a new place.
>> I have had a goal to be able to travel into Portland without paratransit
>> so
>> I can take Thane to a holistic vet I used with Met. I'd like to get some
>> information on improving his gut early in life here along with dietary
>> feedback from her. I wanted to avoid paratransit if possible because when
>> I
>> went with Met, it took 3 1/2 hours of us riding around in the vehicle
>> before
>> we were finally let off. I was in horrible pain and my MCS took a
>> horrendous
>> toll- not to mention Met laying on that hard floor for 3 1/2 hours. I
>> just
>> could not see doing that with Thane.
>> After slowly working up distance and just ease of working the system on
>> Max
>> for both of us (I have to count the stops since I am deafblind),
>> yesterday
>> (an overcast day of all times), we headed off to Portland. The max went
>> great until we hit the first small tunnel- it unnerved me a bit making me
>> wonder what was to come. Then came the big tunnel. It had to be noisy as
>> I
>> was hearing sound at first before my ears plugged up. Thane was a bit
>> unsettled with the new experience but stayed laying down. I had not even
>> considered the possibility of a tunnel nor that my ears would build up
>> pressure that they could not release for hours (why I quit flying so much
>> even before my MCS) Once we got off in Portland I felt like I was in San
>> Francisco! I had accidentally brought the wrong guide handle and was
>> having
>> quite a bit of difficulty so we took some time walking around the open
>> square back and forth right and left until someone came to be sure I was
>> not
>> lost. Smile I finally thought I had things figured out how I could hold
>> it
>> and keep in sinc with Thane without impeding his movement. I'm seriously
>> contemplating an American Design harness for us as I think my arm would
>> be
>> able to stabilize the handle more easily with my limited strength.
>> Anyway we started walking around the blocks. It was literally culture
>> shock!
>> Portland is so different than even the main city we regularly travel to.
>> The
>> sidewalks are narrower for the most part. Curbcuts seemed to be
>> after-thoughts in most situations and only one per curb no matter how
>> many
>> directions one could travel. There was tons of sidewalk construction with
>> scaffoldings and venders on sidewalks.
>> We ventured into a store that I think was a drug store or something like
>> it.
>> It had electric buttons for the doors, but they put the buttons in such
>> inaccessible places that others had to push them for us.
>> I was dreading returning to that tunnel with my ears still blocked and
>> the
>> pressure built the way it was. I decided we would walk around some more
>> and
>> just get acclimated to this weird atmosphere. I thought in my mind how
>> glad
>> I was that I did not live there when Thane came to me from the country!
>> Goodness me.
>> We managed to get lost as we meandered about. When we finally got
>> ourselves
>> found, I realized Thane had tried to take me the right direction in the
>> first place- OK yeah that was a reminder to listen to one's dog Smile
>> When
>> we were ready to head for home, we got on the train at the right place
>> headed the right direction Surprise surprise.
>> The train was quite full which I am not used to. I had to use the smaller
>> side so I took Thane's guide handle off so it would not get caught and he
>> could comfortably lay for the long ride home. He was all curled up with
>> his
>> nose on his tail as soon as the train took off. He has this funny herding
>> dog desire to herd with his head everyone on board at bus stops. He will
>> sit
>> up and make sure everyone gets on and then lay back down. He did not do
>> that
>> headed home. He was tired and knew this was going to be a long ride. When
>> we
>> entered the tunnel he just raised his head for a moment before putting it
>> back down in his tail.
>> When we finally did get home- boy we both were just happy to be home. I
>> was
>> hurting big time with my ears, head and MCS exposure. Though I have
>> decided
>> I won't be doing that approach to use the vet there, it was a valuable
>> experience under our belts.
>> With our frequent travels here and there this summer on transit and max,
>> Thane has also developed the stability he lacked when we first began
>> riding
>> the bus and I needed to double leash him to keep him from sliding around.
>> That is really cool!
>> The only place I have not taken him when I ride the bus is Winco. The
>> return
>> stop is pretty precarious, the ramp very steep due to road grade, so I
>> want
>> to be sure I can truly handle my groceries and him before we attempt that
>> one- you know set them up for success always.
>> One thing I am doing so differently this time around is to not rely so
>> totally on Thane that I can not function if he were to be ill and at the
>> end
>> of his career function in the world. I use my guide cane when necessary
>> and
>> keep that skill despite the pain it does cause. I refuse to feel as
>> trapped
>> as I did when Met died ever again.
>> For de-boarding the buses I also need it. There is not enough room for us
>> to
>> go down the ramp in harness. On Max I love it because we can wheel on and
>> off in harness. That is just so cool!
>> Its been a great summer here as we built on experience together as a
>> team,
>> fall and winter await us- as does service dog training. Retrieve is gonna
>> be
>> oh so much fun LOL
>>
>> Karyn and Thane
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
Other related posts:
- » (VICT) Resuming work after a break; was: Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
