From: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: dog guide rules
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:13:31 GMT
Reply-To: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA

Index Number: 21079

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 LE>  trainer, who was also my instructor, was x-military and openly
 LE>  hostile to anyone questioning the rules as he applied them.

I was fortunate: I certainly didn't experience hostility, and the questions
I thought to ask were answered as thoroughly as possible, as I recall.
I just didn't think of all of the questions I should have had, at the
time!

Most, I figured out on my own, based on my fairly extensive experience
with large dogs as pets while I was growing up and by various trial and
error techniques.  Where I could not fathom the reason for a rule, I
usually just followed the rule.  I only modified or abandoned those I
could understand and, therefore, evaluate for their usefulness in my own
dog-human teamwork.  It worked for me.  I can easily see, however, how
it might not have worked for others-- and I, too, would have appreciated
more explanation of the logic behind the rules at the time, as a matter
of course in my training, than I recall receiving.  We shouldn't *have*
to ask, 'cause not everyone will, and those who don't may well be the
ones who need the information the most.

Obviously, there's only so much that can be taught in a 3-4 week course,
but I think what *is* taught would be more easily remembered and used if it
was reinforced by the explanation of the "why" behind it; a bit more of
canine psych, if you will.

For all I know, this may happen, now. I haven't done the dog school thing
in almost nine years.

LE>   I've seen enough dog guide users disregard school rules and
LE>  become saddled with problem dogs to know the value of this
LE>  instruction.

Absotively.

I also think it would help if there was more emphasis placed on the fact
that the dogs will still undergo a lot of learning/training during the
first year or so you have them.  A lot of people come out of their month of
training assuming they have a completely trained dog guide. Just ain't so.

They may be safe to travel with; they may have their basic training down;
but they'll need a lot of reenforcement and additional work over the next
year or more to completely internalize the work.  Some of them can even be
taught additional commands, if it is done carefully and patiently and only
after they are well-adjusted with the basic set. (I'm thinking of things
like "find the bus" which gets my dog to locate the nearest bus stop bench
and "where's the car?" which starts him looking for the car we ride in most
often.  Places can be "named" with a lot of dogs, and hence you can develop
"shortcuts" to giving a series of "left, right, left" commands. As I
described on this echo a while back, Chance and I taught each other how he
could use escalators safely when there was no other option-- and, as it
turns out, the technique we used is the one recommended by the schools
which do teach escalator work.  *None* of this is mentioned at most of
the schools.  For all I know, they may strongly disapprove of such
additional training.  It would help to know that, too. )

Another thing which seems to be de-emphasized are the traits and habits
and skills and weaknesses of the individual dogs.  Obviously, the
trainers are aware of these differences-- they use them in order to
assign the best dog for the student in any given class.But the students
could gain a great deal if some of that information was shared with them
("Rover is very good at <blah blah>. You'll probably never have to worry
about that.  He needs strict attention with <blah blah>, because it just
isn't his forte.")  I can see how this might be awkward, and lead to
some students complaining that their dog was not "perfect", but it seems
to me that it'd be a reasonable trade-off-- better, shall we say, than
having the student find out the details the hard way and hence not do
all that he/she could to continue to work on the difficult points and to
reenforce the excellent skills and behavior.  A bit of "personal"
background on the individual dog assigned to you would demystify a lot
of those initial surprises.  It always seems like a shame that such
careful attention is paid to dogs, their behavior and habits and likes
and dislikes for anything from three months to six months, and then the
person who'll be working with that dog for, perhaps ten years does not
get to share in the knowledge gained about his/her beastie, but may only
profit, "second-hand", by way of the training that this knowledge has
allowed the trainer to impart to the dog.

but I'm just a naturally curious sort, I suppose.

                                                    --Carla

... Read what I mean, not what I write!

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