Dan.Kysor@f999.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Dan Kysor) (12/04/90)
Index Number: 12132
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
willie, i noticed the same thing as well with guide dogs inc and their traffic
checks. it's amazing to me how they put a healthy respect of cars into these
dogs without creating fear.
i really did it, i managed to break my seeing habbits to conform with the new
techniques of guide dogs. i think it took me about a week to break about 12
years of probing with my right foot and getting used to that new harness.
guide dogs uses 3 s hooks on either side of the handle to connect the handle
to the harness-body and subsequently, it gives much more play in the harness
unlike seeing eye. in fact, that concept is forbidden, if i recall. we
aren't supposed to suitcase as in seeing eye, but we can walk up to the dog's
shoulder as the handle slides up the dogs back to give a suggestive left.
the obedience is a little different, no heeling. this sort of threw me
because i was used to a set routine.
glad you got a good one. i was so glad because this dog was exactly what i
wanted... be in touch... dan, out of sight, out of my mind!
/l
[A/s
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!999!Dan.Kysor
Internet: Dan.Kysor@f999.n203.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (12/04/90)
Index Number: 12146
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DK> i really did it, i managed to break my seeing habbits to
DK> conform with the new techniques of guide dogs.
Dan,
Yeah, it took me about a week to break my Strider habits and return
to the technique originally taught me by Seeing Eye as well, but never
fear, I'm well on my way to developing some new LeeRoy habits that I'll
have to break in about 12 more years!
DK> right foot and getting used to that new harness. guide dogs
DK> uses 3 s hooks on either side of the handle to connect the
DK> handle to the harness-body and subsequently, it gives much more
DK> play in the harness unlike seeing eye. in fact, that concept
DK> is forbidden, if i recall. we aren't supposed to suitcase as
DK> in seeing eye, but we can walk up to the dog's shoulder as the
DK> handle slides up the dogs back to give a suggestive left. the
I'm not clear on this, having never heard the term "suitcasing". If I
am picturing this correctly, you are telling me that the handle will
actually slide back and forth freely where it is connected to the
harness, and yes, I have to admit that this sounds totally foreign to
me. For instance, when you have one of those very quick traffic checks,
one where the dog puts on the brakes so fast that you're caught on your
tippy toes and grateful for those ballet lessons your parents bought you
as a child, doesn't the slack cause a delay in the reaction time? Yeah,
yeah, I know that one can get used to almost any change and feel it
natural after a while, but I would have trouble with this one.
DK> obedience is a little different, no heeling. this sort of
DK> threw me because i was used to a set routine.
Ironically, Lee is a much better heeler than Strider ever was, and I
didn't appreciate it one bit!
You remember how at Seeing Eye you had to heel the dog around the
building the first few days you had it, and you learned how to leash
follow the dog with just a minimal amount of tug on the leash, hoping
that the trainers didn't notice it and that they actually believed you
were "heeling" the dog?
Well, Lee, despite all my best efforts, insisted on taking the
command "heel" literally and not allowing any strain on the leash
what-so-ever! The one time, of course, that he didn't do this was
during our obedience sessions, when we wern't actually going anywhere so
it didn't matter. Then, all he could do was to think FETCH, FETCH,
FETCH!!! This dog is a fetching fool, and he has literally handed me
everything from my room mate's dirty skibbies in the morning to my
dropped comb and cigarette lighter, and it is therefore one of those
mixed blessings. Sure, I appreciate the fact that I don't have to spend
hours on the floor looking for my dropped belongings anymore, but gag me
with a spoon, MY ROOM MATE'S UNDERWEAR!!
Yeah, Bad, Bad LeeRoy Lab and me are doing fine, and I think I'm
gonna keep him!
Willie
... Even if you're not the lead dog, the view can be interesting!
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson
Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgDan.Kysor@f999.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Dan Kysor) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12274
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
well i remember i used to race with my golden other dogs down that central
runway the eye calls the main hall! interestingly enough, drummer is the
first dog i've had that heels exactly proper, oh well, i know what you mean.
it will take me a while to teach this dog to guide me around my building on
leash. regarding abrupt stops, i discovered an interesting thing. i used to
think the eye's martin gale provided superior sensitivity between myself and
the dog, i.e. communication. as it turned out, the s hooks or the martingale
has nothing to do with any of that, it is the tension in the harness handle,
i.e., the dogs pull. so if the dog slams on the breaks, the handle dosn't
slide forward but the tension breaks and you still end up practically falling
on your face!! drummer still pulls a little harder than i would like but i am
sure he'll get board with area and slow down a little. by the way, compu
voice will be getting into this echo as soon as we figure out this front end
mailer, "front door". it isn't exactly compatable with "spitfire" but we'll
work it out... dan , i feel more like now than i did a while ago!
/l
[A
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!999!Dan.Kysor
Internet: Dan.Kysor@f999.n203.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (12/07/90)
Index Number: 12390
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
PM> glad you and your new dog are doing so well. How is Strider
PM> taking all this. Give them both a pet from me.
Paula,
I believe that Strider is quite happy about being relieved of his
working duties, and rightfully so! He did, after all, put in 12 hard
years with me on the dumb end of the harness! (Hey, it was appreciated
before when I used this line!)
He has, however, taken to having a nip of brandy with his nightly
milkbone as a response to the young wipper snapper's unbridled
exhuberance!
Willie
... BlinkTalk - Blind bats in the belfry!
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