Training Phases as "Pass Backs"
Guide Dogs records a dog's progress through harness training
with a series of phases. Usually a dog progresses steadily through the phases until graduation with a blind partner. Sometimes, however, they are passed back from their original string to strings at an earlier stage of training. Here is brief overview of training and the reasons dogs are passed back.
Info for
Raisers
Pre-training physical exam, neutering/spaying (with the exception of potential breeding stock dogs who are under evaluation at this time), X-rays, eye checks. First walks on leash. Introduction to the kennel environment and schedule. Relaxing walks on the campus and play sessions with instructor assistants. General daily care and grooming.
PHASE #2
Preliminary harness and obedience training. Introduction to distractions (toys, food, other dogs, cats, etc.). On-campus training of leading into harness (pulling forward in harness) utilizing the BEST™ program and responses to guidework-specific commands such as "Forward," "Halt," "Hopp Up" and "Steady." Introduction to campus obstacle course on leash.
PHASE #3
Harness training in quiet residential areas; frequent rides in the training vans. Teaching new guidework commands and responses, such as "Right," "Left," and "Over Here," as well as continuing to work on commands learned in Phase 2. Curb checks and street crossings are introduced. Progressive obstacle course training on campus. Obedience training continues. Mall exposure walks and introduction to dog social sessions. Those dogs who are on the breeder-watch list but are not selected for the breeding program are spayed or neutered.
PHASE #4
Guidework training progresses on more difficult sidewalks in busier sections of downtown areas. All curb types and more complex street crossings are introduced. The dogs begin to show clearance awareness, and begin to guide their instructors through the campus obstacle course. Preliminary obedience testing and evaluation of the dogs' reactions to head collars are also performed.
PHASE #5
Preliminary guidework testing is performed with the instructor under blindfold. Complete medical history review. Guidework training environments become more challenging: pedestrian traffic, stairs, different flooring surfaces, etc.
PHASE #6
Guidework routes in difficult and challenging level work environments. Heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic areas, wide crossings, hectic atmospheres, etc. Introduction to sidewalkless areas and rounded curbs. Continued work in malls, stores and buildings with increasing exposure to varying sights, sounds and smells. Advanced guidework skills such as moving turns. Learning "intelligent disobedience", in which dogs learn to refuse to obey a command if it is unsafe to execute. Advanced obedience training.
PHASE #7
Guidework moves to extremely challenging downtown urban areas (San Francisco and Portland). Training on buses, light rail/subway systems and platform edges. Introduction to low overhead clearances; advanced off-leash obedience. Formal traffic training begins.
PHASE #8
Continued advanced guidework and obedience training. Intensive indoor mall training with crowds, slick floors and learning to board, ride and exit escalators. Advanced sidewalkless training with obstacles.
PHASE #9
Final obedience testing including on-leash obedience with the instructor wearing a blindfold, off-leash obedience and distraction response. The dogs are also worked by unfamiliar or novice handlers. Final traffic testing with instructor under blindfold and "real life" traffic situations.
PHASE #10
Final guidework testing. Includes working a 40-50 minute route with the instructor wearing a blindfold in downtown Gresham or San Rafael. The route covers nearly every aspect of guidework (curbs, street crossings, stairs, buildings, crowded sidewalks, traffic, etc.); obedience exercises are done along the way. Final testing of guidework inside buildings (malls, stores, etc.) with the instructor wearing a blindfold. Includes working escalators, elevators, stairs, etc. Final "class-ready" physical exams.
PASSING A DOG BACK WHILE IN TRAINING
There may be times when the weekly training report notes that a dog has been moved back in their phase number. This would reflect a dog that has been "passed back" in training. Passing a dog back does not necessarily reflect concerns, but rather indicates that we continue to see positive traits in the dog. In our training process, each string of dogs is separated by at least two phases. So, when a dog is passed back a string or two you can expect to see a significant change in the phase number. Take, for example, a dog who is in phase ten and considered "class ready" but is not selected for class. This dog will be passed back and be available for placement in subsequent classes. Since the string that this dog has been passed to will be in a different phase (most likely a lower phase), the dog will also be formally documented as being in the lower phase as well, even though it has technically completed phase ten and is considered "class ready."
Dogs that do not do well in the kennel environment are not kept in training any longer than necessary. Any dog being passed back numerous months are individuals that do not have difficulties in the kennel environment. Training dept. does not want to maintain any dog in the kennel environment if we are unable to enrich their surroundings adequately. Dogs will be career changed that cannot effectively cope with the kennel environment that has been sufficiently enriched.
REASONS THAT DOGS ARE PASSED BACK
- The dog is not progressing as well as desired and it is felt that if they return to an easier level of training, they have potential to either do better or simply be successful.
- A health concern has arisen and the vet staff needs more time to evaluate progress with that issue before determining if the dog can be issued as a guide.
- A health issue has arisen that causes the dog to need more than couple of weeks with no training, resulting in them missing too many training sessions.
- The dog has been identified as a possible match for a student that wants to schedule for a particular date in the future (a class date for a later string of dogs).
- The dog has been identified as a match for a student requiring custom training on an individual dog. Training additional behaviors will add from one to five months training time, depending on the extent of the responses taught.
- The dog is progressing adequately, but due to the dog's confidence level being low, it is in the dog's best interest to regress to an easier level of training to help build that confidence.
- The dog is very hard to match and we are waiting for that
student to arrive. If the dog is passed back for this reason for more than
4 months, the dog will be re-evaluated as to it being realistically matched.
- A dog is demonstrating temperament or behavior issues that we have major concerns over and need a lot of time to evaluate and work on them. Training department will go to extreme measures to improve single issues with dogs of excellent guide temperament and personality.
LONG TIME TRAINING
From Barb Deevers
While we can estimate the time it takes to train and match a dog with a visually impaired partner, it is unrealistic to place a time restriction on the process. The success rate of dogs in training has increased over the past few years, resulting in more dogs reaching phase 10. This is an exciting development for our program. The rate at which a dog progresses in training and is listed at phase 10 varies for each dog. The time frame in which a visually impaired partner who is appropriate for an individual dog is available for placement also varies. Matching dogs to partners is an important part of the process. It very important that this process is done well, not quickly.
Please be assured that every dog, no matter what phase of training or how long they have been in training, receives love and attention in addition to their training routine. While the time a dog spends on campus is not exactly like the time he spent in your home, it is a valuable experience and part of his path to becoming a Guide Dog.