Intelligent Disobedience

INTELLIGENT DISOBEDIENCE

Relevance:

Intelligent disobedience is a portion of a guide dog’s formal training where the dog learns when and how to say “no” to a cue that, if executed, would have harmful outcomes. The dogs are taught this concept through a series of if-then scenarios. Some applications include stopping and holding when a car is intersecting with the dog’s line of travel, refusing to go forward at the top of the staircase until the handler’s foot is placed down on the first stair, and holding a stopped position until the handler acknowledges that an obstructive obstacle has provided minimal space for the team to proceed forward. At worst, the dangers of the aforementioned situations include a car accident, falling down the stairs, and the handler getting bumped and bruised by obstructive obstacles. It is important to be realistic about a dog’s limitations in understanding the full magnitude of harm that could be caused by failure to perform intelligent disobedience. For example, the only way for a dog to fully understand the danger of a car is to be hit by one, and we, of course, would never incorporate this in training. Having a true fear of vehicles would not, in fact, serve you, as the dog may never want to approach a curb or walk along side a busy road. Instead, the dog has been heavily reinforced for holding a stationary position in the face of environmental cues that could be hazardous to the team. Understanding both how to respond to this portion of the dog’s training and the limitations of it will help to keep you safe.

Traffic:

It is your responsibility as the guide dog handler to understand traffic patterns and assess when it is safe to cross an intersection. In a time where quiet, hybrid cars are becoming more and more common, we recognize that mistakes in judgment can happen, and as a back-up, the dog has been conditioned to stop and hold his or her position when a car intersects with the team’s line of travel. In training, the dogs receive sessions of traffic training where, in a single route, the dog is presented with many opportunities to learn the desired response in relation to the car’s location. During class, you will experience what this response feels like in a controlled, artificial session with an employee of the Guide Dog Foundation as the driver of the car. You will learn how to best react and support this desired behavior. It is important to understand, however, that due to your traffic assessment skills, the instances that the dog will experience these scenarios when the team goes home will greatly decrease when compared to the amount the dog receives in training. For this reason, it is possible that your dog’s traffic responses may lessen or cease to exist altogether. Attempting to sharpen the dog’s skills by presenting them with opportunities to react would be risky and is, consequently, ill-advised. However, there is a technique that will presented during class that allows you to keep the concept somewhat relevant to your dog from the safety of the curb edge.

Step refusal:

Step refusal was developed decades ago at the request of a student who was concerned that he may mistake a stop at the top of a flight of subway stairs for a stop at a down curb. A person usually takes a moderately long step from a curb, so if a handler thinks he or she is at a curb when in fact at a staircase, it could result in a fall down the stairs. Consequently, the dogs have been trained to refuse the cue forward until the handler’s left foot is placed firmly on the first step down. Placing your foot down also gives you the chance to acclimate to the depth and width of the stairs before descending as a team. The act of placing your foot down on the first stair requires you to step into un-previewed space. As a caution, especially in unfamiliar areas, you may wish to use your cane to investigate before stepping down.Note: if this behavior does not enhance your travel, it is easy to extinguish.

Obstructive obstacles:

Your guide dog has been trained to stop and holdthe stationary position whenencountering a narrow space where he or she could fit comfortably but the team as a whole will need to proceed with care. Anytime your dog comes to a stop, you are responsible for discovering the cause. However, we recognize that, in some situations, the dog stopped for a valid response, but the handler’s search techniques just missed the obstacle. When the handler fails to find any reason to prevent forward motion, the handler should then tell the dog “forward” or “hup-up.” This is an opportunity for the dog to apply intelligent disobedience. The handler should then take a half step forward and search the area again. When the obstructive obstacle is found, heavily reinforce the dog. This skill will be introduced and practiced throughout class.