Shore Lining, Working a Dog Guide in Side Walk Less Areas

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Chapter 37:

Working a Dog Guide in Side Walk Less Environments, Shore lining, Indenting and Land Marking

There are many different environments that a dog guide handler can work their dog in. The most common environments are cities, towns and villages all which have access to side walks and utilize some sort of grid system. In addition most of these places have a consistent traffic flow, have lighted intersections and people out on the streets. However there are other types of environments that the dog guide handler will work their dog in. One such area is the side walk less environment. This is sometimes referred to as “country travel” meaning working in an area with no side walks.

We teach you how to travel in this kind of environment on a street called Colonial Street which is next to the school and can be accessed via a path outside the “country door” which is at the top of “country hall”. The road and substrate meet not unlike the way water and sand meet at the beach; hence we call it a shore line.

Side walk less environments can be suburban or rural and there are slight variations to each even though the general philosophy remains the same.Typically rural environments are more difficult because the road can meander in many directions and the difference between the substrates can be hard to detect. In suburban environments the roads and homes are more manicured and have more definition between the substrates. Many suburban areas will have a curb line that runs along the road or the grass will be well defined. In rural areas the distinction between the road and the natural area is not always easy to detect. There may be sand, gravel, leaves, soil or other types of substrate along the route and many roads have a crown in the middle and taper or drop off at the sides. This can be an indication of where the handler is in relation to the road itself but not every handler will be able to detect this variation. For this reason it will be extremely important that the dog guide handler utilize a shore lining method.

Shore lining

A shore lining method allows the handler to check the shoreline and decipher where they are in relation to the remainder of the road itself. Most dogs will follow a shore line fairly well; however you will still need to periodically check so that you know where you are. The more often you check the shoreline the more aware you will be of your location as you travel down the road.

The handler will travel down the road facing the oncoming traffic. This gives the motorist the opportunity to see the dog guide handler approaching. It also gives the dog the opportunity to see the vehicles instead of having the vehicles sneak up behind and startle them. This also puts the dog in between the handler and the substrate so the dog can safely clear around drains or debris.

Shore lining with a dog guide involves turning left with the dog to face where the road meets the natural substrate. Tell your dog to “wait”, then turn 90 degrees to your left & allow the dog to take you to the shore line with a “to the curb”. Once the handler turns left in place it will be their responsibility to probe for the edge. The left foot comes out to identify the edge and maintain position. The handler then gently turns back to the right by releasing their left foot and resuming the original line of travel. If the turn is made too dramatically the team will enter the middle of the road. It is important for the handler to understand at least initially that although the dog is turning left it will not pick up a new line of travel from that turn. The turn is only used to help with identifying the shore line. It is not uncommon for individuals who are challenged with their orientation to attempt to cross over the grass.

With repetition these turns become easier and the handler will find that by simply turning towards the shore line the dog will also turn. If turns are performed too dramatically the team will lose their orientation frequently. We recommend that a dog guide handler check the shoreline every 30-40 paces as they travel. In newer environments, particularly when acclimating the dog the handler will have to remain mindful of this. With established routes the handler can shore line less frequently and concentrate on key areas that hold importance.

In addition to checking frequently the handler will need to listen to vehicles that are passing by. Some areas have constant traffic while others have only sporadic. Anytime a handler can hear a vehicle they should as a rule of thumb turn to the shore line. In areas that have high volume traffic the handler will need to check frequently along the workout.

If your dog encounters a car parked along the shore line, the dog should show you the car so that you know it is there. When found, praise your dog, listen for traffic, then bring your foot back and tell your dog forward. Your dog will begin to clear you around the car and you can begin to use a suggested left command back to the shore line. This will safely prevent you from being out in the street between a parked car and a moving car.

Land marking

Handlers will need to identify intersecting roads as well as cross over points. These are areas in which the handler will need to land mark. By land marking the handler patterns the dog to stop and identify a specific location. We use what is referred to as a back chaining method to help with this process. With back chaining the handler brings the dog to the desired destination or stopping location. The clicker is used to identify the land mark. The dog is given praise and food reward. Now the handler backs up only a few paces and re-approaches. When working with an instructor the instructor uses a cue word or places their hand on the students shoulder to let the student know where the exact stopping location is. The student clicks, praises and food rewards.

The process is continued and the handler and dog continue to back up in increments. For example, 6-8 paces, then 15-20 paces, then 20-35. This allows the dog to build drive to that location. The praise and food reward helps to solidify that stopping location. Many times there may not be a clear visual reference point to the dog and in fact the dog is learning an obscure location. The dog will gradually make the association. Intersections, driveways, mailboxes etc. can help the dog to identify. When working in side walk less areas the handler should:

• Work the dog with traffic coming towards them
• Check the shore line frequently, every 30-40 paces on new routes
• Use the back chaining method to teach land marking specific locations
• Learn the configuration of the road, does it meander, is there a curb line, does the substrate vary, does the road have a crown in it, is there a drop off on the sides, ditches or gullies

Handlers may find carrying a probing or ID cane beneficial. This is a short cane that can be used to locate changes in the shore line, trees, mailboxes etc. Some handlers find by using the probing cane they do not have to alter their orientation as much and interfere with the dog’s work therefore breaking the fluidity. Handlers that have some residual vision may not need to identify the shore line as frequently. They may be able to detect contrast between the grass and pavement.

The over command:

In this case the handler can use an OVER command to remind the dog to walk close to the left side. Similar to suggested turns the handler will give the first command of OVER and then expect the dog to move over on the second command. Many handlers find this to be a proficient and useful technique.

Indenting:

Handlers that work exclusively and extensively with this type of travel will also have to incorporate another element into their work and travel. This is referred to as INDENTING. Indenting is a way for the dog guide handler to locate and identify intersecting streets. By locating each intersecting street the handler can keep track of their own location by counting the number of streets. If the handler were to just work past the street they could easily lose the shoreline and lose track of time and distance. By indenting the handler maintains control of their environment and the workout. In addition it will help the dog remain consistent in its work and specifically it’s straight line.

The instructor will have the student follow the dog into the intersecting street for a number of paces, approximately 15-20. The handler should be well away from the mouth or opening of the street to avoid veering. This will also allow the handler to locate the straightest cross over point. After the handler has indented they will stop. Many handlers prefer to slide a foot backwards to feel the curb line. Before crossing the handler will listen to the traffic as they normally would. The handler commands the dog with a FORWARD and then will use TO THE CURB just as they would in any crossing. Using “Straight to the curb” will alert the dog that you wish to cross over to the other side rather than just making a turn and continuing on the original shore line. Once on the other side the handler will identify and be prepared to turn right and pick up the new shore line. Once the new shore line has been located the handler should initially check to be sure they are close.

As the team approaches Colonial Street they will need to stop and cross over. In these cases where the student is traveling the top of the T they will need to by pass the intersecting road before crossing. By doing this it will keep dog and handler consistent with making 90% turns. The handler should pass the intersecting road a number of paces, 15-20. The next driveway is a good land mark. They can use the clicker to land mark this for practice. Then they will stop and turn back towards the road before crossing over. Once on the other side they will have the dog follow the new shoreline and locate Colonial Street. Once indented into Colonial Street the handler should stop briefly before commanding the dog to the left. This will keep up the consistency with indenting.

Dog guide handlers that travel frequently at night on side walk less roads should wear some sort of reflective jogging vest or jacket. The more visible the dog and handler can be the safer they will remain.

With indenting handlers should remember:

• Follow the dog a number of paces into the intersection, 15-20 paces
• Slide a foot back to detect the straight edge of the shoreline
• Work the crossing like any other crossing
• Check your shore line after initially crossing
• When needing to pick up an adjacent street, pass by the top of the intersection first, 15-20 paces before crossing over
• Carry a probe cane if beneficial to the handler
• Be patient with the dog and provide sufficient number of workouts before dog patterns
• Reward the dog heavily at key destinations, home, bus stop or store

When students return home:

• If they have established routes they can acclimate the dog themselves
• If the handler is acclimating to a new route they should seek out an O&M instructor, dog guide instructor or at the very least a sighted friend that has worked with them before