Ok, here's an easy way to remember. When you are facing a door, the dog needs to be on the same side of you as the doorknob. So, if you are standing facing these doors, which one is the "switch" door?
The door on the right is the "switch" door because the doorknob is on the right side of the door. It doesn't matter whether the door open towards you or away from you. The deciding factor is which side the doorknob is on. This puts the dog away from the hinge of the door and puts you between the door and the dog.
In fact, the whole reason we switch when going through doors is for the safety of the dog. If the dog's tail or feet get caught, or if the dog is hit with the door, that might potentially make the dog fearful of doors. Which would make life as a guide dog rather difficult.
2 comments:
Thank you so much for explaining the Switch Command. I have pondered over doors for a long time trying to decide whether or not a door is a "Switch Door." The command is easy, determining the door is hard. My Raisers have also had difficulty with it. Your method is simple and makes sense. All you have to remember is DD(Dog At Doorknob). Your explanation is so easy.
Ok. That's useful! I was teaching my dog switch, now I know exactically where to apply it!
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