How to find an experienced helper - Page 1

Hello all!
I am new to this all and would like some information regarding a helper. I know that it is extremely important to find an experienced and knowledgeable helper, but I am having trouble going about this. My female is just over a year and I have started her into the basics of biting, but mostly kept it fun for her and used her prey drive to work in. I still plan on doing this for a while and just making it more intense over time, but I need to start looking into getting a helper. I need someone who is experienced, as I am just beginning and their experience would be very helpful to me and I need someone she doesn't know. She is a friendly dog with people she knows and I want to get the most out of her when I get into more intense bitework. I know most of you are probably associated with clubs and or private trainers, but I don't have any clubs or trainers that I have been able to find around me (1.5 hr NE of Pittsburgh, PA) and to be honest the clubs I have found (1 hr+) away are wildly expensive and I can't really afford their fees right now. Thanks in advance for anyone that has advice. I know this is a hard thing to start as a newbie, but I'm really hoping to be able to do this right for my dog, the last thing I want is to damage her in some way mentally or physically because I didn't know what I was doing and didn't have a good helper. Any advice about this topic or in general how to start a new dog and person into general protection/bitework would be very helpful!  Oh and p.s. in case I do find a helper, what should I be asking them to make sure they are actually knowledgeable and going to be good for my dog and do you pay your helpers? If so how much is normal?

-Kasey

You're lucky as you live in the part of USA that is more active in our sport.

I would suggest making a list of all IPO clubs within a 3 hour drive and then settng up an appointment with each club to go and watch each.

Watch how the dogs interact with the helpers, are they having fun, are they arfaid, are they  nervous, are they lazy....

After you've compiled your preferred list, ask to have your dog evaluated by the club for possible working ability and to see of they will accept you into their group.

You can find a list of clubs on the internet
www.gsdca-wda.com
www. germanshepherddog.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Muddy-River-K-9-Academy/158569542830

Contact Tim.   He is excellent, ethical and correct,

 

Tim is the man!!

Keep in mind that PP and sport are diametrically different. Thus you must realize that if you train for sport you are NOT  training for PP.  In other words using helper ( sport) is one thing and using decoy ( personal protection -pp) is another. You need to locate trainer who is doing one or the other or both based on what you want to achieve. You do  want to use sport helper for sport training and person who trains pp /law enforcement dogs dogs for pp. Not many trainers can do both even so they say so.   There is much to be said about civil training and vs equipment oriented training and about  proper, improper and supportive association during training. 

+1 join a reputable club regardless of yr goals. as a newb expect to be ripped off and have yr dog ruined by a commercial helper if that doesn't happen chalk it up to good luck. dog world is full of sharks read this forum for proof.

I live 1/2 hour of Pittsburgh, PA.  Have been breeding, training and showing dogs for decades and may be able to give some helpful references, depending on your goals and skill level.  If interested, please send a PM.

@vk4gsd.  What a Crock!

Bitter much?

Nothing like slamming a whole group of people that you have no knowledge about.

How many helpers do you know?

Who are the "Commercial" helpers who are sharks and ruin good dogs?

More mud slinging with no purpose. 
 

@vk4gsd:  As in any activity, there are some charletons muddying the water but your statement is much too extreme.  Not everyone who trains professionally and or for hire is a crook.  

+1 on getting with a club. Even if you are not into Sport, there are members of the club that know who the helpers around your area are. I for one am against the 'Sleeve for Hire' mentality, I understand most of their reasoning for doing it, but i do not go along with it. 'Good' helpers are hard to come by as 'Good' is very subjective, just because a Helper is a good trial helper does not make him a good training helper. Reading a dog and knowing how to bring different aspects out of a dog is an art form and takes a long time to develop. I am considered a good Trial helper in that i can bring the pressure, i am consistent with each drive and i focus on keeping the dog on the ground during the long catch. I am great at taking direction when in a training session, but i am NOT a good training helper. I know how to help a dog switch from fight to prey and back again but i don't always know when to do it or why to do it. This is where a club could be very beneficial, not only could they give you a critique of a helper (kind of how i just trashed me self :) ) but they can also suggest helpers that would be a good fit for your dog.