BH - Page 1

New to sport and wondering how much handler help is allowed during BH?

None - your dog either knows it or doesnt know the exercise........

My experiences and observations over the years have been that judges tolerate quite a bit of handler help in the obedience portion of the BH.  I think this is because they are looking to pass dogs that are safe, sound, and under control, rather than well trained in obedience exercises.
I should clarify that by handler help I mean things like the occasiional double command, shoulder dipping for the finish, handler changes footing on a recall, handler's left hand doesn't move during healing.
I am not a judge and these are just my observations.

 

I think if the judge knows you are a "first timer" they are a little easier with the pencil than if you are a seasoned handler....  depending on if they are "simple" handling mistakes or just outright helping of the dog- I don't think would be so tolerated..... 

It is a pass/fail situation - points taken for errors - dogs or handler........ 42 passes and can go on to the traffic.....Why would a handler intentionally help - oh that is right - the dog needs help because he doesn't know the exercise..... 

Chances are if you "know" you might have to do one or the other for the dog to succeed might be a indication on if he is ready or not to do the bh...........



Just my opinion though.

Yogie

Technically handler help is not allowed but the BH is pass/fail, so if you have enough points to move past the obedience, you will. If your dog needs help, then help him and take the hit.  I've seen SchH3 national level handlers using handler help.  I'm not saying I'm any better, but some of these people have been doing it for so long they don't even realize it.  As much as we like to talk about how SchH is hard and no handler help is allowed, I think it's rare to see a SchH obedience routine completely free of handler help.

It also depends on the judge. Some are much more lenient than others.

Train like you are shooting for a perfect score.  That way you will have it memorized come trial day.  I swear " my dog has never done that before" was invented at the BH :)  Nerves will get you to do some silly things,  but usually our dogs will pass inspite of us :)

I've seen dogs that are ready for a three and others that didn't even know the heel position pass. Depends on the judge. It is a temp test. Your errors shouldn't fail the dog.

In my case,or should. Say my dogs, I most certainly failed my dog. I had the worst ever case of stage fright, I couldn't tell the difference between right and left. The judge told me he was sorry for my dog, but because of me...

So sorry kitkat for your failure......But I am sorry Chaz handler help -or for that matter "lack of handler experience" most certainly can fail a dog....   the rule books from all the schutzhund organizations even advises how many points are deducted for certain handler actions.........  

True, bh is a temp. test, but I think it is a "little more" than just temperament alone.  The dog needs to know the exercises.    

In theory,,,lol - it is a test to make sure they have the temperament to go on to the schutzhund levels - but pass or fail on the first part of this temperament test is still on a point system at his discretion...    The judge doesn't give that info to the crowd usually .  Unless it is impressive or for that matter unimpressive - I have seen judges congratulate a handler/dog team in the bh with a perfect score  of 60 - and Yes get to go on to th traffic portion.  but I have also seen a judge say (in a German accent)  "your dog not no nothing!"  you score a 1..just to add insult to what the team just went thru..!   or in kitkats case - failure because of poor handling...  Handlers can make their dogs look worse than they are - which can fail a dog in the bh as well-didnt have anything to do with "temperament".   

We should set our dogs up for success.  

If we know that our dog goes thru the group and swings wide - or if he sits in the middle of the crowd - he might sit crooked - then yes - by all means "help"......... One wouldn't  sit their dog in the middle of the crowd knowing this.... nor go thru the crowd to start where you might loose your dog on a wide turn.........  is this help?  or is this "good handling"?    

Your dog has been recalled on the last part of the routine.  He always seems to comes in crooked.  You put your feet pigeon toed so he will come in straight - is this handler help?  Yes it is.....  Judge see's that - he knows why you did it... will he take off?  who knows?  how many other times did you do something he saw in this little temperament test?   That was the last part of the exercise - does he go back with his pencil and change some of the points that he gave because he was giving you the benefit of the doubt on your handling abilities - did that just fail your dog for what you did? 

There is a difference in my opinion in handler help and good handling.   It is your job to make your dog look as good as possible with out seeming to be helping.  Not to mention your job to train your dog so he is prepared to do it correctly and hope he will remember it on trial day.

For most of us - we are out there to have fun - but in the same manner we don't want our handling skills, nor our dogs to look like we are out there just to get our temperments judged alone.........We are out there to show we are an awesome team and have prepared for this adventure.   But this is just my opinion though.  Yogie