Too much drive/cross training - Page 2

 not much to do with her, but good strong obedience and the rest is genetics.

And upbringing and training...................  Genetics is where you start and training is where you go.

There is no such thing as a dog with too much of any drive. Only trainers with too little knowledge or experience to train them.
Forget about labels that other people want to put on your dog. Find a trainer that fits the style of your dog instead of trying to make your dog fit the trainers style. YOU are the best trainer for your dog since you're with her 24/7. All you have to do is put forth the effort  to
educate yourself

Thomas Barriano
Dubheasa Germania (11/05/99-08/11/08) SchH III M R Brevet AKC WD III AWD 1 STP 1 CD WAC TT
Ascomannis Jago (06/20/03) SchH III AKC WD III AWD I TT WAC
Belatucadrus (08/14/05) DS BH TT MR I
Flannchadh von der Bavarianburg (5/21/08) TT IPO II STP I
Winterfell Arya (11/27/09)BH TT K9NW I
Gwrgenau vom Himmelhoch (8/19/09) BH TT

EVE2012

I know Fargo the sire of your female Eve vom Mountain Lake very well and I saw Rega her dam and the puppies she produced when mated with Fargo.  If Eve is doing what you expect in terms of protection for you at present there is little to no possibility that any additional training for IPO will ever change her basic protection relationship with you at nearly 3 years of age.  Fargo produced several puppies suitable for personal protection and police work when mated with a good female and Rega as I recall was one of the very best and most productive matings that Mountain Lake had with Fargo.  Fargo is a very balanced and intelligent male with good self control and he passes on those qualities to his offspring.  Rega as I recall is a high energy girl that has coil springs in her butt as she loves to jump straight up and down like a pogo stick in her kennel.  I think most intelligent dogs can make the association of what happens on the Schutzhund field is a game versus what happens in real life with family members is not a game.  It can be a problem when you train if your puppy only sits in the kitchen in front of the food bowl at first but it is highly likely that your girl is smart and mature enough at nearly 3 years.to know that when you go to the schutzhund field it is a different game that is being played. 

I will try to keep this short.

I trained and titled two dogs from BH to SchH3 to PSA1.  My advice to anyone...especially someone who is not well experienced having trained and titled dogs in either venue....finish schutzhund before training for another venue.

I did a lot of cross training with my second dog (the female) including patrol dog training... while I was still training/competing in Schutzhund.  She did it but I made it alot more difficult than it needed to be by creating alot of grey areas with her in understanding certain concepts.  Boy I could name at least a dozen issues I had in the 3 phases of schutzhund that I probably created for myself by deviating from the "Schutzhund program". 

And if you have a dog who is more stimulated by suit or civil work, taking them back to schutzhund...well you may notice a decline in intensity.  They will do it, but once they see "the other side" many will know it's just a game.  Like taking them to Dorney park after having been to Disney World lol.

And I don't think there is such thing as too much drive.  With some dogs more than others.... it is just more of a challenge to cap it effectively for the venue you choose.

Good example in the reverse.  Toys balls and sleeves on the field for PSA1 obedience.... a friend of mine was having quite a time dealing with his dog rewarding himself like a crackhead faster than he can react.  He is making progress as he prevents the self reward and forcing the dog to go through him to get what he wants.  A sport like SchH he would not have to deal with this at all.  (reason why I give this example...this handler thought his dog had "too much drive" for PSA and considered just doing schutzhund)
 

Bubbabooboo: Thanks! Eve is more like her mom in that she loves to be in the air, so to speak! She is sometimes to smart for her own good and it is me that has the issue of communicating clearly what I want. Working on that! Wade said she was the best female that came out of that litter! Wish he could get down my way or I could get up his way for him to see her work. He would be proud. On the other hand, I have a lot to learn as a handler! Also watch for Eve/Stuka Von Enckhausen puppies later in the fall - think they will be great!!!!

GSDfan: We are sticking with Schutzhund until she has reached the highest level she can! Gave it much thought last night and over the weekend and while PSA can and is fun (alot of fun) because Eve is so, well, Eve, I believe she will rock the Schutzhund (IPO) world and if not, she and I will have a lot of fun trying!

I also agree that there is no such thing as too much drive ever! You have to learn how to cap that drive and that is the true challenge! May have some good video of her in a few weeks and would love for both of you to see it, privately. So I will figure out a way to make that happen. I don't post video usually on public venues because while I can handle constructive criticism, I don't tolerate silliness - lol!!!

GSD Fan; great post from someone who has walked the walk, Some good discussion on capping drive, but capped drive is of little use unless it is channeled properly. Dogs do what is good for dog and undirected drive is a problem. Some drives are extinguishable like prey. Defense can be changed from fight to flight. Know what you are doing, learn how to deal with drive, get involved with people of experience.

Glad to hear Eve!  Best of luck...feel free to PM me any video you'd like to share.  Here's one of my girl, a collage of sorts...I put together shortly before finishing her PSA1