Does WDA still exist and putting on trials/shows? - Page 5

I find it perfectly acceptable that people who aren't interested in working a dog much beyond basic obedience keep them around simply because they enjoy their companionship. I've had many myself. Does it make you feel better about your inability to train a dog or lack of willingness to put in the work to criticize those who can and do?

Reggie, IPO tracking is NOT training for police work.
Think about the IPO protocol - it´s

tracking
obedience
bitework

Considered simplified it´s a test within the dogs need to proof that they are ABLE to

track
be obedient
agitate

- major tasks for any German Shepherd dog in case of "working ability".

It doesn´t matter "how" these traits are tested - Germany developed SchH / IPO, other countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, Eastern Europe... developed different "tests", but all of them based their titling system of these 3 tasks.

A working dog ( by our breed definition of "working" ) needs " a nose", needs the will to be obedient, and needs some mental strength -i am still a fan of the old fashioned "hardness, courage, fighting drive".

It doesn´t matter if you test for "air scent" or " IPO step scent" - it´s only a way to test the ability at all.
You could change the obedience routine, the bitework routine - doesn´t matter - it´s a test - but at least Germany developed the SchH / IPO routine - and you need a "routine", otherwise you are not able to compare.

70/70/80 is good enough for the next level - that said nobody needs to be a "professional" to achieve a title, no dog needs to be outstanding, but a dog/handler team not able to achieve at least 220 points simply doesn´t deserve it.

These "tests" are not made because we want to see if our dogs are "police dog" candidates, but because we want to see if they are "breedworthy ( one step )" in case of working ability.

Your problems within the clubs are diferent, though, it´s not about any system, but about people.
In case you are able to train your dogs without pinch collar, or e-collar, just DO IT ( both are already forbidden over here, because humans misused them ). Your club members will see the results, and maybe they will learn from you...
I always thought "different" during training, but - my dogs = my way - sometimes I was wrong, but mostly I was spot on, and the others thought about their kind of "training". You shouldn´t care...

Kind regards,
Susie

Bubba, once again, I ´d really like to know what happened to you when joining a SchH club of any kind...you never told me.

The lack of popularity of IPO has nothing to do with politics or infighting at the highest levels. This particular situation is a negative for that particular organization but doesn’t affect IPO training in the United States as a whole. It is a negative in the sense that people that are at that level, or people that hope to be at that level might lose confidence in the organization to put on a great event and so they will move to a different organization as that is an option for them in the United States. If the lack of a great national event makes you quit training…you have other issues and clearly lack the dedication to train a dog. I’ve yet to meet a single person for whom the “organization” is a bigger love than the sport itself.

99% of people involved in IPO training in the United States are not affected in the least bit by what happens at the highest levels. 95% will never breed their dog. Those that have decided to breed their dog, 99% will do so with or without the IPO title. Those that fail to achieve the title will use the same excuses you see above about why IPO doesn’t matter and how their dog is so much greater than any IPO dog out there. The majority of people will never go to a national event, more than likely never even attend their own regional, and are happy with once a week training and their one home club trial a year.

If you think I can't train,haven't trained, haven't or can't title you are wrong on all accounts. Susie I understand your thinking, but I guess I'm more of, if your going to train why train something close? Why not train for the real thing? Why not train so that you and your dog have a real use? Obviously the things I said touched a nerve with some and they took it personally. That was not my intention. I was just trying to open up an honest discussion. But even then it shows the basic reaction of many out there if you dare say something that isn't a hundred percent in line with them. If they don't agree with you, they try to start their character assinations

Yes everyone trains better on the internet than in public for sure.

Whatever made you think IPO was for training police dogs??

Its the most standardised, most utilised, most documented, longest running breeding test in the world that attracts the best dog handlers in the world all combined to be the only international tool to propel the breed forward and give the breed any credibility at all.

Why bash it as if you know better, why not just thank and admire the effort that goes into it.

I suspect that some are mistaking IPO for DPO.

Nothing wrong with training for the work. The troubles entered when it ceased to be just one of the tools used to assess breed-worthiness, and instead became a competition between humans that just happens to involve the use of dogs. When the latter occurred, greed also swaggered in as well, and it's not uncommon in the US for the clubs to be more interested in putting dogs on podiums and money in TD's pockets than in the beauty of seeing people working with their dogs for the sheer enjoyment of the activity.

Oh, yes!   Hexe.

Does competition at the highest level of IPO make the breed worse? I think not. The evidence I see is the best the breed has to offer today is far superior than the best of previous eras....and so it should be.

People are free to participate in ipo  as a social event, as a breed test or to be champion of the universe or not participate at all.

The techniques and training in general has improved exponentially. back yard nobodies like me can take the best of the training and apply it to enrich the relationship with their dog in a very humane and fun way.

I don't want to train like people did up to the mid eighties, it was brutal shite, the dogs were not better, the performances were shitte.

Are their overly competitive idiots, corrupt individuals...of course their are. Are they forcing you into poor behaviour?

Ugh, hexe, stop it. I can't stand it when you make sense!

hey Hexe.....hope all is well with you and yours.......