Schutzhund -confusing reaction - Page 2

Also be aware of your own reaction. 

I have a friend who's dog broke the long down and ran to her when the gun was fired during practice.   Next time, same thing, next time same thing.  What I thought was that maybe  it was becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.  She was anticipating and dreading the dog breaking and each time she became more and more nervous, in anticipation of the dog's negative reaction.

One day we met at a very active outdoor skeet/5 stand/ sporting clays rifle range.  First she and I had a sandwich in the picnic area, then she got  her dog out of the car & we went for a walk, just a loose lead walk around the parking lot while we talked.  Occasionally she would  down the dog & we just stood there shooting the breeze.  My thought was to keep her mind off her dog, by engaging her in  conversation.

She and this dog have an amazing bond, very strong.  She realized that the reason he was breaking was because  he was simply cuing off her  nervous energy  over what she was anticipating was going to happen.  As we all know,  dogs are masters at reading us, many times it is not the dog's issue so much as it is one we inadvertently create.

After that, she knew her dog was not gun shy, no further gun problems whatsoever.  No big deal!

sue .[ really for novices  this post] .two  case in points with your story .. 1. if you have taught the down with the dog having something to anticipate ... most will anticpate and break the down . So ..we learn that we best  teach that there is nothing to anticipate by our  communication / method ......2. if one can't leave your dog , that is , go 6" away from your dog with your eyes closed and KNOW that the dog will not break the down ... then we have no business goling 6" away from the dog..let alone 100 feet. and also .. if we are 1" away and allow your dog to break that postion once we downed the dog ,  then shame shame. -  we all learn about training dogs --one way or another      AP

maybe that is why you have a headache .. at this point in your life .... i would have thought .. you have  your thoughts together and know what 'life is about " ..sad even if you make that comment in jest ..and more sad .. if it is the truth ./.maybe you can learn something from your dogs .. i have found .. they have the meaning of life down pat ...and so they have taught me ..  my intention was to bring out that your post has a lot of merit .. a lot more than meets the eye for other readers of the thread .and i think the points were well defined.[ she anticipated becuase she felt the dog was unreliable  and anticpating].  . i am amazed at times .. the posters dismiss the fact that many come to this site to read and learn even though they don't post .. next time you have a headache .. maybe you will wise enough to take an aspirin and chill out.

lol, lol sorry you took my headache personally - perhaps  the winking smiley face at the end of my post failed to convey the fact that I was laughing at myself for being unable to understand what might be even the simplest of messages (but considering the source most likely was not).

yes sue ... your words held more weight than the smiley face , which i did not know how to interpret...' you that song from the 1970's " Smiling Faces " .. well where i come from .. not always a compliment from someone - 'tis a thin line between a smirk and a smile .. nevertheless ..sorry for the misinterpetation i still think your post was full of merit.

 


CHEERS!!!!!! 

I wanted to thank everyone for all the great advice. Sueincc i think your post about your friends dog breaking the down because of her nervous energy and the dog sensing that is the same thing with me and my dog. So I need to stop all the worrying I do. So this is what We have tried ,We went outside and started quite a distance away, like 100 feet I think. He(my husband) shot the gun and I immediately marked and rewarded him for looking to the source of the sound and then back to me for not spooking. We did this twice just to make sure he wasn't going to flip out. He seemed fine so then we just did some basic heeling around the field while the gun shots came in closer and switched to a louder bullet or whatever it's called. The heeling sort of distracted him, and every time the gun fired I immediately rewarded ( I used food) to make a positive association. We didn't correct anything. If he seemed more nervous I just moved a little farther away and I increased my praise and rewards after the shot. Going to keep exposing him to the sounds and keep training. You all are so great on this site,really great advise. Do you think what we did with him was the right exposer? We really want him to pass.

Why don't you cut the obedience out while you're desensitizing him to the gunfire. I'd keep him on leash and play instead of Obedience. We don't have a video of your work, but I'd hate to see you rewarding for fear reactions to the gunfire or rewarding for crappy obedience and focus due to his fear.

  I agree with Don.