SchH training - Page 3

some of us love the dog and the sport and the dogs enjoy the sport we do what we can but as mentioned above lack proper support in a club near enough, also could be as in my case I can do some and have knowledge but my health is having issues at this time. I have thought about it but too scared to send my beloved dog to anyone she comes first no matter how bad I want her fully trained and really would wish to be able to do it myself, This is not about money or breeding but the inteliigence and purpose i see untapped in my dog and the knowing she would enjoy what she was bred to do. I am seeing an orthopedic specialist about fixing my ankle with a surgry and therapy just so maybe I can get back out there with her. As it stands I canot do titght turning or running. I was at NASS with her and I braced my ankle the best i could just to double handle her. I love my dog and I love helping her achieve what I KNOW she enjoys and I know she wants more, I will do what I can to provide it for her.

Okay, so what happens when the dog goes home with the owner, who still knows nothing about the sport? Beyond that, as a test of genetics, schutzhund is a start, but the real test is in the ability of the dog to bounce back from, or ignore stress. There is genetic testing going on during every day of the dog's life, during the training period there is more. It is the way the dog responds that gives you your clue as to the genetic threshold. Judgemental comments aside, I am happy to take the money and train the dog. The net result is that I will know more abot the dog than the owner does. And training a dog to get only a mediocre score in a bid for breeding credentials doesn't really seem like a good genetic test anyway. Heck, even Labs can title in the sport. I do understand that health concerns can affect ability. Sad but true and the willingness to allow the dog to continue with something that you both love without you is real generosity of spirit. It also indicates that there is a true desire to see a dog reach it's maximum potential. Good enough. I do not think that I am being judgemental, I do think that it is better to learn at the same time as your dog. If it gets confusing, so what? A good dog will treasure the time spent with a beloved owner more than a crash course in a sport that they may never compete in again. Lorri

A good dog will treasure, bad training? Dogs prefer clear direction, period. They are most happy when there is order in the pack. They are most happy when rewards are consistant with behaviors. Good dogs and weak dogs alike, prefer to learn without stress. Dogs in general respond best when the training is correct and consistant. Just because the owner "loves" his dog, doesn't mean the dog will treasure poor training. It is better for the dog to be trained in a clear, stress free manner, than to be trained otherwise. Being a beloved owner alone doesn't make train the best thing for the dog. Good training is the best for the dog. Now if the owner can give good training that is without doubt the best for the dog. To answer your question about the dog going home to the owner: I agree with you that every day life has it's stress situations, but here the stress is not being evaulated in the same manner as on the Schutzhund field. In every day you don't have a Judge examining the dog's responses. The dog that goes home to their owners, will do so with solid training that helps them greatly in every day life. Recalls and Down alone make life much easier for the owners. Now you do make one valid point. The owner will miss out understanding his dog character as you learn what is deep down inside the dog through training. This is the biggest draw back for some else to train the dog. In this I agree with you 100 precent.

Labs can do schutzhund well. Some Labs that is, and those dog have good genetics as well. I don't care what breed it is, or if the dog is a mutt. The sport is a good test of the dog's character. Some Labs have better character than some GSD, that is why some can do it. Not all Labs can do Schutzhund, not even a high precentage can do the sport. But guess what not all GSD can do schutzhund either.

You also make some good points, and I agree that a dog will not treasure poor training, but they will love the time spent. And no, not all owners are able. But I guess what my point was, is that it is always better to try. It is also a good measure of the dog that overcomes a novice trainer to excell at the sport. On the same track, there are some crap GSD with SchH titles that have been trial trained only and while they look good in the narrow focus of a controlled trial, they really have nothing special to offer the breed at large. So to me, and this is only an opinion, it is the training process that will tell you what you need to know, more so than the actual trial in many cases. Please note that I am not dealing in absoutes here, only speaking generallly. Conversely, I can see where a novice may decide that the dog is truly one in a million and decide that a pro is needed to max out the dog's potential. There are just some things that can only be learned by doing it and all the good intentions in the world will not take a novice through a National unless they are exceptionally gifted. Glad that this is primarily a GSD board, I wouldn't want those Ducks Unlimited people to get too uppity! Lorri

You are dead on the money about the training telling you more about the dog. I agree with you on this 100%. I enjoy schutzhund for the sake of the sport itself. I don't automatically associate Schutzhund titles with breeding. The sport alone is reason to train the dog.

Wardawg, I am kind of new to schutzhund having gotten my first working GSD last year. He is a very nice dog, with tons of drive (maybe too much?). I am finding it very difficult to handle him myself and have toyed with the idea of handing him over to a professional for the initial training and titling. I am currently pregnant and don't have the ability to work him now and something is telling me that after the baby comes I wont have the time to give him what he deserves. We are in a part of the country that doesn't have much in the way of quality professional training so I am interested in hearing more about what you have to offer. I would gladly pay someone else to help me out with him as long as I knew he'd be in a safe and considerate environment. Let me know!