techniques to improve my dogs grip? - Page 1

some background - have an unregistered turned 2 in may gsd. he is bred from working stock as a compound guardian. the breeder has different selection criteria for his dogs than most here would have. having said that the dog is what he is and he has a 3/4 grip and a bit hectic. for what the dog was bought into this world for he is a great young dog, however i have got the training bug and would like to encourage a calmer fuller grip. never had bite development per se, turned 18 months and straight up tested with the view of work from the get go or wash out. it has been a great journey but know i made mistakes.

that's the past, not looking for an internet analysis on my dog just asking for ideas about exercises/techniques that will calm the farm and getting him biting fuller and less hectic just cos i want to progress myself and the dog. prolly going to start with a lot of carry the sleeve and have dog make friends with the decoy.

any advice appreciated.

Without seeing what the dog is doing. It's very hard to make any sort of suggestion.
Are you currently working with a trainer?
Can you get video of what the dog is doing?
What are you using for your current bite work?
Tug toy? Bite pillow? fluffy toy? sleeve?
Fry

wow, i could not find the thread where it was posted and i thought i said sumthin wrong or something. i have a you tube channel with several videos, i will pick one and post. i work with a decoy but only train on aberage once a month due to travel, actually once a month is an overestimate. i use a sleeve and i started using a bite suit arm. the dog bites hard and vicious just not full all the time, some grips are great.

thanks for info.

Honestly i don't have enough experience in this area to offer any thing useful. And i'm not a trainer or decoy for IPO> So i'm hoping someone with real experience will step up and offer to help.
All i can think to suggest to go back to a bite pillow or tug and reward big time for good grips and phooey for lazy grips and stop "playing the game" Only reward for the grips you like.
Hope some else offers to help.
Fry

Generally dogs do not bite their owners the same way they bite a decoy.  I would suggest not doing bite work with your own dog.  Unless you have a lot of experience, know how to work your dog in prey and your dog understands it's a "game" with you; do not do it.  Even dogs with great bite work, calm, full, hard grips on decoys will usually not work the same way, with the same grips on their owner.  It is a different picture and dog's respond differently to a decoy than they do with their owner.  Less training is often better than poor or incorrect training.  Your dog will progress faster with good once a month training than 2 or 3 times a week with you decoying.  If the dog is getting hectic and his bite is diminishing, then my advice is to stop and work solely with a good decoy.  A dog in prey should not be hectic and the bites are generally full.  If your dog is becoming hectic there is some conflict between you and the dog and what you are doing.  

i use a sleeve and i started using a bite suit arm. the dog bites hard and vicious just not full all the time, some grips are great.

I would be cautious if I were you.  You not only run the risk of screwing up the dog's bite work but completely undermining your relationship with the dog.  
 

vk, you have post after post here telling folks what a GSD should be, the bite, the gait, everything. and your GSD can't even get a full bite.


best,
Rik Atchley
 

To be fair, full bites have a huge genetic component to them.  They are largely genetic but can be enhanced with proper training as can lesser bites.  They can also be made worse through faulty or improper training.  Good dogs can be taught to bite harder and fuller, weaker dogs can be taught to bite fuller but not always completely full.  Defensive dogs grip differently than dogs in prey.  Great dogs can also have their bite work diminish or become frantic with the wrong training.  There is a lot involved in developing grip and working dogs, experienced trainers and decoys can read dogs and tailor the training to the specific dog.

Rik, too late, they already have seen it. But that's ok, cause Vk just got some great advice from one of them, who does know his a$$ from a hole in the ground.

ok slam, lets be fair. here is a guy who has been telling the PDB what a GSD should be for several weeks now (s/l, w/l,). and he has to ask about what a bite should be.

I'm guessing he has never had a GSD Sch. 1,2,3. KKL1 or 2.

anyway, you take up for him/her/it anyway want to, but let's not forget this is a forum for folks who know what a GSD should be.

best,
Rik Atchley

thanks for comments, all food for thought, Rik anyone can look at the thread and think say what they want?????   yes i am extending my training skills which were basic but enough to do a job.

i want to better myself and my dog - so what up?

most serious folks i meet are nothing but helpful, the lesser folks maybe not.