Helper Work - Page 1

Never mind a dog being trained for the sleeve or barking aggressively for prey. Has anyone ever done helper work for a dog that really wants to kill you; and has been carefully trained to focus on the sleeve or bite suit. Many believe they have tough scary dogs but when you see these dogs they go way beyond scary. If working these dogs how best would you suggest insuring the helper safety because you can have equipmetn failures, slip and falls and ....

There are times I feel that my own female is going to be a little tough for me to handle. She tends to switch over to aggression very fast if she is frustrated and I can't get her attention. I'll let one of the stronger guys handle her. An experienced handler can be more dangerous to the helper than the dog itself.

An UNEXPERIENCED Handler (fuhrer)... can be more dangerous than the dog itself... A biting dog is useless if he will not OUT... (aus) That I can say.

I have agitated (helper worked) several dogs that wanted to kill me. One time, the dog (a Great Dane), was dragging his handler across the grass field, land skiing, coming after me and I had to run and close my self in the Great Danes own kennel run, which happened to be the only one with an open door. He started tearing the fencing apart to get me and would not out. Did I mention that this was the first time the dog had been agitated? I walked up to him, the handler said "watch him", I petted the Dane and then pinched him hard on his ear unexpectedly. The handler said "Get him", but it wasn't necessary and probably not even understood by the dog. He was already "getting him" :). That was the start of one of my most scariest moments. There have been a few others that went all out to kill me (I think), or at the very least, make me sing soprano. Smartly, I have never worked a dog that was not leashed, until I knew they knew the "out".

Do right and fear no one. Thank you for the hearty laugh. It paints a picture in my mind. I think an out on a dog that wants to kill you not just bite you may not be very effective. Atleast not in time.

I forgot to mention that this was the handlers personal dog and that we did not expect at that time, for the dog to actually "come up" and I did not have a sleeve with me. We were just in the beginning stages of teaching the "watch him" and the "out". The owner/handler was so enthralled with the way his big buddy was "coming up", that he was smilling as he was skiing across the lawn. I wasn't smiling. I have interviewed many crime victims over the years, who told me how BIG the gun was, that was pointed at them when they were robbed. Most times, when we caught the bad guy, the gun was a .22 or .25 caliber. LOL. Having said that, I can say that Great Danes mouth was as big as the Grand Canyon :)

Do right - that was funny. Thanks for the humor. I know it probably wasn't funny at the time. I've had my own experiences sailing through the air and land-skiing behind a Great Dane when I wouldn't let go of the leash (I'm smarter now) - know how that feels. molly

Out is no problem.with these dogs. They take big bite and spit the sleeve to the side as it is nothing more than a minor distraction. The real problem for these mega serious dogs is to try to figure out how to keep them on the sleeve. Time and good careful work can do wonders. --Bob

sounds like my wifes dog. it is much harder to put prey in an older dog who really wants to fight. for him, i or the other helpers dont put a lot of pressure on him. looking him in the eyes too long can send him over the top. for that matter any type of aggresive stance by the helper will raise him up a level or two. we work him with dead prey. helper doesnt move alot, or create too much excitement. when he gets a bite and wins the sleeve, i dont try to "steal" it away from him. as realcold said the out is not the promblem. we allow him to carry the sleeve as long as he will. thankfully he doesnt let go of the sleeve as long as the helper is wearing it! john

If you have a litter out of this dog I want to know!