When is a dog "Balanced?" - Page 2

I agree with Chaz, too hard to explain on the net. You will learn the more you work. Just listen and soak it up. Good luck

I believe that the word balanced is a dog that can handle every day things and the human world without fear and aggresive behavior . Dogs that are balanced handles everything with a good mental state both sounds , children, cars, can handle strangers and to be examined by the vet and so on

Falkosmom;

Not sure I can use words to describe it just right,
but a dog that is loaded in defense will growl on the
bite if feeling pressure, (that pressure can come in
different forms to a dog, too close to a helper, new
club/field etc etc). The growling will be a higher pitched
type that will escalate as the dog feels more pressure.

In a dog that is well balanced and has a strong fight,
the dog may growl as well, but the tail is wagging ever
so slightly, direct eye contact with the man, and the
growl is one that is deep, and seems to come from
the farthest toenails in the dog   You can usually
really hear it when doing muzzle work. Normally the
very first time someone hears it from a dog, they say
'Holy sh*t that dog sounds evil'.

Hope that makes a little sense.

Excellent description, WD :)

You got what I meant/was trying to say joanro?
Excellent.  It is hard to describe, at least I find
it hard to put into words.

When you see it, you know it. Even a novice
will notice and usually comment on it. 

Barking in a more defensive dog will be erratic, 
usually includes kind of a 'rolling' bark that almost
sounds like a howl. Different body language etc.
High defense dogs will most times be easily distracted
and/or unsettled by a branch snapping, someone
moving a chair etc.

Prey dogs sound like Pit Bulls-high pitched, almost
'puppy like'. Eyes will be locked on the sleeve/toy etc.
The helper can set the sleeve down in the blind and
normaly walk away while the dog continues a very
determined bark/hold.

A dog that is balanced will come in, close usually, 
and barks over the sleeve, or will sometimes even
push the sleeve out of the way. The helper will tell
you with these type of dogs, they play it fair and square,
or they know they will get bit 'for real'. Most will also
tell you that the real 'good ones' make their genitalia
relocate on it's on at times, even if temporarily 

Trying to 'balance' a dog that is one more than the 
other is tough, it's right up there with trying to
'maintain' a full bite on a chewy dog, or shallow
biter. It's something that will be worked on for the
entire competitive career of the dog.

WD, your description of the growls were perfect..I could see in my mind, while reading it, individual dogs of mine and their distinctly different growls. When a person hears these differences, I would think it is primitive memory that tells them which of the dogs to "fear". Good job :)

WD, excellent description.  Thank you

WD's description of a balanced dog w/higher fight fits Nadeem's dog's dam to a "T". I've had more than one helper say nearly those exact words to me. I think I even have pics of her evil eye-contact stare w/the TD. Excellent description for people to identify (or not) with.

GSDPACK

pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffft


f*cking 'sport dog'     








 

one problem, my sound card must be shot,
I couldn't 'hear' the growls