Catching/sleeving your own dog? - Page 2

Good info being shared.

I feel that (1) it depends on the dog as you know its personality. (2) I think it also depends on whether or not you are training for sport or PP. 

My PP won't hit the sleeve if I use it as he thinks it just play time and wants to be petted.  Therefore I don't do it with him and just wait till I see my trainer.

My 7 month old Sport dog I do.  He only targets the sleeve and likes bitting it and I also use it to work on his out as it is less strain on my arm and wrist compared to when I use a tug.  Take off the sleeve and that is the end of it.

I agree with Jim and ron that it is all done in prey and none in defense.

My advice:
If you aren't an expert at helper work, DON'T.

if your working in prey its no problem at all , the dog doesnot care if he is biting a tug , cloth , pillow or sleeve

I was once rewarding a dog in obedience with  a bite on pillow , and was asked to stop doing that for obed.
took my next dog and rewarded with biteroll , that was no problem
stupid , prey is prey , no matter the reward

Better not to with PPD dog the decoy is the bad guy or gal period . Even in prey better for the dog to understand that you are the handler not the decoy IMO

I do agree with the people that have been told by trainers to not take bites from your own dog, you definitely shouldn't.  Raymond, you are correct....for many reasons you should never take a bite from your own dog. 

I also agree with those experienced members that have done it, it is no big deal done properly. 

Jim

IT really depends on the dog and the handler. Inexpeerienced should NOT. Experienced sometimes should not. Sometimes I should NOT

(LOL).

Like has been said before: it completely depends on the dog, the purpose, and the handler.

Lots of pet owner-trainers say "never play tug with your dog, it'll teach him to be dominant and then he won't be a good pet." That, as most working owners know, is hogwash. We start our dogs by encouraging a good game of tug, and letting the pup win. Doesn't make a dog mean, or turn him into a dominating monster who takes over the house.

Same thing with taking a hit from your own dog. Of course it depends on the dog and what you're working him for. I've taken hits from most of my dogs at one point or another, either with someone else holding their leash so to speak, or just solo play. With them, it's no different than playing a bit of tug, except I'm wearing the tug, rather than swinging it. I also agree that inexperienced people should not do it, especially not those idiots who think it's macho to have a biting dog, and think if it bites them, it'll engage someone else.

I'm sure everyone's heard that tale about the male who would train his dog to bite his arm on command, thinking he was making a PPD. When someone came to his door and threatened him for real, he gave the dog the bite command. The dog did exactly what it had been trained to do: it turned around and bit the owner on his arm.

I think what matters most is how the dog works.  Some people "get their dog for" this or that, but that's not really how the dog actually works.  I got a dog for Schutzhund and guess what, he's a defense dog, hardly any prey drive in his bitework, he bites for real and it is not some chase or tug game.  We still do SchH and will title no problem but I've moved on to some other venues of protection that are more our style.  The only reason he bites the sleeve at all is because his foundation work has taught him that bite SLEEVE = diffuse the threat.  My husband was trying some helperwork once and had a sleeve at home to practice presentation in the mirror (hehe) and the dog could not have cared less that he was messing around with a sleeve on.  If I want to play prey games with my dog, we play fetch, flirtpole, tug.  Doing bitework with my own dog?  Absolutely wouldn't work because he won't do it, I'm not a threat to him, and if I made enough threat to *actually* work him, then how would I then expect him to work for ME and protect me?  But, if you've got a prey dog that doesn't see it that way and you know what you're doing, I guess go for it.

I got a young dog awhile back that the previous owner told me would not stay on the bite at all even when he himself was holding thee sleeve, tug or whatever. I didnt want to test him myself but eventually I wanted to see what the deal was. I dont know what the other guy was doing but he does great for me on the bite. 

I would also say that if it is a GSD that is more play/prey you could get away with it. If it is a Mali then you better know what you are doing cause they are gonna be different even on someone they know than a GSD. It is a lot easier to get hurt with a Mali or dutch if you try to do bitework on yourself than it is with many GSDs IMO.

I have done it with my dogs...I have never noticed a problem..