how many of you do your own helper work?? - Page 1

I was wondering how many of you trainers out there to the beginning bite work with your own dogs?? I am talking about teaching the dog to bark for the toy (sleeve) how to bite the sleeve, ect..just the prey/chase stuff....not the defence. I have so many dogs that I am working right now and it is getting very expensive to have the private lessons. I am not happy with most club helpers out there....we have one head trainer with the club but all the others are still learning...and timing is BIG at this stage in the training. I have been told that you shouldn't do the helper work with your own dog as this will confuse the dog...but I have ordered the 'beginning bite work with your puppy' from Leerburg and really like it. It all makes sense to me. And I have great timing don't know why I couldn't do this with my dogs..and then just do private lessons when it is time for defense. Heather

I do my own helper work up until the pup is about 12 months old, then i feel that they are ready for a strange helper. I work my pups purely in preydrive, teach them hold and bark, escape and ect... I dont argree with the statement that it will confuse your dog, you just have to know what you are doing, so look up some info and talk to some people and do your thing!

There are some very experienced helpers out there who may be able to do some of their own bitewoek... some are forced by necessity to do so... But for most who are not experienced in reading a dog, especially a young dog and working on developing good grips, there will be conflict later... have seen it time and time again... Unless you are very gifted and have a natural talent, I think you could be asking for trouble later... Most young dogs only need short infrequent sessions... Het do you belong to a club?? You pay by the dog? How many are you talking? one person can only do so many dogs especially whenyou are talking obedience and tracking.... I can understand the private lessson burden but I would definitely talk to my helper if there are a number of dogs I'd like worked...Some could sit while some get worked etc..... We pay by the session for privates .... how is yours set up?

Hi Heather, you can definately do alot of bite developement on your own dogs. As stated before, keep all of the work in prey drive. Keep in mind that younger dogs may have sensitive teeth so you do not want any pain associated with grip work. I personally like the leerburg tapes with Bernhard Flinks. The tapes have some very good information and exercise for grip developement. Kyle

het, What is your email?

Hello all, I am working about 4 dogs right now...one is older 6 years (working/show) she is going for her sch1 in November and is ready she will only be worked by my helper. I have a black female (working) that is 15 months and we have done very little bitework with her...she is very high drive and gets overturned very quickly. I have a black sable male (working)6 months old, that is very much like the black female but even more. Then I have a show female that is 2 that I am starting. I have been training dogs for 23 years in obediance, show and pet(for other people) I have worked with alot of dogs, and have very good results. I have also worked with dogs that this is their last chance befor they are put down...ie they are aggressive or just so out of control that no one wants them. (I do volenteer work for rescues, all different breeds) I started training dogs when I was 10 years old, and acctually do have a natural talent for it. My first dog that was a pug, was even taught to do sent retrieves...this blew everyone away that ever saw him and me work...and the big thing that was said is that I have great timing. I have been in and out of sch for 8 years, because of club or helper problems. I can sit back and watch and can tell when the dog should have been given the bite, I can tell when someones timing is off. I do the private lessons because Ken White is so good and pretty much the only person in this area that I know can work all my types of dogs without screwing any of them up. I pay $25 per lesson per dog...so about $100 a week. And I have some younger dogs that are not being worked because I just can't afford much more...oh and he is about an hour away from me....we are working the dogs in the morning so it does make for a very early day. I have lights here at the house and would be abel to work them at night. I know this is something that I can do.. I was mostly wondering who did do this and some of the benifets/drawbacks that you have come across. Heather

draggahaus@yahoo.com

Yes, I do a lot of my own...out of necessity. I'm our club helper, but our other helper doesn't show up to training enough for me to get any real work in on my dogs. Luckily, my wife also trains and handles dogs and is a club member, so she handles and I do the helper work for our dogs.

Het -- hi -- i would like to tell you --- some of the leerburg tapes are very good !! i have seen many of your [posts and i believe you know enough about dogs to put foundation in -- i start my pups off 8 weeks -- little different then Sch -- -- i teach then 1- to case fast [ later it transfers to entry ],2. to bite full ,3. to bite hard and 4. to focus ,-- what i mean by focus is that is if you must go up a step -- then climb to bite , if you must jump into water then do it to bite , if you are on a different surface, so what ,chase and bite and if there is a bulldozer present , again , chase and bite , and if the material is differnet then no big deal .. bite -- all in play , fun , prey and the pup always is set up to succeed > ALWAYS * -- 5.- very early i condition the pup 8, 10 , 12 weeks of old to be very very comfortable to play and jump , in / on someone to get their toy / bite .. so Het -- i think that you can do the same -- i would be glad to give you my input or comments --you are welcome to send me your e-mail and then i will confidentiually send to you mine and tel # if you have questions /inquiries

Het,you will be fine till courage/fight needs to be tested,you can never test for this if you are the hand that feeds them.Then seek Ken White for this. kind regards,Ken