Sport versus Work - Page 3

Blitzen stop the badgering It makes no difference to this discussion what type of dog anyone owns.

Sorry, Black, you don´t need to answer - never forget: You are talking to women...

Joan, I am not sure they really know "the difference".
The most stressful jobs for dogs are S&R, scent detection, and real herding.
Thinking about modern patrol dogs for example, most of them sleep in the car for most of their "duty" time, they are not "working" for 8 hours, maybe less than 1 hour/day, and that´s perfectly okay. They have to be present "in case".

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You don't have to own at the moment an animal to give sound advice on training or experiences

 

Susie yes you have to read back I tell you There are dogs who getting old here
also retired police and military dogs. Yes I have training dogs in sport routine, I have
worked with dogs in miltary and security but I.m open minded and not only focus to one breed
,sport or other working dogs program , But what I also said this have nothing to do with this topic
so if you or other people have questions you can PM me , so we can stay on topic.

 

BlackMalinois  I hope you stay with this discussion.  I think your experiences have much to offer.  Do not let one person chase you off.

Susie; Joan, I am not sure they really know "the difference".
The most stressful jobs for dogs are S&R, scent detection, and real herding.
Thinking about modern patrol dogs for example, most of them sleep in the car for most of their "duty" time, they are not "working" for 8 hours, maybe less than 1 hour/day, and that´s perfectly okay. They have to be present "in case".


Yes, this is what 'expected to be on the job' is.....unlike an agility dog, for example, who generally goes to the training field and goes through routine, then done.

A true working dog with a job like S&R the dog can be actively working for hours and then rested, and back to work again. But the service dogs, like for the blind, I would think that dog must have the mentality that every time their charge stands to ambulate, must be mentally engaged for the 'job' and not needing prep like tossing a ball or biting a tug for them.

"But the service dogs, like for the blind, I would think that dog must have the mentality that every time their charge stands to ambulate, must be mentally engaged for the 'job' and not needing prep like tossing a ball or biting a tug for them."

Different jobs, different conditions.
The "trigger" for a blind guard dog is the handlebar of the harness. It´s trained behavior like every job dogs are doing for us.

S&R dogs are conditioned to toys, they want the same reward as the IPO dog.

I understand what you want to say, but I really believe dogs don´t differentiate between the "jobs" they do.
Maybe I underestimate their abilities, but normally a dog is a combination of character and drives, they are acting either out of nature (survival ) or nurture / training ( in the best case based on the dog`s drives ).

I agree with you Susie, but the op asked if there is a difference between a working dog and a sport dog, or is it semantics....my answer is yes there is a difference. If I needed a seeing eye dog, I would not look to a IPO dog for the job. Its more than semantics, being as a champion IPO dog cannot be equated t the work a S&R dog does.
Of course there are 'triggers' for when actually 'work' begins and the dog with a job must be there, mentally and physically...with tons of training to qualify him for the job. To me IPO and agility, etc. are sport/play ( no life depends on the dog's performance)
A dog with a real job is many times being depended upon for life or survival and safety of beings....

 

A bomb detection in a war zone work also for a toy but you can,t compare  them with a IPO
tracking dog on sunday morning on a green field.

many different conditions and distractions ( noises and scenses )much different surfaces, day and night detection for hours and hours in the burning sun, a lot of stress you need a dog with nerves from steel,stable  good focus very high drives who don,t give up .