How can you really assess a dogs nerves? - Page 1

If a dog wont back down to a threatening decoy? or if a dog wont go into avoidance. what determines how good the dogs nerves are

You MUST have experience...

How much experience do you have in Training Dogs?

This can be a long discussion and everyone will have a different opinion on what constitutes sound nerves, but, here is mine. A dog that deals with the world without anxiety, without worry, a dog that faces life and everything in it without reservation is a sound nerved dog.
Facing a helper and not backing off can be based on many other things, one of them being a nerve issue, but, not the only reason.

i have 6 years. you could say im fairly new i know the basics but there are a few holes i have missing in my training like this question. heres my issue. i got a dog that wont back down hes an apbt and he bites hidden sleeve and does muzzle work but if i go to harsh on him he will cower and act all scared and be done for a little bit? i dont understand this . maybe he was beat before i got him but he does awesome when it comes to other decoys and stress on him from decoy. just when i yell loud cuz he wont out fast enough of something along those lines. he rarely but sometimes will get all sumissive and puss out but if a decoy yells or anything he can to run him off the field my dog wont back down ? what is this and what shud i do to fix it???? and is he ruined or what?

These type of assesments cannot be made online, without looking at the dog, you and your relationship with your dog. It would be irresponsible for someone to suggest anything without having seen all of that. I have no idea how the dog was trained, what drive is it working in, who trained it, how old the  dog is, etc.
Why not find a trainer whom you trust near you and have him look at the dog and see what they think? It will be a lot easier and better for you and your dog.

Good nerves means the ability to work  under physical and psychical pressure,to be safe in different environments,on different surfaces - slippery,heights,water,in dark places,under gunfire.For me it also means that dog can stand the corrections from the hanlder well.

People who truly understand nerves realize how a top show or sport dog may wash out of a police academy. It has to do with a lot more than bite work. Actually environmental work exposes more chinks in nerves than anything in LE. In sport other issues will show nerve weaknesses as the environment is very much controlled. Weaknesses in nerves can often be disguised or hidden with good training, repetitions, familiarity, and good handling. Unfortunately, today many dogs are bred that if pushed or stressed in unfamiliar environments or exercises, the nerve issue would be much easier to see for the less experienced....jmo.

Everyone will have a different definition of what Good/Bad Nerve is simply because everyone has a different idea of what they're looking for...

To me Temperament and Nerve go hand in hand...Although you must see a dog in different environments and situations to know how they'll react to them...Someone with experience can see the same things in different situations...For instance a dog that walks on an icy surface and slips and slids can show signs that are related to their nerve/temperament...Mainly in how they recover to different adverse situations...

So to be able to tell someone what they think Good/Bad Nerve is...is just words unless you have the experience to relate it to the actual evennt/situation...This is why most people will spend much time as an apprentice to someone who knows what they're doing...If you don't have someone that will spend time teaching you then you will only have what others say or what you read...and this can be a very difficult way of learning...And you certainly take the chance of ruining some dogs in the process...

Careful how you think of good nerves and work. I have seen dogs who will not work because they never saw any threat  from the decoy. I call that ''thick nerved'' as opposed to ''thin nerved'' dogs who can not be trusted to preform under stress in the manner they were trained. Too little or too much nerve makes a dog impossible to trust to work. Balance is the key

I agree Q man, that it is difficult to describe nerves especially without seeing performance. I also know that you are right about assessing how a dog recovers to failure or stress is very important. This is one of the things I see in police dog evaluations. I have seen a lot of dogs that if given say a year to work on something they find challenging or obstacle....they would or could be conditioned to passing the standard at a minimum standard. But an important part of the breed is the ability to recover and perform in short fashion. Resiliency and willingness to reengage a failure is something that is important to the breed, yet if you get 3 years to get somewhere, someone can see finished product and not see nerve issue apparent.
But you see less and less of bomb proof nerves these days.