too much dog? - Page 2

Yes there is such thing as too much dog...but as others have stated its more of a handler issue.  My club has a dog who is balls to the wall over the top, a constant struggle for control during proteciton.  The dog actually goes after the reciever to the e-collar in the handlers hand, he actually has to wear welding gloves and scratch pants for bitework (nuff said). 

This dog is this handlers' first SchH dog, he's fought a long hard road to get this dog titled (the end is finally in sight) but if this dog was raised and trained by someone else with more experience and certain things addressed and taken care of at critical times in this dogs life, many people in the club feel that it could or would have been a different story.

The handler himself has also said that he thinks if he would have trained the dog more in motivation than force he would have had less of a power struggle.   He says that force training created conflict that woudln't have been an issue if he was trained with motivation.

I really don't have the experience to judge this situation, just sharing what I've witnessed and shared the opinions of others.

Was at a training club awhile back and a little college girl (probably 95 lbs.) showed up with this HUGE Czech working dog that daddy had bought for her to protect her while she was away at college.  To top it off the dog only knew commands in Slovak, which the girl had no idea.  She never came back to the club, wonder if the dog had her for breakfast.  Definitely a case of too much dog!

I believe there can be cases of too much dog.  I cannot work our males at the field.  I had a back injury when Abe was young and couldn't start him, by the time I was better, he was big and my husband had him so far along I was not able to step in and take over.   I can handle and take him anywhere I want to away from training.  That's okay, I have one I can work.

Cleats and knowing how to hold the line go a long way in controlling the dog in the beginning stages. I was able to successfully work my first male, who I outweighed by 15 pounds, by a combination of this and tie outs on the pole. I also lifted weights at one point. It is important that the helper know exactly how far the dog can get with the lunging, otherwise they cannot work your dog properly.  If women want to work big males, then you'd better learn how to use your hips and legs, not your arms!

ProudShepherdPoppa- kinda like the same situation I had with my boy.  He's huge and I'm little. lol  His commands were in Slovak and this was also a struggle with the language barrier.  I speak greek fluently but this wasn't gonna help me out. lol  But I had no choice to figure things out and get the training I needed to handle him. I hope for the girls sake she found another resource to train or learn how to handle her boy otherwise that's an accident waiting to happen.

4pack- now be nice!  We finally get someone on here that is behaving and extends a compliment and welcome and now we gotta bring alterior motives into it...lol  Hey you think he'd have chocolate for me?  DR has chocolate you know. lol

Knowing him he will have Jr Mints. Besides he is a shameless flirt when it comes to chicks. It's all good though.

Safety should be the first consideration, for her, the helper, and everyone within biting range.

It's not a size issue - it's a control issue.  If it's just a question of the dog dragging her around, then put the dog on a backtie or get someone else to hold the line.  On the other hand, if the woman can't control her dog, that's dangerous for everyone involved.  At our club we had to implement a "no control, no training" policy.  We've enforced it twice, once with a woman who was not small, but too soft with her pushy, dog aggressive female, and also with a guy who was practically afraid of his own dog. 

Lack of control in bitework is a serious issue.  It's NOT "cool" to have a dog "on the ragged edge of control" - it's foolish.  It's not worth somebody getting hurt.  I've got 12 stitches and a long scar on my right arm from a fear biter that got away from his handler's control, so yes I an very serious about this issue.

Yvette

Jr Mints?  Hmmm....I think he'll have to come with something better than that like Godiva chocolates or something. lol

Agar,

unfortunately, he's not the chocolates and roses kinda guy. Jr Mints are cheap. I buy them for myself but am lucky to get a few before they are gone.