Teaching the long attack - Page 2

Hi Chris:  Yes it was FMBB,  it was not last year?   Anyway it's good to hear the dog was not put down and that he and all the others are still competing.  This thread reminded me of that trial, but I have not been able to find that video anywhere,  which is weird because it was all over the net for a while after the trial.  No matter, I'm sure everyone remembers those catches. 

Here you go Sue.

http://www.octaviusmalidaj.cz/video_ze_soutezi/MSBO_kolize.wmv

knowing how to catch a dog properly plays a major role in it.  some helpers only know how to catch a dog one way.  by that i mean they will always turn to the right or left.   YOU must learn to Read a dog and know which direction he wants to take YOU.    if the helper is unable or unwilling to be able to read the dog and go in the direction the dog wants to take him, then your choices are simple.  slow your dog down, or find a new helper.

john

I not going to talk about the teaching end of it because their are many theories on this topic. What I will talk about is two things.

One: Those dogs at the WUSV were the best from their countries and ours, I know the courage test is what people want to see and most novice place high value (VALUE is the second thing I want to talk about) on that part of the protection routine. We have to keep in mind that you/we were watching their dogs and wishing our dogs were coming down the field flying or gathering on the long bite.

Two: Value, did you know the courage test is only worth 10pts? Same as the blind seach the re-attack after the excape and the courage test is were the big money points are. If my dog gathers on the long bite 1 MAYBE 2pts are gone and all else is excellent  98, 99. Terry Macias Dog was a fraight train for sure and was one of my favorite to watch but never really score those kind of numbers at national events. 

My points are if a dog gathers it doesn't always mean he is lacking in courage and the dogs for the most part at the WUSV came very nice I agree their were no fliers but they came fast and direct. I know I was there wishing my dog could run down that field and fly or gather.

Wallace Payne 2008 United States Team Alternate

how much influence would "playing games" with the dog in training ie trying to make them miss by changing position at the last minute have on the dog gathering up?

also on a separate note I have seen a mal that I expect to snap its own neck because it comes into the bite suit with such "reckless abandon" and invariabley twists its head and neck at a nasty angle.  The dog comes in high takes an inside shoulder bite and its body inertia causes the head and neck to go around more than is normal.

Just a question why would you want a dog to lunch 6 feet away from the helper? I train with people that do PPD and they never teach a dog to do that. Why? They want to make sure that the dog never misses in a real situation. I know it looks nice, but other than that what is the need for it, if in a real situation it would be completely inefective? Thanks. BTW just asking a question.

Something i have noticed is that the presentation is not very high.  At my club the presentation is at chest level or higher and im 6'3. All the dogs have to earn there bite by coming up for it, not being fed the bite. That is just my opinion. I am not saying the decoys are bad because i wish  one day i can be as good as them but that is someting that i have seen alot of. low presentation that is.

Not sure how much courage is involved in a courage routine when it is a excercise a dog has done a million time prior to this point.and  knowes exactly what will take place,he is just going for his prey to bite it. Now on the other hand if you are really worried about a dogs  courage  wheather he has it or not once a dog has left his handler to go and tackle something that is a true picture of courage,because if a dog is scared or weak nerves wont leave his handler so the rest is just a training issue as to how much someone trained their dog to fly and catch his prey. remember fear never makes you go forward always make you go the other way. hope this help. have a nice one.

Quote: remember fear never makes you go forward always make you go the other way.

I can get philosophical about this and say, that if this were true there is no such thing as courage. Courage is the ability to go forward through a perceived threat. If a dog can only retreat from a threat that makes him fearful, then how can he be courageous?

There are three ways for an organism to react to fear. Fight, flight and/or freeze. A dog can be very fearful and still go forward to bite someone. Have you ever heard of a fear biter?

You can also, through training, teach a dog that his only way to escape his fear is to go forward and bite.