Wrong Start? - Page 2

DOH!

Thank you Sheesh and Snajper69 ,you give me very useful advise, I still confuse why the tug in my hand can interest her not the helper?In puppyhood only me play with her, is the owner never be the role of helper  in his dog?

In my club, the helpers are never the decoys for their own dogs, but I don't know if this is superstition or what. What on earth were you doing with your puppy, training her on the sleeve? It's fine to play tug-of-war with your puppy, the more the better. Well, not during teething.  How long have you been taking your puppy out to protection work? Maybe she'll take a few times to warm up to it, especially (OH GOD HERE IT COMES) if she is show lines. Just what I've seen in our club!

 My 13 month old male has never been worked. He has only played ball and tug with me. He has had a sleeve in his mouth once and that was when he picked it up off the ground. He has been observing and that is it.  He has been hit with a stick...since he was 12 wks. I have no doubt that he will bite the sleeve when I think he's ready...no matter who puts it on. 

The helper isn't interesting to your dog and it has nothing to do with the helpers movement. You may want to work on suspicion work before bite work!

 

ron


 

I do agree that the dog will let you know when he/she is ready! More dogs sre ruined by starting too soon!

"Clifford thinks that well bred GSD's don't bite." end quote.

Hmmm. What do they do, then?

Petoasis,
I haven't read every post on this thread so perhaps someone has made this suggestion:

Have a third party hold the leash, on handler post.  You get the dog excited for the tug and work the dog giving the dog a bite.  You tug with the dog and have the person holding the leash run with the dog in a circle after you release the tug.  You praise the dog and repeat.  When the dog has a good grip like Ron's puppy in the photos above have the decoy come up and you pass the tug to the decoy.  The decoy now plays tug and begins to work your dog.  When the dog fights hard for the tug the decoy releases and the person holding the leash runs with the dog. 

If I was the decoy and I couldn't get your dog to work for me, (it happens) I'd have the handler work the dog in prey teaching the dog the game.  When the dog was bititng I would approach and take the tug from you and work the dog and slip the tug.  After a few sessions the dog should learn the game and the decoy can work the dog and you can handle the dog. 

There could be many contributing factors to this issue, low drive, decoy inadvertantly pressuring the dog too much, etc.  Or just bringing in an older pup that doesn't know the game.  Some dogs that have had a lot  of "no bite" as young pups need extra help to realize that they can bite the tug.  I may also try putting the tug on a long line and having the decoy toss it to the dog making it move quickly away from the dog.

I would stop playing with the dog at home if you are new to SchH.  I don't know your experience level, but sometimes more harm than good is done by owners with good intentions working their own dogs at home. 

I would start by transitioning the tug to the decoy from the handler if the dog will bite it for you.  It's a slower progression but it should work and teach the dog the game.

JMO FWIW,

Jim