Bite Work training before pup is a year? - Page 2

Fawn, each dog has their own style when doing a hold and bark.  Some of this can be tweaked and trained but sometimes it cannot.  Some dogs will never sit, some will sit and bark, some will "ground pound" with their front feet, some will actually jump....it just depends on the dog and their frame of mind.  My previous young dog was a ground pounder but we didn't start his hold and bark until he was 18 months old.  We worked him a few times as a puppy (not much because of teething and he was a bite of a late bloomer with prey drive) and once he was a year he got worked occasionally so he was understanding some of the foundation and then at 18 months I started his hold and bark (first hold and bark training session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXjtcNABUtw).  Some dogs pound quite hard and this particular dog would pound holes through the grass into mud but again, he was not really a puppy (though he looks young) and already had his hips and elbows x-rayed and certified at that point.

Also for another angle on this, the bark and hold in the blind is actually pressure for the dog and often not truly worked on with serious intent until the dog is well over a year old, since it is pressure and you don't want to over face the dog.

The 'biting' of the sleeve you mentioned in your original post with your question, can be all prey/fun/play and done with a younger dog.   The bark and hold and thus the 'bouncing' you are now showing concern about is done with an older dog.

Susie said it best but to reiterate you are never going to gain an understanding of the nuances of Schutzhund unless you get out to a club, watch the work done and ask questions of the work you are seeing first hand.

Thanks all.  I am going outside, just was seeing some things that did not appear consistent.

Cirberus is coming along well in her training; at least for the training that I know how to do.  Bite work/ any protection training is way out of my league.  I will definitly get a professional in that area.  I was just waiting, as I was thinking that was something to hold off until late this spring, when she is at least 1 year.  I will start looking for the trainer sooner than later.

Thanks again.

Is there no club around? You need to see different dogs, different techniques, everything...
Sorry, but I don´t believe in "trainers" until I know them..

Not really.  Nearest club is over 100 miles away.  Reception was luke warm at best; most of it is my issue, as I do not do well in crowds (more of the wall flower type).  I am working on it.   There is another trial in March that I am planning on attending.

I too am very picky about trainers.  I have a number of people on this forum that I like their over all view on life, but talking them into coming to Texas, just hasn't happened.

Now that I know that I do not need to wait...  I will start expanding my trainer search.  I am going to try the Austin area next (I know how to get around that area better than Houston).

The bark and hold that you see a lot of dogs doing is not properly trained. A lot of people allow their dogs to bounce and work themselves up and pull and strain against the collar..no thanks. I believe in box training and a lose leash on the collar. As long as the dog stays on the inside of the box  doing its bark, life is good, pulling or jumping outside, the dog gets a correction. I also dont believe that the dog should decide when to bite the helper in the blind either...makes for sloppy work. Done properly, this work has no effect on any joints.

You should ask people on this board, if there are any clubs or interested working dog owners in your surrounding.
As long as you know nothing about training a trainer doesn´t make much sense...

Fawn,
With all of the activities that you could do with your dog, why bite work?  What makes you think that your dog can or will want to do bite work?  Protection work is not for every dog and few dogs have the genetics, drive, nerves and temperament to do it.  

I am not fully on board with the bite work.  As we have talked in the past, Slam, I am leaning away from it.  I am not ready to shut the door yet, though.  Just keeping my options open.  As many have pointed out, and I fully agree, I really need to see more.  Seeing more is more of a challenge than I thought it would be.  I love living way out in the country, but it has its draw backs. 

At this point, all I have is books and the internet and limited youTube.  Hands on is what I really need; both to get a true eval on Cirberus and some training on me for what to do and not do.  I had put any bite work on the shelf and was concentrating on getting BH and obedience down pat.  Then I started to pay closer attention to when many people were starting the bite work; seems to be definitly sooner than 15 months (age for BH).   So, I am back to the point that I need an experienced trainer sooner than I orginally thought.