Vandal's first water training for SAR - Page 3

Now Thats what I'm talking bout!!  A HydroPlane.............

i love all the pictures.  dawgs, keep on truckin' my friend.  i appreciate all of you folk who are prepared to save the rest of our sorry asses when disaster rears it's ugly head. 

nancy;  even though i don't do search and rescue i think the answer to water too small for a jonboat is as obvious as the nose on a face....the rescue chihuahua as depicted in the photo.

Ninja-that's so last year! Nobody uses green swim goggles anymore!!!!!

Nancy, it seems everytime I post anything on here about training I get someone who trains a different way and insinuates that their way is the only way to train. Ridiculous.  That is why I gave the reaction I did.  I'm very tired of trying to explain that there are other methods and groups that work.

I didn't say the dogs play together when we go out to play. I said we all take our dogs and go play. Our dogs are, believe it or not, also socialized and obedient.  Some of our dogs do see each other in a "social" way at times when at each others houses but are certainly able to go to work when it's time and keep their minds on work not the other dog. We have two heelers that hang out in the same exercise pen when not working (different owners) and are in basecamp for a couple of days  but don't give each other a glance when working the same area. My boy is incredibly focused on a track but is downright obnoxious wanting other dogs to play at the park. Which I don't allow because I don't know those dogs.  They are capable of adapting and working when they're supposed to work.

I'm just really amazed, here. It seems like your dogs aren't able to play on a boat because they'll never work on a boat? Play with a dog because they'll never work next to a dog? Play at anything other than searching because, well who knows why that would be the case. I'm glad I'm in with a group that sees our dogs as part of our everyday lives and maybe we're just incredibly lucky because we have dogs that know when to work and when to play.

As far as kayaks go, they can be used on lakes, ponds we don't have a lot of running streams here in the southern part of az except during monsoon and then it isn't safe to go in them.  They are very helpful for when a small lake or pond is too low fora motor and we don't want to paddle a jon boat all over it. Also, there are ponds that are not accessable by vehicle. Especially cow ponds. A kayak can be taken in on a quad; a boat can't.

The dogs who work on kayak alert or show interest and then the handler will circle the area or spin around, whatever the dog indicates.  Handlers watch for head snaps, barks, one smaller dog will sit up and lift one paw, small alerts but ones the handler is aware of.

If your dog can't handle other dogs then don't let him interact. If your dog can handle other dog interaction then do it if you feel like it. 

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As for me once I understood all the facts and the level of the dog I saw Dawgs was just having some fun!

If you are in water rescue your dog better be ok with getting wet and accidents can and do happen so this was actually excellent even if just having fun.  Don't want a "pattern" trained dog on a real rescue mission.

I really don't know what is getting under your skin!

Some different point/counterpoint and altering opinoins about training dogs for water search and you are taking things very personal. 

My dog?  No he has the best social skills of any dog I know bar none.  He is not scared of any dog. He is not aggressive towards any dog. He will sniff them, but is not playful with them and he is perfectly aloof with stranger people but not shy or aggressive.  If a a dog is rude to him, even snaps in his face, he just walks away. If they get too pushy {like trying to go over his shoulders) he will give them a warning bark and they back off.

My point was I have seen other teams where the dogs played together and I felt it was deterimental to their performance. Our team does not have our dogs playing together . I do not think police do that with their dogs either. He does not have a need for "dog friends" - a lot of people with working dogs don't let their dogs "play" together. Sorry if you think we are missing out on something. Sorry if you think that somehow reflects a performance issue.

I am sorry if you think he has a very unenriched life. He loves to work. He loves to climb. I like to set up problems on bulldozers and construction equipment and in tunnels and all kinds of odd places because he loves it so much.  But when we go out in the car, it is to train. He loves to train. We train several times a week. We have done many socialization trips when he was younger. We set up problems in starnge and unusual situations. Why do you think he needs to go just chill out at the lake or whatever?

You really need to lighten up and not take things so personally.  I just won't comment on any of your posts.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Dawgs,

What a nice looking dog you have! Looks like you both really enjoy working together.

PS, Did Abhay charge you to post those pictures? LMAO

Yes! There is a charge. Dawgs knows my weakness. The fee is, 3 Cheesy Dbl Beef Burritos, and a Mango-Strawberry Frutista Freeze.  Dawgs knows I can't resist, thinking outside  the Bun.   I'm a Cheap Date.