raising a schutzhund pup as a pet? - Page 3

Not to mention that usually these "trained" dogs usually know the commands ONLY on the trial field with a tug in one hand. Out of that context, they have no idea what sit means. On a busy street, near another dog, with a car coming and a baby stroller, what is "sit"? Most older dogs sold as "personal protection dogs" can't even walk on the leash.

Changer The "to make me feel and look good" was a joke. If you read my posts, that is all I do is joke and have a good time. But, where do you get "than maybe you are babying along a low drive dog in an effort to get more"? Most of the dogs I know in kennels are there because they are super high drive dogs purchased for competition. They would make horrible house pets. I kind of enjoy my home with my two young children. i leave the homeliving to my dog with the least amount of drive and energy. I'm not saying he is a slug, but the dogs we are talking about that get you on the National podium are non-stop. I apologize for everyone that made you feel like your shot at getting on the podium was impossible. Anything can happen! I also wanted to ask who has a dog that washes out at the age of six? If you have not figured out that the dog was garbage by the time he was two, then you need to spend more time in the house with him. Hell at six years old, retirement is right around the corner. Maybe this is the time to bring him in the house to live out the remainder and fill that empty kennel spot with your new pal.

Changer I don't know what got your panties in a bunch, but most of the people on here are trying to give constructive advice. Get A Real Dog made a good point that if you're not worried about making the world team, then whatever is fine. I agreed with him. That doesn't mean that it can't happen! I wonder how many of the top trainers, who are usually up there, have their dogs in the house. The next time I talk to Ivan or Mike Diehl, Ill ask them.

Most people don't mean the "to make me feel and look good" phrase as a joke. It's very nice for your ego to own and handle the top placing dogs, even if you have purchased an import Sch 3. The babying the dog in low drive phrase is because many people can't or won't train a dog with high drives to be good in the house. It can be done. I have super high drive dogs purchased for competition myself. Not everyone keeps them outside full time. What I take exception to is the blanket statement that if a dog is kept as a house dog, he or she can't be a top competition dog. As you just said, anything is possible. Super high drive dogs make horrible house pets when they are not trained to be good in the house. Read my other posts for my constructive criticism. Dogs wash out at age six when someone has trained an "out" problem and finally admits they cannot fix it, when the obedience has been trained too forgy and jumpy and they finally admit they can't fix it, when the dog just quits the track and no amount of correction is going to make it complete the track. Plenty wash out at age two but the good ones with bad training wash out at age 6.

Changer, what are you calling top competition? You stated, "I don't have to isolate them from other dogs and from each other to make them like me and want to work for me." It has nothing to do with liking you, a human emotion/need, it has to do with pack animals and their instinct to bond with their own kind and their need to establish pack order. You will always come in third after the two animals of the same species. Do you train schutzhund dogs or just buy them?

If SchH got in the way of raising a healthy, happy dog who can live in your house (where his protection matters) then SchH would have to change. Raise him in the house because that's what he deserves, and don't sweat the points.

I don't think it's a question of what the dog deserves. I see many happy dogs that live in kennels. I think what is important is the quality & type of attention/training they get. I do think it's a good idea to allow them some supervised house time, but more for the variety than anything else.My dog is a house dog, and that's more for me than for him. I also know I am sacrificing points because of it. Lets not forget that there are many neglected house dogs!

Get a real dog, posted under 4-pack... You said... There are Zero benefits to raising a competition dog in the house, You say this as an absolute. I strongly disagree...and feel you are misleading many people who read this thread. I would preffer to say each circumstance should be approached very independantly. If your competition dog also "must" interact with family members then I would say there would absolutely be a benefit to raising that dog in the home. I'm not saying dog in home 24/7 only out to go potty, I'm saying normal lifestyle, outside for "doggy" time all day/majority of the day, inside for family time in the evenings, mornings and so on. The benefit... An appropriate "family member" Changer makes some very valid observations about dogs "kept in kennels" knowing commands on every day basis. My dogs know commands inside the home and on the sch field, I much preffer it that way, I guess some would not. Again to each his own in his/her opinion, However to blanket statement NO benefit is arogant and very misleading to the individual seeking advice here. However this is just my OP on the subject.

Something further to Ponder... A wolf pack... The alpha's dictate much of the pack activity, and some members of the pack are stronger than others. However each member has an important role to play and each member is asked to "Multi task" when it comes to "pack duties" ie. rearing pups, boundry patrol, hunting, century duties, and the most crucial Pack Protection !! To tell someone to Limit the dogs duties, and to Limit the bond to the "pack" / "family" is not right by the dog or the family in my estimation. what is to gain from such limitations ?? You see "lines" limited to this and that all the time, the most diverse dog of all these dogs regardless of "Lines" is the Pet !!! The Pet dog is asked to endure multi tasking every day, it is maybe shown in obedience, or asked to play ball with the kids, or serve as a guardian for the home, but typically all of the above and so much more. The "pet" dog is a multi tasking bonded "pack member" / family member that is capable of performing many instinctive duties. Much more so than the "working" dog raised in the manner of which you speak. Suppressing bonds, instincts, and capabilities of the Multi Tasking Canid just does not make alot of sense to me. Maybe it's not about this or that line, maybe it's more about what you do or don't do with the individual dog. And suppressing the bond in my OP could be the most dangerous limitation our dogs could endure. No bond in the wolf packs would mean certain death for them.

A dog is neither wolf nor human. When you start to look at a dog for what it is you will have a chance of understanding and properly train it. You have never titled a dog (and never will) and often mislead people with your "sage advice." You make up stuff as you go along and most of it makes little or no sense. You are doing the new people a great disservice