How do you determine when a helper is very good? - Page 1

What do you look for when determining if a helper is experienced, knowledgable and safe to work your dog?  What type of things do you look for that would make you uncomfortable about the way a particular helper is working dogs?  I've heard some people have allowed someone else to handle their own dog while they put on a disguise and did their own protection training that way....my husband has told me in all the years of growing up in a house where shutzhund training was done and his mother taught he never heard of this to be recommended or advisable.  I was told that if you are an experienced trainer you can work your own dog this way but most people have told me they would never allow their dog to bite them even if it was just for the purpose of training for sport or conditioning.  What do you think??

You determine a helper by his success. As far as working your own dog in protection: It is done, but can you imagine the conflict the dog is in when he bites his alpha? I would not do it myself and the dog better be very strong and clear headed. (and I know everyone's dog is strong and clear headed.) Your chances of screwing up the dog are better than your chance of success.

BEFORE working my dog with a strange helper I always watch him working several dogs, if possible, young dogs with different characters.

A GOOD helper for my  young dog

1. will ask me about the former training of my dog
2. doesn´t do anything I don´t want
3. ALWAYS  gives my  young dog  a good feeling
4. NEVER intimidates it
5. is able to "read" the feelings of my dog
6. works step by step, not  too fast and not too much

A GOOD helper for my already trained dog

1. will ask me about the former training of my dog
2. doesn´t do anything I don´t want
3. NEVER intimidates it
4. is able to "read" the feelings of my dog
5. works step by step, not  too fast and not too much
6. thinks about how to get  the BIG POINTS
7. last but not least is able to move fast,  agitate, if necessary,  hard, but fair, always for the best of my dog

Not every helper is good for every dog, but the most important is, that you and your dog always have a good feeling about the things, that are going on.

I don´t believe in  being my own helper,  I´m the leader, not the victim - because of this leadership my dogs don´t get pressure from the helper for the out command, only from me. I don´t want my dogs to be dominated from the helper, only from me...

Damned English, this will never be my language!

I think the biggest sign of a good helper/trainer is one that can read dogs and solve problems WITHOUT resorting to eletricity. To me electricity is a crutch for those that are poor trainers and way over used.  Yes, there are times for electricity, but with a trainer that knows dogs, you rarely need to resort to it, even with the hardest dogs. Seeing proof of problem solving with all different kinds of dogs is HUGE in my book.

A good helper is also one that is patient with the dog and always looking out for the safety of the dogs they catch. AND not rushing the dog through for their own ego. But taking the time to get things right before proceeding.

They will work ANY dog and take it to the highest level that that particular dog can achieve. 

A good trainer will be able to be a good communicator and TEACHER. Especially important for the novice. With out being able to communicate and master people skills you will get no where fast.

A good helper/trainer will have titled his own dogs and done well with them.

A good helper will always be ready to look at differnt methods and not be stuck on the "same ole same ole". That doesn't mean that they will automaticly throw out the old for the new, but to have the desire to see if something works better and to better themselves.

A good trainer will not ask to see the pedigree of a dog BEFORE they work it, taking the dog for the dog and not what's on paper. In other words, go into every new dog with an open mind, not clouded with bias.

Debby

ebinezer052899@yahoo.com castlebrookshepherds.net

Debby, why is a helper using electricity on a dog?

Quote:

Debby, why is a helper using electricity on a dog?

This is almost an entirely different post! HA HA

In many cases, we teach how we are taught. If you learned thru compulsion, you normally stick with compulsion. A helpers ego isn't going to let him that often say to someone that he is working their dog for.....Hey, I heard about this different way of doing something, and it does not involve compulsion so can I try it on your dog?? I haven't done it this way before. : )

Many times elec is the end result of escalating compulsion, some people use it the entire time, some dogs have had "different" training, and learned to ignore the out.

In the end elec is not some horrible horrible thing, just the mis use of it. Lou Castle has some good articles on using electric collars and how to use them at the really low levels. This is what you are wanting to accomplish, not just blasting away. : 0

The question was posed to Debbie to see what Debbie thinks,  but thanks for the primer.

It took me 10+ years to feel like I could accurately assess a good/not-so-good  helper when I see one. I have worked with so many truly GREAT helpers.... That said, I am a tough critic. I used to be so unsure of my own assessments of training situations I let whatever helper I worked with make all the decsions, in blind trust.  But no more. If the helper is not interested in discussing the level of the dog, and what I want to do with the dog in that particular instance, PRIOR to my leading the dog on to the field. I leave my dog in the van.

Period.

The only points I can suggest are as folllows:

When a LOT of the dogs he is working are getting titles with decent scores, he does NOT start pups in defence right off the bat, can/does adjust his style and method to BOTH dog and handler, [almost] never loses his temper with either one, and, last but not least, has the respect of  other helpers/handlers at the same and higher levels of certification as himself. Apart from that, all I can say is it takes a long time in the sport to be able to discriminate between good, solid work, cosmetic "fixes" and just plain s#*t work that may pass as "swell" in the eyes of a novice audience, but will never impress/fool a seasoned trainer. (Tricks are for kids... ;)

A great helper must not necessarily be a great handler IMO.

SS

Quote:

The question was posed to Debbie to see what Debbie thinks,  but thanks for the primer.

So, I put the block on her answering??? Sorry.

Jeff, thanks for attemting to answer the question, but I'm not sure you understood it. In fact it appears as if you used it to introduce your own agenda.