Your Heart or your Head? - Page 1

So!

On this quiet day of the last day of holiday I thought I might toss out a question for thought here.  This is just for thought and maybe the sharing of experience, I know people can be passionate about their views but it's not meant to start and 'his/her way is wrong OMG' throwdown fest.  Everybody will probably feel different or have different experiences both ways.

I have two dogs.  Both working line, both altered at this point, they are my family's pets and I do sport with them as a hobby so this isn't a question of one of them being worked towards titles for breeding purposes, it's simply for the fun of the sport.

My female I have had since she was 12 weeks old, she's 22 months now.  She and I started the sport together, she's my partner.  I worked with her for a year, put a BH on her this spring when she was 15 months old and we're working towards our first Sch I together.  She's well bred and she's good on the field, don't get me wrong but I've been told by experts who have seen her protection work that she's only ever be a good 'club level sport dog'.  She has good grips and good nerves but she is only 59lbs and would never be termed a 'hard hitting' dog.  She's quick and she's smart as a whip but she's not going to turn heads.

No problem there, club level sport is all I aspire to at this point.  I'm just starting out in the sport after all. 

Out on the field, she and I know each other and at home she's 'my girl'.  I love her and she knows me, she knows what makes me happy and she's my dog.  She's in my heart.

Now, back about 6 months ago we got an 18 month old male.  He bonded with my husband immediately, just one of those guy things.  If my husband is around, no one else exists for this boy and it's sweet though our boy has some habits that are not my favorites.  He's more hectic than our girl, when he gets a treat he about takes your fingers off -not food hoarding I can reach down and grab his food bowl at any time, he's just ... a boy- and well, he's a boy.  He's a knucklehead, though he tries hard to please and I recognize this even when he's driving me nuts.

On the field, though he's older than our girl by 6 months, he's mentally less mature.  He's hectic, gets distracted easily but his ball drive is through the roof, he's got beautiful action when heeling and in protection he hits like a freight train and has deep, full, natural grips.  (For the record, he's now 28 months old)  For fun I worked with him for 3 weeks and put a BH on him this past fall. 

It's been suggested that I should continue working with the male in the sport and dabble with the female as I have time.  Now for myself, I decided the follow my heart and work my female.  As I said, she's my partner and so I'm concentrating on her and as I have time I 'dabble' with him.

The food for thought here is what would other people do in such a situation?  I know that obviously we would like the whole package, the bond with the dog and the natural ability of the dog but all things considered equal.

Would you rather have a connection/bond with the dog you're working knowing you could only go 'so far' with the dog or would you rather have the stronger natural 'genetic' ability in the dog, a chance to go 'further' in the sport and try to make the most out of what connection you could maintain?

You do what makes you and yours happiest... it's a hobby and it's all too easy to get too serious... then you wonder when it stopped being fun!

" Now for myself, I decided the follow my heart and work my female.  As I said, she's my partner and so I'm concentrating on her and as I have time I 'dabble' with him."

I think you just answered your own question!   For me it would depend on how competitive I wanted to be. If I really want ed to compete at a national level or more then I would pick a dog that I thought I had the highest chance of doing it with. But if I was bonded to a certain dog and we had a connection and I wasn't that interested in "the mighty" then I would just work that dog and see how far I could go with her and challenge myself to how high of scores I could get with her.

Lynn www.spruceviewfarms.com

If you only aspire to club level sport anyway, you should stick with the one you are bonded to.  Let your husband enjoy  his boy and their own bond, as training with someone else can interfere with that.  If you decide to further your ambitions, then probably you should get a third dog for your ambitions and retire the first one after you've made SchH 3 for the experience of it.   I personally have the issue of too many dogs to work, and I'd rather just stick with one, maybe two who are bonded to me with one of my training buddies already titled, so I don't have a lot of teaching to do.  Veronica

Hi RLHAR

I've had this dilemma too and I wish now that I had gone with the better dog for the sport instead of feeling I was betraying my first one.  Look into your heart for a long while and consider why it even is a dilemma, do you just love working with your female because you are close and that is all you really want or do you know that both your own and others expectations will be much higher if you take on the male and don't feel quite equal to the task because you are new to it?  I think you will find your answer if you look long enough.

Margaret N-J

There have been way to many dogs and handlers discouraged because of what the so called experts think. I have seen the results of these dogs who could not cut it when they were worked with owners and helpers who love the breed and I call them super dogs cause they out do even the best of schutzhund animals. It is not about what others think but about you and your dog so go for the gold and let nothing stand in your way!!

RLHAR

If your female is good on obedinance,

You say she has a good full grip and good nerves on protection, then she should be okay

We all know it looks good when a dog hits hard, but the first priority is to do the whole of the phase correctly without losing points, and so long as your Dog hits correctly with a good bite she will not be penalisedd for not being spectacular like  hitting lkie a freight train, Her weight is not against her in that respect, she will have a fair amount of speed i expect that will look exciting on its own plus at this stage she is still learning the game

First and foremost the job has to be done losing as less points as possible and Obedinance is where a lot of points are lost, if your girl is very good at that you have a good chance

You have not mentioned Tracking, how is she at that

If you were me, i would forget what other club members say, stick to your Female work at it and prove them wrong

Steve

Work with the one that makes you the happiest, who cares what others have to say? It's your hobby, enjoy yourself. After all you have no monitary reason and don't seem to be ego driven. Just enjoy your female if that is what puts a smile on your face.

Steve1

Thank you for that perspective!  Btw, your new puppy is gorgeous and she looks like she'll be a lot of fun for you. :)

I should clarify my club members and training director have always been nothing but supportive of my work with my girl.  They're all great and I enjoy my club work!!  It's just been comments from visiting professionals who have seen both dogs.  Never, never has anything been said in malice or meant to discourage me, it's just that the male is more flashy I suppose?

Her tracking is coming along.  We had a bump in the road with her, as you sometimes do with young dogs and have needed to work with her but she's definitely getting the idea and has always had strong natural ability and a deep nose for the work.

Rlhar:     I have always had a problem  deciding which to follow , my heart or my head...So many times I follow my heart and a year later, say to myself, why didnt I   USE my head.

In this situation, the difference, of course, is a female and a male..From your description, females are a lot different , sometimes, than males in training proceedures...Males sometimes are much more hard, fast and powerful,,but less mature in making decisions as a youngster...

I think you should continue with your female, as I would, finish up her tracking and go for the goal you want.. Now that is not that I would not take the male and keep  him very well doing his obedience and dont worry about the bite work right now...Maybe get  his tracking started and see how he does there.. The bitework always wore me out and at his age , he can pick up later , BUT KEEP HIM IN THE SPORT... You sound like you can work two , but I would put your girl first.   

It will not hurt the male to be number two and if you cant work him this week,,,next week is around the corner...Sounds like he is very adept .   Veronica works several and of course , she now is recovering from two injuries to her legs and back , so in her case.....wow...Miss workaholic will have to take one dog at a time, Im quite sure.

Does your club have some junior workers...That might be a good thing to have the son or daughter of another trainer , that is quite good, take your male , on the days , you work your female and let one of them  work your male...Always gives the dog a look into following someone elses lead...

Many times, in our club years ago, the trainer took a second dog while others worked together on the first dog...Hope you find a way to work both but keep your female in the front foremost for you...Yes, visiting judges and professionals always see the best in a male dog, and usually lean to the males flashy appearance, as that is what delights the fans..

Having a good club membership is one of the whole secrets to your getting what you want...Good to hear and hope 2009 brings you the goal you set...we will all be eager to hear how they both are doing.

YR