k9chess 06 WDA nationals with stick hits complaint - Page 1

Dear Sandra, I thought I would reply to your message regards to what happen at the 2006 WDA Nationals that my club hosted. The helpers that you call *bad* is just despicable and very ruthful! How can you call a certified teaching helpers and a certified national helper bad? Saying that they were showing off is just an excuse! Carl Smith, Clay Meadows and Steve Gregalunas are very good helpers and Im proud of them for doing what they do best for this sport. I certainly trust them with my dog. I personally know Carl and Clay and they will NOT intentionally hurt anybody’s dogs! It’s funny because you are the only one that complained about the helpers, nobody else, as far as I am aware of. I strongly believe that you’re playing the sourpuss game. You did not earn the title of SchH3 national champion and cannot go on into competing for WUSV with Wallace Payne and it bothers you. If your dog cannot take stick hits from national level then PLEASE stick to club level! Do not harass next year’s national helpers with the same theory. This is in your exact quote “IN APRIL 2006 WE COMPETED IN THE WDA NATIONALS, 94 IN TRACKING, PROTECTION STARTED OUT GOOD, THE HELPERS IN THAT TRIAL WERE SO BAD, THEY WERE NOT DRIVING THE DOGS CORRECTLY, THE STICK HITS WERE INCONSISTANT. YOU COULD TELL THEY WERE SHOWING OFF. OUR DOG TOOK AN OTHER HARD STICK HIT. HE WAS INJURED AND WAS DISQUALIFIED FROM PROTECTION. THE HELPERS NEED TO BE TAKING THE RESPONSIBILTY FOR INJURING A DOG. WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO GO TO THIS TRIAL AND WE WERE OUT BECAUSE OF THE HELPER. WHO IS TELLING THE HELPERS TO HIT THESE DOGS THIS HARD? WE HAVE HEARD IT IS THE JUDGES, BUT I CAN NOT SEE THAT. I BELEIVE THAT THESE HELPERS ARE DOING THIS ON THERE OWN. WE HAVE ANOTHER COMPLAINT WITH WDA AND THIS TIME WE WANT SOME ANSWERS AND SOMETHING TO CHANGE. THIS DOG WAS NOT CHEAP, SOMEONE IS GOING TO TAKE A STAND ON WHY OUR DOG CONTIUES TO GET INJURED IN PROTECTION, AND WHY OTHER DOGS ALSO GET INJURED. SANDRA”

and I personally know Steve Gregalunas. Not only a WDA national level helper, also a DVG certified helper and he normally does protection work in the AWDF nationals every year and he did protection work at the IFR 2005. Most of the times the judges tell the decoys what they want to see. You are at a national level working competition, the dogs should be able to do the work at that level.

Brittany, Please get your Facts straight when posting on a subject. From Original thread "Hit Sticks in Protection" k9duchess (Sandra) I HAVE A STICK AND KNOWS HOW IT FEELS TO GET HIT WITH IT. WELL IT HAS HAPPENED TO US TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS DURING THE BREED SURVEY IN MARCH OF 2005 FROM STEVE HOUSE You are bring up helpers name who had NOTHING to do with the complaint being posted here. Val

But they did complain in that same thread regarding WDA nationals and the helpers being bad, saying their dog was injured there as well and the filing of a complaint with WDA in regards to the national. In case anyone is following (don't know why all this just wasn't continued on that thread) http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/44826.html#44836

Sandra also brought up the 2006 nationals and the helpers that were present their. Sandra didn't mention those helpers by name, just lumped them all together saying they were all bad, and brittany was just pointing out another instance where sandra chooses to bad mouth well respected helpers again.

Forgive me, I thought Sandra's main complaint was against Steve House. Thank you pointing out to me that she appears to have trouble with most helpers.

There are three threads already on this topic.Let's not prolong this agony now. All that needs to be said has been said.Please let it go. Thanks.

I was not present at this event, and do not know the helpers involved. I just wanted to point out 2 things that seemed odd to me.... First, are we talking about a padded stick? I have never heard of a dog being injured by a padded stick...with hits applied they way they are supposed to be. Heck, even if you had a mind to beat the crap out of a dog with a padded stick, I don't think you could really injure him....physically anyway. Second, I noticed the complainant said "continues", as in, "continues to be injured in protection". Or is it...continues to be disqualified in protection. Something is amiss there........

Dutchman, you must be new to this site. You may want to do some research on a dog before you talk about a dog you do not know.

We all know the dog too well. We know the situation too well as it has been explained and then explained again. The dog has a stick issue. Not the first time a working dog has had a stick issue. Whether it's genetic or a result of training/handling, this discussion has proven by the owners admission it has an issue with the stick. Why someone would want to publicize this is beyond me. Like it or not we all know your dog is weak because you told us time and time again he was. In the proicess you have shown that you are new to the sport and don't really have an understanding of what's going on just yet. No biggie, we all were beginners once. Ok you're new and refuse to let others help you or learn from your expieriences. That's your choice. But kindly be a good sport about it. If your dog fails, accept it. Don't blame the helpers. Your dog should be able to take a stick hit, even two. Everyone in the stadium should be able to hear it. If your dog gets stepped on and can't endure the pain as most national level dogs would, it should go right back to the helper and recover instantly. It's not the helper's fault. You have shown your ignorance by critizing a few of the country's best helpers. It's just like you were in a car with Richard Petty and you jumped out claiming he can't drive. These helpers are well known, well respected, and you appear to be the only one with a problem. Perhaps you will succeed with your dog. That's great. In the dog sport it won't be long before you realize it takes a lot of help to succeed. Be a good sport and graciously accept advice and help from those that are willing to help and you will go further, quicker, in the sport.