protection training question - Page 1

hey i went to a ring sport club today was a lot of fun

when they worked my dog they started her with sleeves because shes never seen a bite suit or anyting like that she was hitting and biting them pretty good with hard long bites

2 things i was curious about

1 is when the sleeve hits the ground i was told to kick it back to the decoy whenever the sleeve was on the ground my dog lost interest in it and would focus on only the decoy and would just stand over the sleeve so id have to kick it out from under her over to the decoy


2. question about he took the sleeve and tried to put it around his leg my dog kinda was confused then didnt bite the sleeve seemed more interested in grabbing the bambo stick he was holding


this was all in prey no agitation or anything was done today

Yes, it was all in prey
the "kick" makes the "thing" move 
movement = prey

The baton/stick may have been more of an attractive prey item then the leg bite - it could the ability/skills of the decoy or drive/nerves/training of the dog - lots of variables

What was the quality of the dogs targeting/grip when the "sleeve" was not on the decoy's leg?

Even more important did anyone get any video....?
Hard for me to make anything more then an assumption without seeing what went on IMHO

no this is the first time my dog has gotten to bite or work in prey since january we didnt film it

he said her grips were very hard targetting was good too he said she was a very conf good dog


i was just curiosu about those 2 things i guess i expected her to keep the sleeve in her mouth and not go back and focus on the decoy yeah everything in prey today was suppose to relieve stress for her

What did the decoy say?

i didnt get a chance to ask him it didnt come to mind till now lol all he really said is that i have a really nice dog  and i had to leave for the 2 hour drive home ,it is a ring sport club so mostly mals were there biting legs and crotches lol


is it common? do a lot of dogs ignore the sleeve on the ground and go back to focus on the helper in prey?

To me I personally like what your dog did! I do not like the equipment oriented dogs. I like mine to be focused more on the man. When the sleeve in on the ground it is "dead prey" and I like my dogs to focus on the true threat.
I too would have like to have seen a video... from what I read that you posted it sounds like you have a very nice dog.

so if personal protection is long term goal a dog that acts this way early on is a good thing?

I know she was not serious though she was totally in prey but she just tended to focus on the man/helper a lot would look at him a lot


when he tried to get her on his leg she wouldnt bite it but started going after the stick for some reason i guess she viewed the stick as prey after that like dawksome said

without vid or being there it is impossible to tell.

I will tell you on rookie mistake.   Just because you and the helper think you are working the dog in prey doesnt mean anything....what does matter is how the dog percieves the work that is happening....that is what determines whether it is prey or not.

Duts wrote:

Just because you and the helper think you are working the dog in prey doesnt mean anything....what does matter is how the dog percieves the work that is happening....that is what determines whether it is prey or not.

Very good point.  I'm not sure the dog viewed the stick as prey either.  Switching to the leg and using a stick could have easily switched this dog into defense. 

Destiny:

this was all in prey no agitation or anything was done today

How do you work a dog in prey with no agitation or anything?
 


 

if you work in prey , you want to let the dog win the prey , and make him carry the prey , run around with the sleeve so to say , if you work on prey dont let him out the sleeve and refocus on the helper

if he does that , what you say , he is not overly interested on the sleeve , not on the ground , and not on the decoys  leg

using a bamboo(any) stick isnot helping to work a dog in prey , and focus on a legbite that he never done before
I would loose the stick , let the dog bite the sleeve several times , than position the sleeve in front of your leg(still on your helpers arm) several times , if he comes down there very good , than put him on the leg