May 17, 2011
In protection work, should the helper be a stranger or friend to the dog?
Full Question:
My question is about choosing a helper. Should the helper be someone the dog knows, or not? I have read a lot of articles, and some say the dog shouldn't know the helper, some say they should and some say it doesn't matter. I have read a lot of your articles online and it seems you know what the hell you're talking about. I would appreciate it if you gave me an answer to this question.Sincerely,
E. Jones SFC
US Army
Ed's Answer:
This is a good question. When a young dog goes through bite development it does not hurt for the dog to know the helper. In fact, it does not hurt if the helper teaches the dog some of this work. The fact is that prey work is not threatening for the dog. Prey work is a comfortable place for the dog to work.
When the dog begins to mature and is worked in defense, it should be worked by a stranger. If you expect to develop the dogs into a serious sport dog, a personal protection dog or police service dog it must learn to look at the helper as a fighting partner. This can not happen if it knows the helper as a friend.
I remember 15 or 20 years ago when we did not know anything about protection work. We would work a dog in bite work and then afterwards allow the dog to approach the helper, be petted and treated like an old friend - HOW UTTERLY STUPID we were. In trying to prove how safe this work and our dogs were - we were actually confusing the dogs.
Take it from someone who has made most of the mistakes one trainer can possibly make - if you train with helpers or people who do this - either convince them of their folly or stop training with them. Protection training is serious business. We have a moral responsibility to train dogs with sound temperament and good nerves. If one accepts that, then we owe it to our dogs to provide the best training possible. This is not a game.
When the dog begins to mature and is worked in defense, it should be worked by a stranger. If you expect to develop the dogs into a serious sport dog, a personal protection dog or police service dog it must learn to look at the helper as a fighting partner. This can not happen if it knows the helper as a friend.
I remember 15 or 20 years ago when we did not know anything about protection work. We would work a dog in bite work and then afterwards allow the dog to approach the helper, be petted and treated like an old friend - HOW UTTERLY STUPID we were. In trying to prove how safe this work and our dogs were - we were actually confusing the dogs.
Take it from someone who has made most of the mistakes one trainer can possibly make - if you train with helpers or people who do this - either convince them of their folly or stop training with them. Protection training is serious business. We have a moral responsibility to train dogs with sound temperament and good nerves. If one accepts that, then we owe it to our dogs to provide the best training possible. This is not a game.
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