Looking for input here....I need to use a whip on my dog to get his obedience faster. The previous handler used it to speed up his recalls and dumbbells and he just goes beserk when he hears it. The problem is, I can't seem to get it to crack loud enough or consistantly enough. A few people said it was the whip itself. Can anyone recommend a good quality whip that might work better, or tell me what it is about the whip itself that might not work for me. Has anyone had this problem before? Right now I just have the training director crack it behind me, but it'd be nice to be able to do it myself.

Or is it a "practice makes perfect" kind of situation? I sat there for an hour working on getting it to crack with moderate success, but again, it wasn't loud enough for a recall and I couldn't get it to crack every time.

All input is appreciated! I joked that I would just a tape recording of a whip but somehow I think the dog wants the real thing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Are you planning on competing with the dog?

Really nice example of the whip/prey item thingee. All those people out there that think it is a defence tool should read this.

Yes, I'll compete with him at small trials. He's a repeating schH3 so I'm just trying to improve his scores and my handling.

He was super-heavy compulsion trained before he was imported here and the whip is one of the few things that breaks him out of that mode. The downfall is he doesn't out the toy as well but he doesn't loose any precision within the actual exercise. I can get alittle more speed by voice motivating but the whip really gets him to nail the speed.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Jeff,

It can be a defense tool if used right.

Jason

Dana,
I've watched folks use the whip for unmotivated dogs for over 20 years now, but I've never seen a dog/ handler team that used the whip "crack" to motivate the dog into a higher drive level ever get any success on the field during a trial, and I've seen *a lot* of trainers try it
.
It works for a little while and a novice handler will think that their dog is improving, but it will take a increasing level of whip use ( this is called "loading", by the way ) to get the dog to respond into drive. And these dogs can't get loaded before or during a trial, and they look very "flat" on the field, trust me on this.

You'd be much better served by retraining the dog using the motivational drive method ala Flinks, that method gives a dog the hope that it's going to see it's favorite prey item sometime during the routine and your dog will look much more motivated on the field - and that's worth a lot of points, plus your dog will actually enjoy training......and that's worth everything for your relationship with him.

I use a whip about twice a year when I train - and I train and work more dogs then most trainers. It's a tool that can make a weak dog look better but it usually doesn't address the dogs real problems.
There are better tools and training methods available now, you'd be better off to use those instead.

Maybe if it was a younger dog without all the bad luggage, but this is a 7 year old schH3 dog. There are also issues with him and the toy and the nerves on the dog itself which are all reasons not to go back and retrain in motivational drive. If you knew the full background on the dog I am sure you would agree. He is what he is.

Re: his speed in trial, he is not necssarily a 'flat' dog, or even terribly slow. Its just a few point difference that I'm looking for on his recall and dumbbells (on the flat/meter, his A-frame is good). The words of the judges were "he could be faster" .... and yes he apparently can. When he hears the whip he gets out of his nervy/compulsion mode and makes the speed.

As far as using it in trial ... I think if used correctly in training on certain exercises, when it goes away on trial he will still come fast because we are using it in line with the command. So he hears it like the tail end of the command. We did a ton of sessions with the whip and took it away for a night (not intentional but thats how it happened in training) and his speed was there. In his mind, he hears the whip still. Like dogs that you say "Out-Platz" in training, then in trial there is just an "Out" and the dog automatically goes into a platz.

Quote:It can be a defense tool if used right.

I must have the wrong dogs. None of them see it as a threat, nor have any of mine seen it as a threat. I have two that think the whip is great fun to catch. I don't think you are going to convince them otherwise.
I see this as a dog thing. They are the ones that decide what is scary, and these two think it's a great game.

The whip is a big ol prey item to most of the dogs I know...except maybe Nitro...

I wanted to comment on what Will said about it not bringing up drive on the trial field..I have to disagree. Just like any other technique, it has to be done correctly FOR THE SPECIFIC dog

Back in the old days (1990 USA Nationals) I went out to California to compete with my dog. I had the opportunity to watch Glenn Bennett all week prepare his dog Buck v.d. Pfalz for the trial. He used the whip for all the retrieves in practice and they were awesome.

Glenn and Buck were the only team in the whole trial to V obedience with 99 points. The judge was Elmar Mannes and the 2nd highest obedience score was a 92. It was fast, fast, fast...

Obviously this would never work for me cause I can't crack the whip to save my life, lol. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hi Cindy! I was there too, but was it '90 or '93 (I can't remember anything anymore) I knew someone else whos' old dog also fired up really using this technique right before the obedience portion of trial.