 "Experienced Handlers Only"
#188552 - 04/03/2008 09:54 PM |
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Along with the fence thing (which I understand now), the breeds I'm interested in getting (bullies and molossers, ultimately working up to a Red Star Kennel Presa Canario--many years in the future!) all "require experienced handlers who have owned this breed before." Now, how am I supposed to get experience with the breed when I have to have experience to get experience??  
Is there a breed I can start with? I volunteer at the humane society, but that can only do so much. I've only had two dogs my entire life, a collie/GSD mix and a Labrador.
Obviously I have many years ahead of me and I have to learn patience. =)
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ashley Hiebing ]
#188556 - 04/03/2008 10:07 PM |
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Why don't you look into a breed rescue?
There are a ton of dogs that need a good home, and you should be able to find a great dog with great nerves and the breed characteristics that you will be getting into. You will be saving a dog, getting a breed that you are interested in and getting that experience that the breeders are looking for. Who knows, you may find that rescuing makes you feel so good that you will do it again!
I was on a Rott rescue site in Southern Cali the other day and found some beautiful and very well bred dogs that needed homes... they were all owner turn-ins and had all the registration...
Good luck!
Jessica
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: JessicaKromer ]
#188558 - 04/03/2008 10:11 PM |
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That's what I was looking at, actually. =) Those were the ones that said "experienced handlers only"
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ashley Hiebing ]
#188560 - 04/03/2008 10:26 PM |
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Well dang! 
Well..... have you called and asked them? Maybe???
They may be willing to work with you if you actually call. Perhaps the shelter that you volunteer at would adopt if one that is suitable comes in? Ooh, could you use your shelter as a reference?
Gosh...
Jessica
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: JessicaKromer ]
#188562 - 04/03/2008 10:36 PM |
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Well dang!
Well..... have you called and asked them? Maybe???
They may be willing to work with you if you actually call. Perhaps the shelter that you volunteer at would adopt if one that is suitable comes in? Ooh, could you use your shelter as a reference?
Gosh...
I would also ask them the same question you asked here as well.
"How are you supposed to gain experience if you cannot work with those breeds that you are looking at?"
as well as asking the rescue if there is anyone close to you that belongs to them so that you could go over and help with the dog, like walking and exercising them so that you can see if it will work for you.
Just some thoughts. 
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter |
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ashley Hiebing ]
#188568 - 04/03/2008 11:20 PM |
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Hmmm... I'm thinking what the rescues mean by that, is they'd like an adopter who at least knows something about pack behavior, training, and is a responsible owner. Just by being on LB, I'd think, you'd know lot's more than many, typical "pet owners".
Give it a shot and chat with them. They might be surprised by how much you know.
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ashley Hiebing ]
#188569 - 04/03/2008 11:23 PM |
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I was confused by your post because in my mind, there is a conflict between wanting to work up to owning a particular breed and having only ever had two dogs in one's entire life. Could you clarify this? Are you willing to own more than one dog at a time?
Two options that spring to my mind are becoming a foster for similar breed rescue groups and looking in the classified ads for a dog being displaced by family circumstances.
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ingrid Halonen ]
#188570 - 04/03/2008 11:34 PM |
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and looking in the classified ads for a dog being displaced by family circumstances.
The only issue I have with this is that the OP has only owned two dogs in her entire life and with these breeds it is a crapshoot to get one from the newspaper as described.
It would be much better if she went through a rescue since the people that "rescue" and "foster" these "bully" breeds will have more knowledge of the breed itself and also be upfront about each individual dog.
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter |
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Ashley Hiebing ]
#188574 - 04/03/2008 11:47 PM |
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As a trainer that's been associated with shelters for many years, I'm going to give my two cents here:
The term "experienced handlers only", when applied to the bully breeds, usual means having the experience to deal with a potentially dog-aggressive dog.
This is the skills set that they want a potential owner to have with these breed rescues.
Different breed rescues likeoften seem to desire different types of owner skills, depending on the breed ( I'm fairly sure that for the "Cocker Spaniel Rescue" that the ability to find pee spots on the carpet in the dark is vital.......  )
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Re: "Experienced Handlers Only"
[Re: Carol Boche ]
#188648 - 04/04/2008 06:13 PM |
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You're right Carol. As usual  I hadn't thought about people lying about the dog they are trying to place through a classified ad. But, I wasn't suggesting that any dog in the newspaper needing a new home would be good- just some family pet that couldn't be kept due to family circumstances like divorce, relocation, eviction, allergies...
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