RE the 12- to 15-month age requirement:

My GUESS (uneducated) is that it probably has something to do with too many gonzo handlers putting too much stress on year-old dogs (which are only, after all, puppies really). Everybody knows how the trend in SchH has been toward the "happy working dog" look--that's more popular with today's judges. It's a terrible thing to see a year-old dog that is already cringing as it heels down the field.

Pete Felknor

I have to admit there is that element in SchH training. I hate those guys. The BH is pretty basic stuff and the judging isn't that tough. I don't see why people feel the need to hammer their pups, jerks. . .

I still think that 12 months is old enough, with the right training. I think that goes for any age or type of sport. The "...with the right training" part.

VanCamp--

Agreed. "With the right training." Unfortunately this rule may well be designed to keep the puppy-hammering crowd (somewhat) at bay. A friend of mine used to put it this way: "Do they have any idea that there's a living thing on the other end of that leash?" Competitive dog training will always appeal to a certain element of egocentric control freaks who get off on proving that large, powerful animals can be forced to do their bidding.

Pete Felknor

Well.
These last three posts are an unexpected surprise. And here I was starting to characterize this forum as a major Testosterone Zone.

Pete,VanCamp......NOW look what you've done!LOL

Dogma I'm a little hurt by that comment. Most of the people here have VERY strong views about dog training, breeding, and owning. Most of us that have those strong views share the same overall ideas about good positive, non-abusive training. I don't know any hard core members here that are not way into loving their dogs and caring for and training them in the most productive ways possible. That doesn't mean jerking a peice of angry meat with teeth around on a prong collar. That super sucks. . . <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Was that "bleeding heart" enough for you guys? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Chuck get with the program, we are part of the new revolution on this board. No name calling, no insulting, no slams, no hurting peoples feelings, no joke posts, no strong discussion, no more telling it like it is, no more threads about the evils of the AKC, etc., etc., etc. . .

NOT! That would eat shit. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'm kinda getting a kick out of this, as VanCamp apparently is too.

I enjoy watching Ivan Balabanov and Bernhard Flinks train their dogs. And I've learned a lot of things from trainers who aren't such big names too. That's pretty much where I'M coming from.

Testosterone: There is a certain kind of handler who likes a dog he can do daily combat with (i.e. the kind of dog that never gracefully accepts the #2 slot). And I use "he" loosely--quite a few of this type happen to be women. That ain't me. I like spirited dogs--but my definition of "spirited" doesn't include a perpetual middle finger delivered from the canid point of view.

I enjoy passionate debate among dog trainers, as long as they all accept that, in the end, I was right all along... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Now see..? that didn't hurt a bit did it? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Letting your "softer" side show through. Except for VanCamp maybe. Where I'm from (Holland) there is a popular saying in that you can always tell a Dutchman; you just can't tell him much! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

(Notice the smiley faces, guys. This is a joke! )