I'm picking up a bite wedge and puppy sleeve and a new tug with an O-ring (which I can use with a pole, yay) that I can use to help his targeting skills, prey drive and develop his bite without worrying about agitation or any of that for the moment. Seems like I take 2 steps forward and a step back pretty often, but I love this place for the honest and blunt opinions, it's not that easy to find them nowadays.

 Quote: Kristin Muntz

.... I love this place for the honest and blunt opinions, it's not that easy to find them nowadays.

Hey, it's not that easy to find posters who listen to them, either.


Good on you for doing so.

It was suggested to me that I relate an update on WHY Duke and bitework when he doesn't seem well suited to it from this thread: The huge mouthiness of his starting as a pup is why we went to that naturally, mostly to channel this big urge that he has to bite in play, constantly. (back in the day with the constant lunging/biting at me as a puppy, torn clothes, bloody hands feet and legs, obligatory ripped lingerie )

Not because we HAVE to have it, but because he really seems to need it.

Even with the bite inhibition we have done, he needs to have his mouth on things constantly and this type of play really does feed him, he just doesn't seem confident with it on the field - in the back yard, he will tug his butt off unless there's something he'd rather be doing. Which is fine, honestly. I'm just looking for the thing that keeps him happy and a 'total dog' if you know what i mean, which is really, like people, different for everyone.

For the longest time on morning walks, I had to carry a bamboo stick or a toy, a semi would drive by and he would turn and lunge at me looking for an out for the triggered prey drive frustration, if I had nothing with me I'd end up with some pretty bad bruises

We can't really work agility for a while as I understand it, that would be around 1.5 years, though Duke loves to jump and can easily jump flatfooted into the back of my husband's Tundra, we think dock diving might be fun if it was available here, I'd love to do Rally O and that's something we actually can train around here, albeit with a compulsion based trainer.

I am thinking i can get him minimally titled (as far as mixed breed allows) in AKC OB pretty easily once we have his duration down on his stays (which are doing much better) he's got a great nose on him but nosework is going to take a whole lot more time than I can currently give him. So that is the really long answer to your short question.

It would be most helpful to get YOURSELF to the club & have the TD give you some exercises to work on with your dog until you can get there again for more things to work on.

Green helpers or green trainers playing 'TD' for other green trainers with puppies & green dogs is a recipe for disaster. IMO

I agree Anne, entirely. I will probably need to put off long distance training until at least August at this point for MYSELF but there is no reason my husband can't do it

 Quote: Anne Jones

Green helpers or green trainers playing 'TD' for other green trainers with puppies & green dogs is a recipe for disaster. IMO

I think it's very fortunate the OP was posted and Kristen stuck with the thread.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

I think it's very fortunate the OP was posted and Kristen stuck with the thread.

I agree.

Krirstin, first off I will apologize for ragging on you about herding the kids. That was a total misread on my part. I'm older then even Connie so have patience.
Now, how much actual experience, if any does this "trainer" have?
No way in he.....aven should she be training bite work!
Has she trained in any other dog endevor? If so for how long?

I didn't know it was something he was not allowed to do either.. It scared me.



And I'm WAY younger than you.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

I didn't know it was something he was not allowed to do either.. It scared me.



And I'm WAY younger than you.

Shorten up on those WAY letters just a tiny bit young lady!