Richard, sometimes the simplest things evade my mind. The hard rubber ball is the problem even though he loves it. I will try getting him to catch a stuffed ball instead. I am not even sure this dog will ever be doing bitework since I am very isolated and I didn't think giving him a bite command would be necessary but I don't want a confused dog either. Thanks. Two heads are far better than one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I just viewed the video and thought I would post what I thought.
This is a tape that I feel is great and long over-due for the sport of schutzhund and for dog training in general.
It is most likely the most informative tape that I have viewed on the market today. I feel this tape is a great education piece for new handlers. Bernhard does a nice job in demonstrating his skills and relating them to the students.
While I did not see anything really new on the tape, I feel he has refined alot of the common training styles that we see. He most certainly has a great program for instructing a Schutzhund team to achieve the most points possiable. It is always nice to watch something and understand something clearer then you did before. If I get the chance I will go to one of his seminars.

Just received my tape today along with some books I ordered. We have watched 50 Min of it thus far (I say we because my GSD is also watching the tape, as he does anything with dogs in it). Some of the things I see we have already been doing but we are learning many new things to try as well. One problem I do have is that my GSD thinks that anything that is in my hands and moves is a prey item and pounces on it with full force. Mopping the floor is impossible, as is shovelling snow or simply wiping the floor with a paper towel. None of these items or actions have ever been done in play and we play 2 to 3 hours a day with Kongs on a rope. We have played retrieve daily since he was 12 weeks old. He will bring the kong back to me but only if I have another one. So we end up throwing one, he bringing it back, dropping it in front of me and my throwing the one in my hand. Ending the play session is difficult for he never seems to tire. To end a play session I give him a cookee for dropping the second kong and while he is eating the cookee I take the kong. So as I watch the video I am learning that the way I have been playing with my GSD will have to change if I wish to follow Flinks' method. Or can we continue playing as we have just in retrieving and use the one toy as Flink demonstates in building drive? Ok back to watching the video.

Philippe - you are going to have to change. Put the dog on a long line when you train, then you can reel him in when you want him to bring the kong back. The dog must learn that just because you reel him in does not mean that you are going to take the kong away. So bring him in, play with him, take him into your arms and then let him run with it again. If the dog dropped the kong when your bring him back to you - you should not be working on the OUT. You need to watch and study this portion of the tape because I explain all of this in detail. There is a lot of information there.

Yes we must make changes. I realized that when I started watching the tape. We will start the work Monday (after I have watched the tape a couple more times). Will I still be able to play retrieve with him with one kong in the future for our retrieve play session is his main form of physical conditioning (of which he is in excellent physical shape according to the vet). I guess what I am asking is how do I work with him using the Flinks and yet maintain a "free time" to play with the kong intensly? Thanks for your time

I have watched the tape twice to study the information on it. This is the only way to absorb the information on the video. At first glance it looks like nothing really new, which in a way is true, but it is the way that many things have been refined or developed that sets this style of training from others. You must pay attention and watch the video several times. It for sure can help anyone improve.

Phillippe, Actually if you use the Flinks method correctly it will take the place of your kong playing. The method takes a lot of physical energy both on the dog's and the trainer's part.

Yes Dave you are right for he does get quite a bit of a workout doing the Flinks training but I don't think it is as hard a workout as the full speed run back and forth non stop he does when playing retrieve. I have however found something to keep him in good shape without undoing what he learns in doing the Flinks method. I got him a tennis ball the size of a basketball. he rolls that thing all over the yard and in a sense plays retrieve on his own. I use to let him do this with a boomer ball (hard plastic undestructible ball) but found that with a dog that plays as aggressive as mine does, the ball damages the teeth. As a puppy he broke 8 baby teeth. Has has since chipped both tips of the lower canines. Once I realized that the culprit was the boomer ball I took it away from him. We tried basketballs but they last just a few minutes. This oversized tennis ball has thus far survived a week of abuse by Bruno. He is not left alone with the ball. So those of you reading this beware of boomer balls. I found the basket ball sized tennis ball at a petco. An employee was dribling the ball all over the store. My pup wanted that ball and it was the only one they had. My pup kindly convinced the store clerk to surrender the ball so that he could take it home. Seriously, I am glad I found that ball for my GSD is so high energy that it takes hours of running a day for him to calm down otherwise he will harass everyone to play with him.

Just a reminder for those that have been following some of the info in the tapes that Ed put together with Bernhard Flinks.
Bernhard will be in Albuquerque NM (yeah where it is nice weather most of March).
The dates for the seminar are the 15,16,17th of March.
Information is at the following web address:
http://k9services.com/Seminar-Flinks.html

Kevin,
How old and what background should the dog have to be brought to the seminar? By background I am refering to how much past training