A incident occured where I had a friend/helper (no experience).
Training session was set , me on one side of a wire fence ,friend on other side with bite pillow. Gave my rottweiler the command to bark which he did very well , dog barked friend walked closer to fence and gave dog bite, all is going great untill friend climbed fence to came and see me and my dog , then my dog took a nip, no damage done.
Duane Hull Webboard User Reg: 09-23-2011
Posts: 2692
Loc: Marrero, LA
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Is your Rottie experienced in bitework?
Was there an experienced trainer present?
Did the helper have equipment on?
I'm just starting to learn helper work (about three months). One thing you may have done which we don't do at our club...We don't pair green dogs with green helpers. If it is unavoidable, our TD plays an active role in directing dog, handler, and helper.
I personally avoid social interaction with the dogs that I catch, ESPECIALLY right after we just finished bitework. I don't trust even the veteran dogs to "switch off". I remove equipment as soon as the session is over.
What Duane said!
The "friend" with the bite pillow had no business "climbing the fence to see me and my dog". That's against what a helper/decoy is about.
"IF" your going to continue with bite work you need an experienced helper and have to be almost hyper alert around people until you understand what's in your dog.
Hi Bob
Here in New Zealand experienced helpers are just about nil. So you make do with what you have.
To be honest I thought I was just doing bark work but my rotty took me by surprise with his drive for the pillow. Thinking back I was just too casual.
I have been following Michael Ellis exercises you can do without a skilled decoy.
This incident has made me a better trainer that you have to be super alert.
So should I have taken the dog away after he was given the bite pillow, maybe bring him into my arms to calm him?
Thanks guys
Duane Hull Webboard User Reg: 09-23-2011
Posts: 2692
Loc: Marrero, LA
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Plan your sessions ahead of time, and always, always be thinking be thinking ahead.
IME, not too much personal contact with an agitated dog. Remove the dog to a neutral location and either crate him or down him and have him cool off for a little while.
Bitework is not some casual activity that a couple of guys decide to do one afternoon. There are safety and liability concerns, and equipment to purchase. I started to suggest that you teach a helper, but helpers need to learn a lot, including reading the dog, and should be instructed and supervised by someone knowledgable in bitework. The helper is there to HELP the dog learn protection work. A buddy or pal may not have what it takes.
You really need to work with a schutzhund club. Is there one you can join in your area?
Hello Duane
I agree with what you are saying. I belong to a schutzhund club.
I might be wrong with this statement ,but I think my dog needs more agitation /bark and tug of war type exercises than once a week at club.
My rotty at 14 months old when I did a little bit of agitation was a bit on the quiet side so I stopped, what a difference 4 months in age makes.
Once again I have to be super alert and as you say put a plan in place.
Duane Hull Webboard User Reg: 09-23-2011
Posts: 2692
Loc: Marrero, LA
Offline
Good!
At our club, a few of the members get together outside of the scheduled club meetings (freaks for dogs, we are!). Maybe that would be another option. At least the other members would be knowledgable about handling an agitated dog, or when not to handle one.
Of course, as you know, tug can happen anywhere, anytime.
Have you started to learn decoy work yourself? That would go a long way toward encouraging fellow members to put in extra time with you.
I know where it comes from but I'm not a huge fan of "Into my arms". My own personal opinion is it can make a dog more possessive when you wrap your arms around it while it holds a bite pillow, tug, sleeve, etc.
I've not seen that particular Ellis DVD yet but I would respect anything said on it. Great series of DVDs.
I would work on the "out" command with a simple toy/ball before using it for a bite pillow.
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Agitation Work For Schutzhund
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