When Can You Begin Defensive Training?
January 7, 2008
photo credit: MonkeyMike
By training your dog in defense too early because of his age, or training him in defense when he doesn’t have the genetic quality for it, can ruin a good dog. What I mean by ruin is that your dog will be forced into “fight or flight” by this type of training in which he’ll respond by loosing his nerve and running away, or become very nervy after you’ve done so.
Working dogs, and sport dogs, at a very young age – should be given a good training foundation in prey drive. Training your dog in prey drive is basically using the dogs genetic need to chase and catch prey – and is fun for the dog. No stress involved. Defensive training does involve stress, as the dog is put in a training situation where he realizes that “the game” is serious. A good helper (one who wears a bite sleeve and bite suite that “catches” your dog’s bites) will bring your dog to this point, but only after a good foundation is set in prey.
photo credit: MonkeyMike
There are other training philosophies that deal with little or no prey drive work, and all defense, but that is up to a real professional. I would not recommend the novice or hobbyist trainer to do so. You could ruin your dog!
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Posted in Schutzhund Training
February 17th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Hey! That’s an awesome post — I must say. You have started off this post with something that should be kept in the fore front of mind of dog owners — especially novice ones. I have repeatedly told many fellow dog owners not to start defense and protection training in so early stage. They do that and spoil their dogs.
Can you please bold the first sentence of this post??
February 17th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Hello Arindam,
Yes, I have bolded a few of the statements I’ve made on this post. I actually will be completing the entire article within the week (hopefully).
And I have heard of too many dogs being ruined as well by over-zealous owners who don’t have access to “good” trainers or clubs, and do the backyard training with their buddies on the dogs they have…not caring or even knowing if their dogs have the genetics capable of defensive work to begin with.
By the way, great site you have!
Martin
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:22 am
Yes Martin, that’s very true. Dog training is both a scientific art and an artistic science. Learning dog training is not completed if I master the art without the science or vice versa. 90% of trainers, I have seen are not able enough to say if a dog has that GENETIC TRAITS that make it real defense dog. Simply trying to put the dog into a defense training session may spoil it — they don’t understand that.
Anyway, I sale show dogs — but do not actually put emphasize on dog business. I just keep them, maintain them , study them and breed them(occasionally). But I can assure you that I can provide you with good lineage, with desirable GSD instincts. I sale them at cheaper rate, because it’s not a full fledged business. Hopefully I’ll be coming up with a good liter after 9 months.
Thanx
Take care
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Great News about the upcoming litter Arindam. As you (If I read your profile correctly) are in India, I’d like to know a few details about your selling options, as I’m sure my readership would also like to know:
Thanks for your reply in advance.
I know of trainers who’ve used table training on soft dogs/dogs without the genetics required – making them very sharp. And very sharp dogs (due to bad training) will revert back to genetics when faced with a “fight or flight” situation. So now you have a sharp dog that is unstable around people, and will run away if the defense pressure is too great on them (unless they are forced into it, as with table training).
The reason why heavy handed training does seem to work is because you do get results on the training field – a dog acting in what appears to be fight drive. But poor dogs, as they are ruined…
Now, with a good lineage (working bloodlines) and responsible training, defensive training is necessary for protection training/sport training on our dogs. We as handlers just need to be responsible about the lives of our dogs.