Unlike most dog events, working dog competitions are not so much a test of how well a dog can do a particular exercise, but a more fundamental examination of the dog’s temperament. Whether it is Schutzhund, Ring Sport, herding or service dog trials, the points may be determined by how well a dog does each …
The term, drive, when used in dog training is a departure from the behavioral scientist’s understanding of the concept. In the early days of research into animal behavior, scientists attempted to place theory into strict, even mechanical, descriptions of behavior, much like a mathematician or chemist. These early experimenters postulated that drive was the energy …
Unlike most dog events, working dog competitions are not so much a test of how well a dog can do a particular exercise, but a more fundamental examination of the dog’s temperament. Whether it is Schutzhund, Ring Sport, herding or service dog trials, the points may be determined by how well a dog does each …
Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.-Albert Einstein Tired of tired obedience or a dog having a nervous breakdown on the track? In this article I would like to go back and question the very fundamentals of how many dog trainers approach their task and see just where the problem …
The term, drive, when used in dog training is a departure from the behavioral scientist’s understanding of the concept. In the early days of research into animal behavior, scientists attempted to place theory into strict, even mechanical, descriptions of behavior, much like a mathematician or chemist. These early experimenters postulated that drive was the energy …
In the first installment, defense in its many forms was examined with the conclusion that this very complex behavioral response demands the highest skills from the protection trainer. If a trainer ignores defense, he will pay the price for incomplete training. If he recognizes the important role of defense, but fails to observe the rules …
Throughout the dog’s twelve thousand-year relationship with man, its behavior has been carefully molded to distinguish the dog from its wild ancestor, the wolf. In the first installment of this series, we saw how aggression, a trait seldom seen in the defensive behavior of the wild predator, has been developed in the modern dog to …
It is a thankless task! If, in a trial, a handler receives 100 points in protection, he has done an excellent job of training the dog. If, on the other hand, the score is 80 points, the trial helper was at fault Yet, in our more honest moments, we should admit that the sport could …