Steve K9Pro

MJ: K9: lower end of drive peak by the sounds... K9: this is re directing the drive by re triggereing & the dogs need to go into init again to complete the excercise... K9: yes, the dogs are in drive init thinking this freeze, sit focus will bring satisfaction... K9: lets call it raw drive, hard to say without seeing them. K9: freezing is the dog thinking hard...

so good I said it twice!

K9: lol, ok if you said "how would I make sure Stamp turns on via voice command rather than seeing the whistle etc..." I would say ok, wear the whistle all the time, except in training, so that the whistle will end up being of no value. I would also say hide your toy when you walk out to see him, say your word/s then produce the toy & build some drive. Knowing your dog, he will kep on the word in one or two session. Why is it important? I feel its important to "own" the trigger. It removes the dog feeling the trigger only works sometimes, as can happen when your moving around equipment etc. It gives you total respect, one word from you means drive satisfaction will come, everytime... It gives you the chance to use the word IN training to restimulate your dog when you may not be able to show the dog a toy...

K9: In the past I have trained dogs that we needed to have a firm on & off trigger, they cant just find their own triggers & go a biting... But from a training perspective, if I used say a bag for eg, & the dog see;s that bag many times, it becomes a weak trigger, as drive satisfaction hasnt come every time... But with my vocal command, I only use it when I will be sure I can give prey drive sat. I also then can be sure that if the dog kicks into drive another time, I can make sure he no prey & he will understand the command is the only thing he can rely on...

K9: whats easier is to suggest what sprot or work & than its easier o give a real world answer to how it can be done...

K9: when the training in drive begins, I add a word & teach the dog that each ytime the dog hears that word said that way the dog will get prey drive satisfaction. If the dog kicks into prey without hearing that command I make sure no satisfaction comes from his or her actions...

LL: K9: Anticipation comes if the dog thinks it saw something that could be a trigger... EG: You get up quickly & walk to the door, its not a trigger for anything but if the dog has enough drive it may hope in "anticipation" that it will lead to a trigger... LL: YB: K: A: K9: These are all good examples of triggers, a trigger is a stimuli that activates a sub conscious response.. I personally start drive training with making sure the dog identifies the trigger to something I can control. I try & avoid the dog trying to discover common components like training bags etc, equipment etc but turn the dog on by voice command. Some training lessons are spent just making sure the dog turns on by voice command. I use the tone of my voice to switch the dogs off & on, if I say my male dogs name with low volume & some excitement, he often gives a howl (going into peak) & then goes into high focus (drive init) to see what I want him to do.. If I speak in another tone he comes to me for pack drive satisfaction... K: K9: this may not be a trigger to a positive drive though, it maybe triggering avoidance & the dog just keeps himself out of drive, I see that often with halters... PJ: K9: most likely, & this is what is known as a dog with Raw drive, not enough focus..

L: K9: try pressing the top right button & it will marmalade.... L: K9: you said new thread... lol...

K9: ok lets lol... Start a thread & see what the new thread "triggers"..

K9: yes only details for NSW people have been released, its about 50% sold out so far!

LL K9: awesome isnt it? lol... HG: K9: We all need to be aware that these are the most important tools, over & above all others...

K9: the advance email has been sent to the list, if you thought you were on the list but have not got the email, please email me asap. Details will be released to General Public on my website in approx 24 hours.

K9: Your voice alone can be one of your greatest assets or biggest liabilities, & nerves are easily picked in the voice... Lablover you may remember the comments I made when Leanne handle her dog.. You can limit drive, elevate drive & build confidence with your voice if you use it right....

K9: as we speak I am writing a draft of the email that will go to my lists first on the SARDA & K9 Force seminar. The details are almost final & the date is set.... If your interested in a place get on this list asap if your in NSW.... The list gets 24 hours notice over my web page & every other avenue... to get on the list send email to [email protected] tell me put me on the list!!!

K9: yes well they should be... Training a dog is about applying pressure, pressure to learn... A weak nerved dog is like trying to push a balloon with a pin, the tinyest bit of pressure & it bursts (like when you ask your dog to make too many decisions).. H hard nerved dog is like pushing a medicine ball with 4 x 2. You can really push training along fast... To train a weka nerved dog, the key points are as many stable aspects as possible, train & compete on same field if you can, with same dogs if you can, same commands, same steps pattern train the dog so that its all the same built on stability over time. Pick a motivator & make sure it creates positive drive, that means you must get food drive (not exchange food for action), or prey drive & develop it so that it will fly the whole trial... You need to encompass the dogs mind by reducing stress through removing variables & use a drive motivator to help...

K9: could be one of two things, stress limiting food drive or she is in prey drive.. K9: I have something called the "Three Phase Philosophy" its the way I believe dogs should be trained. The learning phase in which the mechaniucs of the excercise are taught, the correction phase in which consequences occur if the dog chooses to ignore a known command & then the distraction phase.. If your dog see's the other dogs as too distracting you either dont have the right motivator or your dog is too easily distracted (socialisation issue) K9: by teaching her that the prey item is yours, & she will get satisfaction from that item onky through you.. K9: one of the very first things I try & get with a dog is pack drive, its the sign that the relationship between dog & handler is good, even if the dog has only met me I can almost every time get pack drive within minutes, this alone makes the dog look at you... There is a little bit about pack drive on this page

E: K9: thats why they use multiple corrections, its not over coming one on / off aversive its continuous... HG: K9: as this is used generally on Protection dogs, the nerves "should be" solid always, but if they are not the dog will shut down... I wouldnt use this method, it creates a lot of stress, whilst I believe that you may see a better bite quicker in training, the fallout in real work isnt worth it... I really love seeing a clear headed dog working, they are so much more effective. HG: K9: re stimulate the dog with the prey item...

K: K9: Might be a play on words as turning on the nerves of the dog will elevate the drive response, but the drive itself hasnt gone any higher... It was common (& still can be), for the decoy to hold a leash to a prong collar on a dog on a tie out. He would give multiple corrections that elevate defence drive response... Its thought that the frustration of not being able to avoid corrections elevates drive. I see the dogs nerves turned on.... L: K9: yes but when the dog is getting continuous stimulation, from the decoy, & getting multiple corrections the dog often will experiment (or shut down) & bite harder to stop the corrections... L: K9: were talking about multiple corrections in bitework, vs single high level (drive extinguishing) correction. L: K9: For anyone that has ever seen my drive model, this type of training doesnt fit my theory. When I want to elevate drive, I do it with more stimulation, increase the intensity of the trigger.... L: K9: yes this is learned helplessness, but if the corrections then didnt stop you might loose your temper & attack...

K: K9: I have spent a good many years working with people that hadthat philosophy, but when I watched the dogs what they did is give multiple corrections with the dog in drive to "elevate the drive" they said. I feel all that occurs when done in this method is turn on the nerves of the dog which is easily mistaken for elevation of drive...

K9: It means the dogs drive is raw & un guided, the dog needs to have more time in drive init to learn to think..

K9: lol @ "make no mistake"... I have an email group that will get notification when I first finalise any workshop. Anyone who would like to be put on that list, email me at [email protected] & state that you would like to be on the list, & the state you live in. You will get notification before it goes live on my web site.

K9: there are many details to be sorted out, the format, locations etc. I like to run my seminars & workshops so that people get something they wont get elsewhere, try to exceed expectations every time.. This seminar will be no different. We will strive to create excitement & enthusiasm & people leaving with useable knowledge that will translate int people training in this style... not so much people being impressed with what they see, but never replicating it... I think I will be available late April for the NSW one & sometime May for Vic... Not going to release dates just yet, as we havent narrowed it down yet plus last one sold out in two hours & Im still taking names for drop outs! Make no mistake, this will be a great event!

K: K9: she is telling you that your prey item needs more movement :rolleyes: K: K9 she needs to go through the complete program of obedience & then add dogs as a distraction, she gets aggressive as she isnt sure all of the ways she can win the items & thinks another dog may win it... K: K9: you need her to focus on the line, ie keep her in drive initialisation, this is where focus occurs... With voice & hand control, you can hold her & raise her to the theshold of drive peak, have her explode on take off this way... K: K9: you need to be back into development, you dont have enough drive yet. Haven: K9: yes it sounds like a program for an extreme rank aggressive dog...

K9: If I were buying a Lab in Australia, I would be talking to Lablover on this forum....

K9: lets just say watch this spot, have been on the phone with SARDOG today & it seems that anyone who would like to attend this in EITHER VIC or NSW should be very happy! lol..