Steve K9Pro

Erny: K9: These days, not many service dog trainers use check chains, they have gon ethe way of the e collar & or prong. Success can be measured in different terms too, I remember doing a demo for a dog unit that told me they had the best dogs, after a run through with my dog, they said they had a long way to go. Erny: K9: when Im looking for a high level of reliability from a dog, I find training wirth a warning (chain slip) works against you, it warns the dog that there "might" be a correction, sometimes. In avoidance training, the can only truly learn to avoid the correction if it occurs every time until the can actually avoid it. SR: K9: I agree with you here, I find the reason is that they stick to a tried & proven method rather than branch out, like the dog unit I spoke of, until they see a better dog trained differently, they dont branch out. Many sport trainers are the same, sticking with old, partially outdated methods.

K9: doesnt seem to stop people using them though, not that I can blame them.

K9: they are banned in Victoria, other states are ok, but I cant find any legislation on SA. There are a restricted import from overseas, you require a permit. We have USA made Titan collars in stock just about all of the time.

M: K9: ;) nice return

K9: hey Denis, did I read an article on drives that you wrote early last year?

D K9: I dont know how many times I have corrected her on that spelling! ;)

K9: lose control of this sucker & someones in trouble...

E: K9: at least with a low drive dog, you dont have to try & control hyeractivity, if something goes wrong in training, all that happens is nothing A little different when a high drive GSD Patrol dog thinks it can satisfy its drive by grabbing the first person it see's... ALl dogs are hedonists, thats pleasure seeking, pain avoiding. Low drive dogs are not difficult to train at all, its just difficult to get them to complete complex tasks.

E: K9: Im struggling to believe this is a serious question. Of course a dog with low prey drive or a high threshold to prey drive is not suitable for training in prey drive. E: K9: well speak to Monika, she has places in her seminars or book a private lesson, Im sure you wont be dispointed. K: K9: well you can & many do, you would need a hanlder for each dog though. E: K9: not hard questions, just a little obvious. E: K9: bri ng your dog along, maybe I will make it look good

K9: its your choice, Im happy to give you ideas on her behaviour & show you how I control unwanted drive initialisation. What ever you prefer.

E: K9: training in drive is as I said, controlling which drives are turned on & which are turned off. A dog going into prey drive at the wrong time is as useless as one that wont go into prey drive when you need it to.. E: K9: all training in drive techniques require the dog to have the drive you want to work & the nerves to support it. A great way to get all your questions answered is come to a workshop or seminar.

K9: bring the one you cant figure out to the seminar

K9: again Kavik, it depends on the dog, but I have a separate command for turning on & off each drive

E: K9: I feel Myska is using the bunny to raise the threshold to prey drive with rabbits, E: K9: redirection is required when drive peaks, this is not going to happen in the controlled environment she has. E: K9: your right, it shouldnt be done. So, neither should any excercise of getting your dog used to other dogs, cats, or any animal for that matter. I feel that your interests lay elsewhere than in the drive discussion.

K: K9: this word forms part of your trigger. If you say ready in the lounhge room at home, does your dog go into drive? K: K9: probably play or food, only the dog can tell you what it wants

E: K9: Livestock Guardian dogs are far from the best active herding dogs. You may have missed the section in which we were talki ng about herding, not stock guarding.

E: K9: are you trying to design a dog that cant be trained?> M: K9: handler is oart of environment

K9: A low drive dog will only be able to be trained in avoidance then? as it has no motivation.

K9: it sure can, remember the trigger or stimuli is what decides the drive, big dog could trigger defence drive, small dog trigger rank drive... Triggers are made from many component, strong handler equals dog in defence drive when see's other dog, weak handler triggers rank ....

K9: he sounds rank, but dont assume that your not in danger, another reason that I would need to see your dog is too asses the risk that your under, handler aggression is common with frustrated rank dogs... You could easily be the outlet (drive satisfaction) if he fails on a lunge...

K9: I guess those who came from NZ indicate that they had no success, books are the same as me writing it, timing etc is all in the demo...

V: K9: prey drive has nothing to do with killing. The prey may end up dead, then it becomes food. V: K9: keep in mind the difference between chasing sheep & herding sheep is control. M: M: K9: big circle of avoidance.... lol

A: K9: I cant really, reason being I cant read your dog from here. Nor can I watch your actions timing etc. A: K9: power to them if they can fix your dog... A: K9: great, which ever the problem, ask them how to fix it. A: K9: short of waiting until there is a seminar in NZ, many people travel to our facility from near & far, I have had many from NZ, PNG, Tasmania, & all areas of Aust. We organise everything..

V: K9: successfully putting the sheep where the herder wanted them. V: K9: see, there is your answer, just like dropping on the run doesnt envolve biting either, but its done in drive. V: K9: sheep dogs dont go out & heard sheep with no training, with no training, they would likely chase & bite the sheep, through training, the dogs prey drive satisfaction has been developed into a different satisfaction. The dogs are not in drive the whole time either, that would be impossible, when the dog needs to stop chasing sheep as it has guided them, its going in & out of drive to avoid making an error...

A: K9: firstly, I dont watch for my dog to not comply & correct, thsi means he gets a correction "sometimes" & he will always be looking for that some time. Second, your correction may simply extinguish his drive, rather than "its working". A: K9: thats because he is in drive peak, no dog will respond with training. A: K9: sort of but you need a dedicated program after your dog has been evaluated. I recommend that you have a chat with an expert & let them eval your dog. M: (K9 here we go... ) M: K9: loosley translated, my dog didnt eat you & your Dobe lol...