Tonymc

Quote from Reddog. lets just get on with opening up our minds to the possibility of new adventures in dog sports. Very very well said!!!! Tony

Quote from Reddog. Nobody wants a viscious dog and unfortunately that is how the public and some owners see the sport, however, Sch. training does not promote viscious dogs and in fact creates a stable, well adapted animal. Well said Reddog and spot on!!!!I am a big Fan of Shutzhund.To me a Shutzhund Dog is a very well trained Dog.Later on I would love to get involved with my American Bulldog Pup. Tony

Cassie,for your benefit do a Google Search on Dog Leadership or perhaps read some Material by Jan Fennel or Cesar Milan. A Dog participating in Lure chasing in no way makes him or her more liable to be agressive towards Children especially if sound management of the Dog is carried out. Tony

Anniek,there seems to be some Fallacies about the Body Language of Docked or Bob Tailed Dogs.I never have a Problem with the Language of a Bob Tail, as the Tail is not the only component of the Dogs language.I guess though to many because the tail is so obvious, that major importance is contributed to it.A Dog uses all parts of his or her Body in communication. I see it this way.Imagine your standing there talking to a Human Friend of yours.Your both standing facing each other whilst communicating.Say your Friend is one who uses their Arms and Hands animatedly whilst talking.Now we tie one of your Friends arms behind his Back.Without his Arm,can he still communicate?Yes of course.Just the same way a Dog with no Tail can communicate as well as those with a Tail. Tony

quote from Leo. Another thought - we have moved away a little from the 'true workers' - so Bob who was a not so good worker but a great companion got bred to Sally who was the same temperament. They could still work, but their soft temperaments was desired by those who wanted them for companions.... Perhaps that is why?? So we breed for the 'softer' temperament and end up with a more anxious dog perhaps? I could not agree with your above point more Leo!!!!!!thats one of the reasons I have no interest in Dogs that are not tested or worked!!!!Any line of Dog that is not worked or at least tested,I avoid like the Plague!!!! Tony

Like Leo,said a Gene can have more than one trait linked to it. Tony

Cosmolo,I feel genetics plays a much bigger part in some issues than maybe currently acknowledged. Its well known with Humans,that many Psychological conditions have a Genetic Predisposition.Some People are born with a low Threshold towards certain Emotional dysfunctions and or Problems such as Alcoholisim.Most of the Personality Disorders have a Genetic factor. Animals are no different.I have seen Genetics not only dictate the Physical appearance of a Horse,Dog,Cow so on but also stamp its affect on the Psychology of the Animal in a negative way. As we all know an Animal to be basic has two aspects, the Physical and the Psychological.Some only pay attention to the Physical neglecting the other.Neglecting the Psychological sooner or later extracts a price. I am all for continually asessing Animals in any Field as to the soundness of their Psychology.Testing for soundness needs to be a routine procedure and if found lacking,breeding practises need to be undertaken to rectify or overcome any weakness. The above are some of the reasons,why I am all for Dogs working or carrying out some type of activity as this will highlight if there are any Genetic based weakness or malfunction in the Animals Psychology. Tony

Erny,I respect what your doing.Good on you for being proactive and not reactive.All the best with your Mission. Tony

Andy,before I comment on any training tool I make sure that I investigateit,use it and understand it.Andy try my approach sometime. Tony

Molasses,you should be bloody ashamed of your know all,ignorant,assuming,moronicly stupid Post!!!!One of the most idiotic Posts I have seen on this Site!!!! Tony

Noneybur,great result!!!!! Tony

Working Setters,great post!!!!Who better to show us the way than Mother Nature!!! Tony

Jerry,the easiest way is when he is not with you and supervised put him in a Run. Tony

I have trained other Animals such as Horses and Cattle.I do not see alot of Point comparing the Training of a Dog to another animal as each Animal has its own Species specific Psychology. I will correct a Dog,but try to whenever possible dissasociate myself from the correction,so to minumise resistance towards myself. In my view the Bottomline is to study the Animals Psychology,whether Horse or Dog and how he or she operates with members of the same Species and try as much as possible to replicate that in our Training. Tony

Poodle Wrangler hindsight is cheap after the event.You all did what you thought was best in the circumstance.The end result was that you got the two Dogs separated and the Fight stopped. Sounds like the whole matter was just an Accident as your Three year old did not realise that letting the Dog"s get together would result in a Fight. Tony

Timeout is a discipline that Nature itself uses.I have seen in Wild Dogs and Horses so often.you will see an old Mare chase a Youngster from a Mob with Neck extended,Teeth Showing,Ears flat and facing the Youngsters direction.then when its time to let the Younster back in the Mob,the Mare will turn away from him on about 45 degrees and thats his signal to come back in. Tony

Monie,time for a new Trainer. Tony

Rhi,it sounds like your Dog ran rings around your Friend.Obvisouly the Dog took control and saw itself having top Dog status over your Friend. Pack structure can be fluid.So your away the Dog dominates your Friend and takes up top Spot.You come back and the Dog still wants to retain Top Spot so starts on the dominant behaviour with you. You need to reassert your Leadership in this case clearly and consistently so there is no doubt in the Dog"s mind that you are number one. Tony

Jonathon,let me give you a scenario in the Human World that will answer your query about Passive Dominance. A Fellow I knew took up with this Girl.They both had Horses so I used to come across them every now and then.I cannot help but watch and be aware of Behaviour whether it be Dogs,Horses or Humans.I took note of this Girl"s behaviour and how the Fellow was racing around doing everything for her,not to a normal level but way over the Top.The Fellow did not realise the Game that this Girl was playing.He felt important and needed and he mistakenly thought he had the upper Hand as he thought she had to rely on him for everything.This Girl was nowhere as helpless as she portrayed and it was a big act.The Fellow thought he was in control, but the Truth was the Girl was.She was being Passively Dominant!!!! Quote from Johnathon She was also going on about how the only dogs in Australia worth breeding from come from Europe, where they temperament test them, and that the dogs here are all starting to become nervous and shy because we are breeding for the show ring and not for the working dog. I can understand where she is coming from with the above statement,especially if she is ex military. Tony

Thank you Kavik,much appreciated. Tony

Does anybody have his Website? Tony

Some good input from everybody above me. Quote from Working Setters The ancestors of a good working dog have been selected primarily for their working desire and ability for 1000 generations, the impact of this genetic legacy is enormous, it shapes everything about the dog, from appearance and conformation to behaviour and thought processes. Training and environment can modified this underlying genetic base only so far. If one of my dogs had gone to a non-hunting home would it be happy? If it were a good home with a skilled trainer, and the dog given appropriate mental and physical stimulation, in the form of agility for example, then yes the dog could be happy. But it would never be entirely fulfilled, would never approach agility with the same burning desire and intensity, the same “very reason for its existence” that it brings to hunting. If you selected a less appropriate activity, say Ob for example, giving the dog its mental stimulation, but denying it physical stimulation in the form large amounts of free running, then no I do not believe the dog would be happy. So IMO the activity you select to replace the original work is of huge importance also. My thoughts exactly. tony

Reddii{Tony} yes you got it.We do not want our Dogs having a feed then having to do a Days work.We feed at Night and thats give them time to eat and digest. Tony

Reddii, our Dogs are on one Feed a day by the time they are about 12 to 14 months old.Our Dogs are working Dogs so they are fed in the Evenings. Tony

Thank you for the kind words Bruno. Tony