I Think I've Missed Something Here...

[persephone]

regarding THIS thread..

is it now common for other people to handle young pups during classes?

Whilst I accept that it is neccessary for show dogs to be sometimes handled by others.. I find this method leaves me with questions :)My interest has been sparked !

Can someone explain... I have NOTHING to do with showing... how do you get your dogs comfortable with professional handlers?

I would have thought it to be awfully confusing for a pup in the early stages...and in a class situation.....and not really helpful to the owners.

What is the expected outcome?

Thank you

[Bjelkier]

I really have no idea about how common it is for other people to handle your dog in obediance classes as I don't go to them anymore.

But I personally have never had a problem with my dogs but Samoyeds are well known for loving pretty much anyone they meet.

As for getting the dogs accustomed to other handlers for showing, that is something I have to do as my dogs are often taken out in the ring by others if I can't or I have other dogs to handle myself.

All I have ever done is gotten the basic training into them and then allowed them to go with other people I trust (food and squeeky toys help) to handle them every now and then (I would never had my dog over to a stranger).

The expected outcome is that the dog should show just as well (if not as well but happily) for the other person as myself.

Seems to have worked fine but then as I mentioned before Samoyeds are attention seekers and would run off with anyone if they had the chance, so for all I know it could be different for other breeds

Edited August 21, 2009 by Wolfsong

[Cosmolo]

I take dogs at times to demonstrate something or to show owners a difference in a handling technique. For example, some people learn much more easily when they watch their dog get super excited with a reward given by me compared to their subtle or inadequate reward. Some people need to know that their dog can do it.

[MolassesLass]

I haven't been to classes in a while now but when I did instructers always took a dog to demonstrate the next exercise we were learning or potential solutions to problems.

Apart from obedience or agility when there are far more signals and they can be very subtle, it's only a dogs temperament that effects how easily they go with another person IMO.

[Jed]

I don't know about obedience dogs - when I did that,the dogs wouldn't have gone as well for someone else - but they would have been ok. After basic training, while they are still young I let different people run the show dogs occasionally, so they will be comfortable with someone else showing them.

[Agility Dogs]

When I was going to obedience the instructors would use a 'demo' dog they knew to be of sound temperament etc or a dog that one of the class members was having trouble with.

At Agility I won't handle anyone else's dog (as an instructor) unless they ask me to - I would rather use my dog as a demo dog, nor will I let anyone who I don't consider to be at least equal to my handling ability (and using the same system) handle my dog. I think letting someone else handle a green dog lets inconsistency (not of my own making) creep in and that just leaves too much room for a broken dog.

That said, once my dogs KNOW an activity (like they do flyball or frisbee) I'm quite happy for anyone and everyone to play with them.

I think it really comes down to what you think your dog is able to cope with and what you are comfortable with.

[Tassie]

I'm a very newbie in the showing field, but my boy has been shown as a pup by a friend, who is an experienced show handler (as well as obedience and agility.) He has been fairly lightly shown, and she has been careful that the experience is always a happy one for him. Partly because of this, and partly because he is an outgoing lad anyway, he loves to show, and the other weekend, when his normal handler was away, showed very well for an experienced and trusted junior handler (who'd had one training session with him) and then because of a clash, he was handed over with a very brief introduction (and treats of course) to another trusted and experienced junior, and was quite happy to show for her.

So in answer to the question

Can someone explain... I have NOTHING to do with showing... how do you get your dogs comfortable with professional handlers?

- I guess it's a lot like other disciplines. If the pup has been kindly and appropriately taught what the game is, they end up being happy to play the game with anyone.

(Oh, and while I don't normally let other people handle my performance dogs, I will do it sometimes through need. In the case of the show ring, I have to learn first, before I could even think about showing the boy myself - otherwise I would be letting him down.

As an instructor (puppy and agility) I will occasionally - with the owner's permission - take another dog briefly to demonstrate something, so the owners can watch and absorb without trying to handle a puppy at the same time.

[alpha bet]

This is a very interesting question posed here.....

I am a horserider and it is common for an instructor to ride a students horse to have a feel of what is happening....

There are often situations where a rider/handler is working with an animal and an instructor is giving directions that dont seem to be working... so for the instructor to put themselves in the students position may offer an insight into the technique required also allowing the instructor an opportunity to broaden their teaching skills.

Again as a rider when you are learning a new technique it can be amazing to work with an experienced horse who has the mental and physical softness to respond easily with the correct aids.

In the social classes when working on relaxed lead walking (including some fun agility grids) it is common for someone to swap dogs and they can learn to how to handle different personalities.

We only swap if people are comfortable with this and I always ask if I can handle someone elses dog first. It doesnt matter whether it is for showing, agility, obedience or pet work it can be great for the dogs and the handlers to develop their confidence and skills.

[persephone]

Thanks for all the explanations, folks:)

[OSoSwift]

We don't swap dogs, even at puppy pre-school and all of my dogs have happily been taken into the ring at different times and handled beautifully.

I have in the past handed over my 10mo bitch to be shown, she was never the same again. Turns out our training methods and what was acceptable were quite different.

I would never allow someone to take my dog to try to train something - e.g obedience as it is too easy to end up with a confused or 'broken' dog unless it was someone I knew very well and trusted. Even then it would be extremely rare.

I would never take someones dog to train unless they had asked me too, or were having a specific problem that they wanted me to take the dog for.

I think it is a HUGE honour for someone to hand over their dogs lead, or horses reins to me. I feel very priviledged if someone does.

Edited August 21, 2009 by rommimum

[Staff'n'Toller]

'Pass the Puppy' used to be a norm at puppy schools, but it's not advised now due to safety reasons for the other dogs. Bad experiences can happen from being handled by very novice owners.

[milzi09]

I personally would very rarely hand my dog over to someone else unless it was a short demo etc. and someone I trusted immensely but never for a whole class. IMO part of what makes us a great team is the bond and trust my dogs have in me which they don't necessarily have with someone else. I certainly wouldn't go out of eye sight either.

But maybe I am in the minority since it seems most people don't really have a problem with it.

[tlc]

We still do pass the puppy at obedience in the puppy class. I think some dogs just handle it better than others and probly depends also on early experiences for the dog. My youngest, there is no way anyone else could take him even for a short demo. But my other 3 would be fine with it. My oldest girl has been taken in a class by a 5 year old handler under my supervision of course. and they both did very well!! It was a good experience for both child and dog, I had to laugh at the end of the class as I was told by the 5 year old that I had to thank her for training my dog so well Lacy was a trooper she just went with it and responded well to the little girls right but unco signals.

edited to add, it is not our usual practice to have young handlers (13 year old minimum age) but on this particular day the class had only 3 people in it and one of those people was the girls mother, the other person was a trainer and the other person was along time member, and all were ok with it and my girl or the 5 year old didnt have to sit in the car for 45 mins. So all good.

Edited August 31, 2009 by tlc

[Tambaqui]

This has happened once with me at one obedience class, in a puppy class one of the instructor took my GSP to demonstrate on how to do something as she had shown that she was capable of doing the command that they required her to do, and I'd be happy to let anyone use her to demonstrate something to the class.

I have also just started to do obedience with my Min Pin, however if an instructor want to use him to demonstrate something, I will politely say no as he does not like it when someone else takes him away from me and he tend to get worried and nervous. He is the type that only want to be handled by those close to him and familiar people (He is ok with strangers patting him if he knows we're ok with it). Even at home he is very vocal if a stranger is seen and is a very good watch dog.

I think it should come down to the preferences of the owner and/or handler, and I am sure they can make their own decision as to who gets to handle their dogs.