wyvernblade Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I feel like I have been put through a wringer, dragged around 100kms of bush by my hair, and pumelled and battered. I look like I'm a WWII survivor who gallantly threw herself onto every barbed wire fence we came across and allowed her comrades to climb her to safety. I have bruises where no person would ever normally get one, and my family now thinks my husband is bashing me. Putting on clothes at the moment is painful, however I have been warned that if I turn up at work naked, I shall be in big trouble, not to mention being arrested on sight for causing malicious self harm. And the reason? One large male 12 month old German Shepherd, and one small cute and deceivingly innocent looking 9 week old Dobermann puppy. Apparently every time I bring out a ball (or in the case of the puppy, a sock with a ball in it, which he has decided are the best things ever!) it is an instant excuse to start bashing the human to death in order to get to them! I have scrapes down my side from a German Shepherds paws (Who knew they could jump THAT high!) I have bruises all down my legs from a German Shepherd and a Dobermann puppy using me as a human spring board to get closer to their toy, and I have massive, oddly enough, teeth shaped bruises up and down my leg as the Shepherd noticed that if he grabbed my leg, I yelped and lost the ball! Unfortunately for me I know have to work through the ' Yes I have a large 12 month old male German Shepherd attached to my leg, but I'm not reacting so he can learn that's not how he gets the ball!' I actually bled today from bite marks, but man has that dog got drive in him! And boy are his sits and drops getting quicker and quicker. The innocuosly innocent looking Dobermann puppy who is actually a razor blade covered in fur, thinks that his teeth should ALWAYS meet in the middle, no matter what he's biting. I'm surprised I can even still type as he will sneak in the odd "oops I THOUGHT that was my sock and ball, but gosh, it acually appears to be your hand, but seeing as I already have it, I'll just try and wrench in backwards with me so I can chew it somemore!" *sigh* At times I find myself thinking longingly about good old food training, who cares if they only came back to you once out of every three times? At least I still had fingers back then! Who cares that they sat when you told them to drop and then wandered off halfway through a test with you waving a piece of dried liver intincingly at them while they raped the dog doing the perfect down stay next to them?! At least I could still feel my legs! So at the end of all this suffering and pain and bleeding I'll have the perfect dog partner? Well let me explain this way, they now don't care about any of the rest of the family, they get so excited when they see me coming that I actually feel awe, they are like little furry globs of super glue that gaze at me adoringly as if I actually invented, manufactured AND distributed those amazing ball things, and last but not least, yes I'ma a masochist, but I'm actually having fun! Thanks K9 Force!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 It will hurt less, LOL. Mostly as our technique improves. Practice in front of a mirror (without a dog). Have someone watch you or video yourself to see if your movements allow the dogs easy access to your person. Wait till you try for control. Watch your facial bones, eyes and teeth!! My cheek bone is a little sore today as I was slow to move my head today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ;) :D ;) that is priceless, fantastic description! I have also been covered in bruises, had clothes ripped, and teeth lodged into my forearms. One bruise from a set of fingernails - well originally it was a deep scratch that turned into a bruise went from above the waiste along the leg to well below the knee. Dont ask me how we managed that... But the worst one was when in summer, straight out of bed in the morning I got a singlet on, and no bra. Oh that hurt..... and bled..... And my dog has no prey drive Im looking forward to comparying notes as very soon I will join you in the joy of owning a razorblade covered in fur, the black and tan variety that you have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisymina Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ;) :D teeth shaped bruises up and down my leg as the Shepherd noticed that if he grabbed my leg, I yelped and lost the ball! Who is training whom? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbbb Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Well, if it hurts, you must be doing it right!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I have just came back from my walk, no training as its too dark. Left the dog outside for a while. Come outside to get him, what do I see? He has ripped his bed to timy little pieces :D ;) Now so you understand, Rex has not ripped his bed up in about 5.5-6 years, only when he was a puppy... And not only that he ripped the bed up beyond repair he ripped MY favourite bed, well his but you know what I mean. I bought it at the Dobe Specialty, it had a blue cover with doberman heads on it, and there was a matching pillow. There is only pillow left now, not matching with anything else ;) I want to f-en kill him !!! Thats what happens when you dont satisfy some needs..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisymina Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Thats what happens when you dont satisfy some needs..... So what did you do to deserve that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 (edited) Yup know how you feel Wyvern ... try having a 50kg mastiff decide he wants it and plants two paws right in the middle of your gut ... And I have seen a GSD tear apart a whole room and knock over a fridge to get to a tennis ball thats its prey item. new trick with him I put my knee up and he planted himself right onto it and fell over ... whoops ... embaressing isnt it ... he tried again, knee came up and he hit it again. Sat down, got his toy. Malinois learned like that too, I never punished her for it I just raised a knee as soon as she jumped up and she kept stacking herself, with me smiling and being sooo nice through the whole thing. Trust me they soon realise that throwing themselves and falling over is not worth it when they behave and get the ball so much faster. I've never let my dogs jump all over me for the prey item, never had so many scratches even from my Malinois (and she blows drool bubbles for a tug toy so she wants it baaaaaaaad) If theyre acting up so much them go back inside till they settle or keep ignoring and let them stack until they learn. Edited June 8, 2006 by Nekhbet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. I have bruised hands and wrist and yesterday I ran into a tree branch while trying to build drive and nearly KOd myself. Have bruises on cheek and scrapes on forehead!!! We're all getting much better though and I am getting at arm placement! Me and my dogs are having fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddog21 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Thanks for the update Wyvernblade. I'm looking forward to a session with Steve in early July. I'll go buy some band aids now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-j Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I agree wholeheartedly, I actually was thinking about starting a similar thread as I have had a few amusing times (on hindsight) with this training in drive, I have a Dobe and have sustained bruises and scratches he scraped one eye and he was so quick I didn't even have time to close my eye, all handler faults. I was taking Maltese and Dobe for a walk on a one of those windy days that everything goes silly so when I let Dobe off I picked Malt up, tucked him into my jacket with his head sticking out, dobe just wanted to play. Dobe is running around like a fool and he had done about a 6 runs past, on the 7th he was about 5-6 m away and as he was approaching he went into drive (the Malt was the prey item as I had recently started producing item from the front of my jacket) and did this flying leap which I dodged just at the last sec as I wasn't sure what he was going to do. The poor Malt he cacked himself I have never seen his eyes bulge like that. It took about 4-5 times of me turning well before he got to me to actually get him to stop LOL. I was wondering whether I'm mad for doing this with a Dobe or just mad for doing it, food is much more civilised but not as much fun and you never have amusing stories to tell. cheers M-J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyvernblade Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Yep, seems we are all suffering from this new training method then!! The GSD gets so excited now that if he doesn't get his ball quick enough he twists in midair leap for the ball and 'accidentally' nips me on the way past! I'm pleased I am making him so frustrated, and yet the pain..........! And methinks the Dobe is going to be even worse when he's older.............. There should be warning labels attached, i'e " Do not try to train in Drive if pregnant, unfit, drunk,or you have a special fondness for your skin on most parts of your body' ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I have returned to the house once again after spinning. I am little surprised no one has mentioned how their balance is affected? Maybe, as I mentioned, our techniques are different? For example why are the dogs injuring the handler/trainer/owner when the dogs should be focusing on the prey item? I found my dogs and the 30 or so dogs I experimented on, learn very quickly - may I take Steve's wording?? LOL - "the dogs learn power and strength do not win the article". May I ask what position your arms are in? Possibly holding the item, too close to your bodies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyvernblade Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Well with the GSD I am holding my arm out as far as possible from my body, but he will only lunge a few times before sitting and waiting so I take the ball closer to him to encourage him to keep chasing it, which is when he jumps or snaps at me in passing! With the puppy, he seems to tire of chasing the toy no matter how many 'captures' I let him have and decides that my hands or my legs or my shoes are the better option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyvernblade Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Oh and yessss, there is lots of dizziness, after a few spins, I have headspins and have to stop for a second! Not so bad with the GSD as I am stadning up, worse with the pup as you have to lean over to be at his height!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 From your post, I wonder if your timing is a little off, with the GSD. With experience, I found my timing becoming significantly better, to know when loss of focus/drive occurs. With the pup, he is 9 weeks old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyvernblade Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Oh I KNOW my timing is off! Half the time the blighters grab it when I don't mean them too, so I'm trying to work on being quicker, the GSD is also slowly getting over that whole 'circle of control' thing but is definetly not as hesitant about snapping near me as he used to be (And I have the scars to prove it!) And yes the pup is 9 weeks old, so I'm concentrating on just getting him happy chasing his toy. Any tips would be greatly appreciated tho as I am new at this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 K9: ;) shorten up the string or sock.... Hold the ball still, when the dog lunges at it, move it quickly to the right of the direction the dog is lunging, the dog cant change direction in the air.... Hey your getting it easy, try it with a dog thats had a lot of bitework.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 (edited) Hey your getting it easy, try it with a dog thats had a lot of bitework.... wink.gif what the catching of your arm instead or trying to prise them off the toy darn buggers and their reflexes Edited June 9, 2006 by Nekhbet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 (edited) I have to stop all the time as I get dizzy as well. Found a way to get the toy back if Bella gets it into her mouth: I pull the toy high on my chest so her front legs are off the ground and spin (the other way) only takes one spin and she lets it go. I am getting better at this and even getting fitter. Have used Nekhbets Knee trick as well to stop my face getting scratched ;) Bella got injured as well as she did a massive leap and landed on top of a tap in the middle of the yard - no damage fortunately and she went on to finish her training session. My 12 week old puppy prefers the lead to her toy. Have just switched her to a tiny ball in a sock (as per someone's post) and that works much better. I must be a masochist cause I'm having such fun . In the week I've been doing the drive training, Bella seems much calmer (except when in drive) - does this happen to everyone else's dog? edited for bad spelling Edited June 9, 2006 by BellasPerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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