Howard Gaines III

I have my thoughts on this subject but want to pick the minds of those whose background can educate the masses.

At what point in K-9 ownership should the light go on, to let owners know it's time to do real obedience? It's nice to have a dog that will bite and protect, but using basic obedience is important to the controlling and safe deployment of that PP tool.

I feel obedience can be done and in a positive manner at the same time bite work is being fashioned in a young dogs. Too much and too hard can kill the drive. Conversely, to do none or to do very little promotes an amimal that will give you the finger and do as it pleases.

So gang, what do you say? My example is a young dog (under 12 months) fails to take basic sit, down, or heel commands. Understanding these commands are "known in other venues" but shows limited use on the protection field. It comes out "balls to the wall" in bite drive, bites full and hard, but tunes out the handler in obedience direction.

1. Is this too much pre-bite training?
2. A sign of dominance and defiance to the handler?
3. A lack of bite drive and focus?
4. Handler avoidance?
5. Giving the finger and doing as it #%#@ well pleases?

If a command is given to a dog that knows it, while it is in a fight drive, refusing it is sign of...Help me!

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Howard Gaines III
www.gainesfarmandkennels.com
www.firststateborderpatrol.com