Geoff Empey

I know for me things like when the dog is not in heel position, I'll give guidance with small leash pops on the dead ring on a fur savor. Not really a correction but "hello I'm here, get in line follow the leader" to leaving to engage the decoy without being released warrants a high level zing with the prong on the live ring.

Yesterday, I asked for a heel and then an automatic sit after picking her up from the decoy. She heeled ok but when I asked for the sit she still had decoy on the brain and tried to go around me to watch the decoy. (not engage) But sit means sit so I lifted her front paws off the ground and swung her butt around to heel position with a shake on the dead ring on the fursavor with a reaffirmed "SIT". I felt kind of bad or conflicted that I had to shake her, but she wasn't miffed by it. She had done excellent work up to that point. I know on the field when I ask a command she needs to do it, she can't get away with it. But sometimes I wonder if I am doing the right thing being not very experienced.

How do you come to a conclusion what level and or what type of correction your dog warrants depending on the exercise? I know every dog and handler team is different. Though I'm wondering what goes through other handlers minds when the dog is not doing what it is supposed to do.

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"Does your dog bite?" "No" .. Person tries to pet dog .. GRRR RAWR ROFFFFF!! "I thought you said your dog doesn't bite?" "That's not my dog ..."