Joined
·
70 Posts
:?:
Lets forget the types of training available for a second and concentrate on the Human aspect. The selection of a suitable dog is a sport philosophy with protection dog training this is not always possible as the owner bring any breed and expect you the trainer to train it.
Is the owner a Suitable handler? - This has mostly been an academically driven argument; very few trainers actually take cognisance of this and just see dollars, and not the real world factors. Real world, in your face, experience will teach you that the dog will draw from the handler, his best and his worst behaviour and traits.
For example; if the handler is not fit the dog will logically suffer the same fait, and not be fit either, if the handler is sloppy the dog will be neglected, and so on. The dog will also draw from the innate aggression of the handler and the dog will only become as aggressive as what the handler is aggressive or not this is not the rule but rather the norm, let me explain.
Aggression is broadly described as the drive that sets the dog into motion, or triggers him, into hunt (tracking), protection, or search (substance detection) mode it is not necessarily an attack, it is rather how decisive and persistent the handler is, to commit. If the handler has low aggression, low work ethic, blows the training mythology with bad imprinting, looses interest; the dog will fade likewise, or will become uncontrollable.
The other side of this is also true, where the trainer has all the right attributes, and turns out a good dog, just to surrender it to the owner, who undoes all the hard work. The dog becomes a liability ladled as uncontrollable.
Therefore it is very important to choose the right character, or frame of mind, I call it a Predatorily frame of mind, training peoples dogs for protection work is the same as training people to use guns and rifles, as first criteria the added benefit brings along added responsibility and care. The handler dog combo must be compatible - both in terms of size and temperament, only then we should look at attributes. The handler / owners skills and experience.
No handler should be trained in protection work before they have successfully passed the basic and advanced obedience course, where they were the handlers under instruction of the trainer, any other method could spell out disaster.
The type of person that makes a good handler is someone that is spontaneous and that loves the outdoors, nature- the green and brown stuff, and who has built in drive, a person that can stick with routine, and follow instruction and apply it, and a person that can laugh at him self.
The bond between handler and dog is very important, there needs to be rapport, if the handler cannot relate or respond to the animals needs and has the belief that the dog is just another dog and not an extension of his or her personality, he will never be able to perform up to par.
The handler must be prone to a certain degree of violence, if the handler is afraid of the dog, or the dog off the handler - the dog becomes uncontrollable and serious and even disastrous complications could emanate from attack training, where the dog is taught that it is okay to attack people we take the safety off IMO.
Remember not every citizen is a villain, but within every citizen resides one, and it only takes so much to make any good man loose his senses, circumstances dictate. None of us can prepare our selves for every eventuality, but by training a dog for protection work we elevate our concerns around safety to higher standards this belief in the dogs ability to stand the test and face the music could be a do or die situation, therefore one needs to know for sure, if the dogs ready to be tested, many are not, I assure you. Cosmetic training provides for great excitement however will it translate to action when prompted under real world conditions this is the final test for it will be. Be sure you train the dogs like wise.
Just my personal opinion...
:wink:
Lets forget the types of training available for a second and concentrate on the Human aspect. The selection of a suitable dog is a sport philosophy with protection dog training this is not always possible as the owner bring any breed and expect you the trainer to train it.
Is the owner a Suitable handler? - This has mostly been an academically driven argument; very few trainers actually take cognisance of this and just see dollars, and not the real world factors. Real world, in your face, experience will teach you that the dog will draw from the handler, his best and his worst behaviour and traits.
For example; if the handler is not fit the dog will logically suffer the same fait, and not be fit either, if the handler is sloppy the dog will be neglected, and so on. The dog will also draw from the innate aggression of the handler and the dog will only become as aggressive as what the handler is aggressive or not this is not the rule but rather the norm, let me explain.
Aggression is broadly described as the drive that sets the dog into motion, or triggers him, into hunt (tracking), protection, or search (substance detection) mode it is not necessarily an attack, it is rather how decisive and persistent the handler is, to commit. If the handler has low aggression, low work ethic, blows the training mythology with bad imprinting, looses interest; the dog will fade likewise, or will become uncontrollable.
The other side of this is also true, where the trainer has all the right attributes, and turns out a good dog, just to surrender it to the owner, who undoes all the hard work. The dog becomes a liability ladled as uncontrollable.
Therefore it is very important to choose the right character, or frame of mind, I call it a Predatorily frame of mind, training peoples dogs for protection work is the same as training people to use guns and rifles, as first criteria the added benefit brings along added responsibility and care. The handler dog combo must be compatible - both in terms of size and temperament, only then we should look at attributes. The handler / owners skills and experience.
No handler should be trained in protection work before they have successfully passed the basic and advanced obedience course, where they were the handlers under instruction of the trainer, any other method could spell out disaster.
The type of person that makes a good handler is someone that is spontaneous and that loves the outdoors, nature- the green and brown stuff, and who has built in drive, a person that can stick with routine, and follow instruction and apply it, and a person that can laugh at him self.
The bond between handler and dog is very important, there needs to be rapport, if the handler cannot relate or respond to the animals needs and has the belief that the dog is just another dog and not an extension of his or her personality, he will never be able to perform up to par.
The handler must be prone to a certain degree of violence, if the handler is afraid of the dog, or the dog off the handler - the dog becomes uncontrollable and serious and even disastrous complications could emanate from attack training, where the dog is taught that it is okay to attack people we take the safety off IMO.
Remember not every citizen is a villain, but within every citizen resides one, and it only takes so much to make any good man loose his senses, circumstances dictate. None of us can prepare our selves for every eventuality, but by training a dog for protection work we elevate our concerns around safety to higher standards this belief in the dogs ability to stand the test and face the music could be a do or die situation, therefore one needs to know for sure, if the dogs ready to be tested, many are not, I assure you. Cosmetic training provides for great excitement however will it translate to action when prompted under real world conditions this is the final test for it will be. Be sure you train the dogs like wise.
Just my personal opinion...
:wink: