On March 06 2007, 7:52 PM, Romanwild wrote:People are so damn quick to get to the bitework these days they'll pass on some of the more basic of necessities won't they.
I agree. I don't do bite work but I do have my opinions and observations.
Bitework is very exciting for the handler and the dog. It's also dangerous. It's a dog biting someone. That's why I agree with Ant. Logic, to me, dictates having a dog that is obscenely obedient prior to introduction to bitework. It's a safety thing.
Demo wrote:Large amounts of obedience work in a young dog can squash drive early and create an inhibited animal
Inhibition is something you want in a dog that does bitework. That way the "handler" can control the dog that much more. As far as inhibiting drive....not sure about that. I guess it would depend on what someones interpretation of drive is.
Demo wrote:This can also happen with a dog that is primarily marker trained (actually it can get much worse in such a dog). Instead of squashing drive with corrections you create a dog whose first instinct is to look to the handler for a reward, instead of to the decoy.
Looking to the handler for reward is not the pinnacle of marker training. For instance bitework in it's self would be the reward. With marker training you reward the behavior you want to reinforce. If you want the dog to look at you that's what you reward. If you want him to stay focused on the decoy then that's what you reward.
I can honestly say that Red was NOT started on bitework until she was 8 months old adn had LOTS of obedience on her. I did a lot of tug with her at home but she never got into bitework until she knew "aus" withotu a hesitation. This is NOT how most sport dog trainers train BUT I'm not most. I want a higher level of obedience ona dog BEFORE we start bitework. That's me adn as far as it killing drive, it will in an average dog but that's where choosing the right sport dog puppy comes into affect. Red had a VERY high level of Obeience before we started going to the club but she has MORE drive than 90% of the other dogs there. It all comes down to the INDIVIDUAL DOG and TRAINER! I do not think that it necessarily leads to instability in tempermant because most of the sport dogs I have seen have been WAY more stable than the average pet.
You do NOT want inhibition in PP dog or a sport dog. That does not mean that tyhe dog is goign to bite whenever. Nor does havingit make it easier to control a dog. In fact it couldn't be farther from the truth. LOL I am still a beginner and learn new things everyday. I have only been doing Sch with a pit bul for 2 yeasrs. Before that I did PP with Rotties and let me tell you. That's a tough dog to train adn work. Just happens my next dog will eb a rottie. LOL