Helpers and petting

**gagsd** · 02-19-2013, 10:13 AM

Does your helper pet and stroke your dog while "on the sleeve?"
What are your thoughts on why? Is it effective?

When is this a good idea or not? Is it dependent on the dog?

mycobraracr · 02-19-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gagsd

Does your helper pet and stroke your dog while "on the sleeve?"
What are your thoughts on why? Is it effective?

When is this a good idea or not? Is it dependent on the dog?

The helpers I work my dogs on do pet the dogs. I being a helper do not.

They usually do it to calm a dog. If the dog is hectic or frantic sometimes they do it to help the dog relax and just release in the bite. I'm sure there is more to it than that but that's my understanding. I am a threat, a bad guy. I don't want to pet a dog on the bite. I want it to continue to take me as a bad guy. So I try some other things short of physical contact to calm the dogs.

qbchottu · 02-19-2013, 10:28 AM

All the ones I've worked with pet the dog while on the sleeve. I think it is a good idea - gets the dog used to distractions around the face and dog stays on the sleeve.

**Liesje** · 02-19-2013, 10:36 AM

I don't think so? I've seen them touch the dog but it's not like a pet/stroke, more to get a response from the dog (like he clamps down tighter or does a little jerk/torque on the sleeve in response).

robinhuerta · 02-19-2013, 10:50 AM

Most helpers do...for various reasons....sometimes to calm a dog, sometimes it makes the dog bite harder, sometimes to help create a calm, full bite.....it just depends.
All training techniques are as different as the helper using them.....ask your helper "why" they are doing something specific......

hunterisgreat · 02-20-2013, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gagsd

Does your helper pet and stroke your dog while "on the sleeve?"
What are your thoughts on why? Is it effective?

When is this a good idea or not? Is it dependent on the dog?

Effective when it is the course of action that I want to take.

It depends on the dog. The dogs that aren't as confident and we are trying to work in prey I will stroke or otherwise interact with pleasantly. The dogs that are aversive to contact with the helper I will stroke to desensitize them to this. The dogs that work readily in prey and are indifferent to touch I don't. The dogs that are not as confident and we are trying to work with more aggression I do not touch (in an affectionate way) or otherwise confuse them... I remain playing the role of a threat. The very confident dogs that I want to work in very high aggression levels I do not pet as I am their mortal enemy at that moment and mortal enemies don't pet each other.

Smithie86 · 02-20-2013, 12:31 PM

Part of training. Done as not due to dog and grip – it is part of the training process in the protection work.

You do not know what kind of helper that you will encounter. Strong, weak, awkward, does not present sleeves correctly, roll sleeves back over spine (incorrectly) when dog blocks, helpers that pull dog onto them, yells, does not yell, etc….

**lhczth** · 02-20-2013, 03:50 PM

Even so, Sue, at NO time would the helper in a trial pet the dog.

hunterisgreat · 02-20-2013, 04:04 PM

I don't think a helper has ever tried to pet Jäger now that I'm thinking about it. Our current helper did say the other day "I hope one day I can pet Jäger" lol

**lhczth** · 02-20-2013, 04:13 PM

What I hate are the helpers that grab the lower jaw of the dog when they are on the sleeve. What is the purpose of that?

02-19-2013, 10:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
gagsd Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: georgia Posts: 3,880	Helpers and petting Does your helper pet and stroke your dog while "on the sleeve?" What are your thoughts on why? Is it effective? When is this a good idea or not? Is it dependent on the dog? __________________ ----Mary I love my dogs..... But I am a dog owner, not a pet parent. Go Train The Dog!

02-19-2013, 10:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
Liesje Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 16,278	I don't think so? I've seen them touch the dog but it's not like a pet/stroke, more to get a response from the dog (like he clamps down tighter or does a little jerk/torque on the sleeve in response). __________________ Liesje & the K9s Nikon (GSD) U-CH SG Alta-Tollhaus Bono SchH1 KKL T1 FO PA TF-III FDCh-S CL1-R UJJ U-CA HIT TT CGC Coke (All-American) VPC's Coca-Cola CGC, couch warmer extraordinaire Indy (All-American) Blue Horizon's Indigo Girl, flyball star in training Rainbow Bridge Kenya (GSD) U-CH Alta-Tollhaus-Krieger Lamb Chop CL1-R CL1-F RA HIT TDI TT CGC vom Blauen Horizont / Blue Horizon GSDs

02-19-2013, 10:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
robinhuerta Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,514	Most helpers do...for various reasons....sometimes to calm a dog, sometimes it makes the dog bite harder, sometimes to help create a calm, full bite.....it just depends. All training techniques are as different as the helper using them.....ask your helper "why" they are doing something specific...... __________________ Huerta Hof German Shepherds www.teamhuertahof.com ....where breeding is still considered an art....

02-20-2013, 12:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
Smithie86 Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Nashville, TN and Budapest HU Posts: 4,030	Part of training. Done as not due to dog and grip – it is part of the training process in the protection work. You do not know what kind of helper that you will encounter. Strong, weak, awkward, does not present sleeves correctly, roll sleeves back over spine (incorrectly) when dog blocks, helpers that pull dog onto them, yells, does not yell, etc…. __________________ www.k9imports.com V KK1 Molinari Enzo SCH3,IPO3,VK3,FH(WUSVx3,FCIx4)HOT: KK1 Frodo v Biezenhoeve SCH3,IPO3,HPO3 WUSVx3, FCIx3 HOT; KK1 Griff v Tajgetosz SCH3,IPO3(BHOT) 2nd USA 2012 Nat'ls, FCI World Team

02-20-2013, 03:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 13,731	Even so, Sue, at NO time would the helper in a trial pet the dog. __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

02-19-2013, 10:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
qbchottu Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,714	All the ones I've worked with pet the dog while on the sleeve. I think it is a good idea - gets the dog used to distractions around the face and dog stays on the sleeve.

02-20-2013, 04:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
hunterisgreat Knighted Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,383	I don't think a helper has ever tried to pet Jäger now that I'm thinking about it. Our current helper did say the other day "I hope one day I can pet Jäger" lol __________________ Hunter, USA trial helper, Charleston Working Dog Club Training Helper Beschützer des Jägers v. Sportwaffen, HOT, IPO1, AD, CGC Katya v. Hügelblick, HOT, IPO2, CGC SG Aska v. Ketscher Wald, 2 x SchH3, Kkl 1

02-20-2013, 04:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 13,731	What I hate are the helpers that grab the lower jaw of the dog when they are on the sleeve. What is the purpose of that? __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

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