How important is the match up?

[Ruthie]

This question is for those who train to compete in something, obedience, RALLY, SchH, fly ball... doesn't matter.

How important is the match up to your personality in the success of you and your dog? Do you think that a good match gives you an advantage, or do you think a good handler should be just as successful with any type of dog because they should be able to adapt to that dog.

Here are a couple examples of what I mean by "match"...
Say you are a really reserved, calm person, you might be better matched with a higher dive, lower threshold dog. If you are a really upbeat or hyper person, you might match better with a medium drive, higher threshold dog.

[JakodaCD OA]

I think a good handler can adapt to most any dog, however, I personally would rather have a good match with my dog which would make it much more fun and successfull for both of us.

I'm a real upbeat, positive, kinda always doing something person, Masi, fits right in with that because she is rather like me

[FG167]

I find that I adapt my personality/training methods to the dog I am working with. But, that's just me - I don't think that would work for everyone so for those that recognize that they can't/don't do that, it's better to have a match with their dog.

My first competition dog was bought as a pet and then I started performance training on a whim with him at 2.5 years old. He's a hard, hard dog in that he can take any kind of correction and just keep going. He's stubborn and extremely athletic. He does things when he feels like it and because he loves me - no food or toy drive b/c he was not raised that way (now, 4 years later, he is starting to show food and toy drive but that is due to training and repetition).

My second dog I was extremely successful in SAR with and was a very, very soft dog. Frowning could make him collapse on his back. Extremely toy and food driven and loved praise. Had to be careful that any mood I was in was under control b/c if I was upset in any way, his work suffered.

Third dog was a rescue, frightened of everything but stubborn as all get out - a really fine line to walk to balance out strong enough personality to get her to respond but not so strong to scare her. Enthusiasm, treats and toys did a lot for her.

Madix was my fourth - the most sensitive dog I've ever known to my every expression. Not soft, could take a correction but very, very intuitive to me. Sometimes too much so. I had to be as flat as possible training him b/c my enthusiasm would cause his mind to explode. All about the toy and the praise.

I thrive on and enjoy immensely the various temperaments/personalities of the different dogs I've worked. I love figuring out what makes them tick, what makes them work, how far they can go etc etc. It's what I love about dog training/competition more than the actual events themselves.

[Zahnburg]

I think that most experienced handlers have a "type" of dog that they enjoy working. Granted, there are, of course, variations within that "type", but I think handlers will seek out dogs that display qualities that they find to be important.
That is not to say that good trainers can not adapt to different dogs, but most assuredly each trainer prefers certain characteristics.

[Franksmom]

I think it depends on how much experience you have with training and showing the more you do the more you'll be able to adapt to different dogs or pick the right dog for you.
Frank is my second dog to show in obedience in fact his first show is today.
I learned alot from my first show dog Indy, Indy is a very very high drive border collie. I learned I wanted something with a little less drive, but yet I dont' have the patience to train with some of the dogs I've seen that have no drive like a friend of mines first dog, little things my dogs just pick up and do, hers had to be trained into doing. When she bought her second dog she went to the same breeder but she had them pick out a dog with more drive.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Originally Posted by Ruthie

This question is for those who train to compete in something, obedience, RALLY, SchH, fly ball... doesn't matter.

How important is the match up to your personality in the success of you and your dog? Do you think that a good match gives you an advantage, or do you think a good handler should be just as successful with any type of dog because they should be able to adapt to that dog.

Here are a couple examples of what I mean by "match"...
Say you are a really reserved, calm person, you might be better matched with a higher dive, lower threshold dog. If you are a really upbeat or hyper person, you might match better with a medium drive, higher threshold dog.

I think these matches are almost opposites of what good matches might be for training because these seem to have the potential for exasperation on the part of the person mostly, and frustration (and lots of potential corrections) for the dog.

And for training in any areas, you and your dog also need to be a match with your sport/activity. I would never compete in Rally - I hate it. I haven't competed but watch people with their dogs - those that have the relationship where they almost start to look alike - that have that innate understanding of each other, seem to always make things look effortless.

I had a foster that was high drive, super dog - I took her to agility training. I am more low key, and do a lot of happy talk, but to match her, I had to up my activity but lower my enthusiasm. When I reined that in, and moved faster, we were in sync and omg I loved working with her SO much. But I definitely had to adjust - though not outside my comfort zone, which is what seems to be important.

With my own adopted GSD, who is truly probably more like me in terms of temperament (laughing because I am not sure that's good for either of us) and a great fit, after I got to know her better and we were in classes with the hopes of someday competing in AKC OB (probably won't because she's nervy but never say never) things were effortless because we were on the same wavelength.

I love these kind of questions even though I don't compete with my dogs. Except if there is a competition for quirkiest?

[Ruthie]

Originally Posted by Zahnburg

I think that most experienced handlers have a "type" of dog that they enjoy working. Granted, there are, of course, variations within that "type", but I think handlers will seek out dogs that display qualities that they find to be important.
That is not to say that good trainers can not adapt to different dogs, but most assuredly each trainer prefers certain characteristics.

That is kinda what I was thinking/wondering. Many of us in our club are new handlers within the last 2 - 3 years and many are just getting there second dog. We all had things that we looked for different from our first.

It just got me wondering if part of the improvement with the handlers is due to a better matched dog (because we know more what to look for) as much as it is from experience.

I think these matches are almost opposites of what good matches might be for training because these seem to have the potential for exasperation on the part of the person mostly, and frustration (and lots of potential corrections) for the dog.

Actually these are real life examples. Although I am sure every handler is different, and each has their own desire of what they want in a dog. For me, I want a dog that most allows me to be "myself". Falon sounds like she likes the opportunity to be flexible and adapt.

[phgsd]

Our Schh trainer used to have several dogs at a time in his kennel that were for sale. He had me training them at one point and I got to work with dogs of all temperaments. He loved to give me the really soft, sensitive dogs because I was really good at babying them and making them want to work with me. I know I did a nice job with them, but it is not a temperament I'd want in my own dog...give me a strong drivey dog any day!

Kessy's temperament is so much fun to work. She is very drivey but it's not that over the top, crazy drive, she is still able to "think" while in drive. She's not a hard dog but she is super resilient and can take A LOT of pressure/compulsion and she just bounces right back, tail wagging, ready to get back to work. She loves to please me and would do anything I ask. She learns things so quickly that it's always amazed me...it's like she trains herself, she connects the dots so well. She'll work happily for a ball, treat, or praise so it just makes her a pleasure to train for anything. That is the type of temperament I love.

I also enjoy Djenga's temperament but she is the type to overload in prey and just can't think and would redirect onto me when she got amped up. She is retired from "real" training now so I guess this is past tense! The other thing is that she is only motivated by a toy. Food and praise don't really mean much of anything to her. So she just wasn't as much fun to train as a dog that would work just for the joy of it.

And Gizmo isn't a GSD (he's a JRT) but he is fun to train too! He has very high food drive and pretty high prey drive. He's a bit sensitive and will shut down if I correct him too harshly, but will do anything for a treat and he's very smart. I got him partly as a challenge to train a different type of dog, but he is so easy to train!

Anyway...I can do well with a variety of temperaments, but I prefer dogs who bring a lot to the table in terms of drive and workability, not ones you have to constantly baby to get them to work.

[Ruthie]

So do you think you do BETTER with a dog that you feel is a match for you?

[Lin]

I think a good match is a huge advantage. I know when I'm working with an animal thats a poor match, I get frustrated much easier which results in needing frequent breaks and slower progress.

I think you can get to the same place eventually with a poor match, but it may take more work and a longer time period to get there. Especially if you're having to experiment with different training methods to match the dog.