Traveling in search of
information on training has provided many opportunities
to broaden my understanding of canine behavior.
Understanding canine behavior is the essential
ingredient in developing training programs which will
produce a dog that works correctly and enthusiastically.
It is the understanding of canine behavior which
determines correction or stimulation, the levels of each
and the timing for each. With a clear understanding the
handler is able to select a technique which will achieve
the desired response or behavior from the dog.
Inexperienced handlers are often found applying a
technique they have learned at a seminar or in training.
The result is not always as expected because the
ingredient that is missing is knowing the correct moment
and the necessary level to give the reward or
correction. Knowing canine behavior will provide the
handler with the necessary information. The
understanding of the most likely response gives the
handler the tools necessary to make a quick constructive
decision.
The sport of Schutzhund is founded on the premise that
even under a potential fighting situation the dog will
comply with the handler on the first command.
Canine behavior is typical and predictable.
The predictability, consistency and uniqueness of their
behavior is what makes them dogs and distinguishes them
from all other animals on this planet.
All canines exhibit the same behavior patterns. Some
individuals demonstrate more pronounced behavior than
others but it is present to some degree in all of them.
Specific behaviors can be enhanced through selective
breeding which combines dogs of similar pronounced
tendencies. This can be seen most readily in hunting
dogs.
The combining, through breeding, of dogs with the same
pronounced tendencies has been done both naturally and
artificially for thousands of years. The African wild
dog and the hyena are natural examples of naturally
selective breeding. The Labrador Retriever and the
German Shepherd are two, of many, artificially created.
The same tendencies are in all of them, but each shows
more pronounced in different ones.
The artificial selection of tendencies by man has led to
the "pure bred" dogs of today.
Tendencies necessary to understand, ensuring a
successful working team, apply to all breeds. Some
tendencies are more pronounced in specific blood lines
of breeds and care must be taken to address them.
The handler must accept that the canine world does not
accept or recognize the concept of "equal". There is no
equal in the canine world only dominant and submissive.
This is often referred to as "pecking order".
Canines establish this "pecking order" as young puppies
through play and rough housing. As the puppies develop,
conflicts over food will quickly establish who is on
top. Handlers must see that this is done through
conflict and stress not through discussion and bribery.
The establishment of order through stress is natural for
dogs and it is a system under which they have thrived
for thousands of years.
Handlers who can properly manage the use of stress in
the development of their dogs are successful because
they are working within the dogs natural behavior
patterns. knowledgeable handlers do not substitute human
response behavior for the dogs behavior and are
therefore not asking for responses the dog cannot
provide.
Dogs which are properly prepared can work equally well
on or off the competition field.
Today we have many new people entering the sport
searching for an easy method. There are training
programs which suggest that a dog trained exclusively
over a reward system (play, food) will be successful.
Those of you who fall victim to these methods will find
that you suddenly have a dog which no longer listens to
you. The dog will go along comfortably until a situation
arises where the dog's drives change, such as after
puberty, or as the dog matures and other drives like the
sex drive start to become pronounced. This change or
maturing is often very pronounced in dogs with
character, drive and hardness.
Situational or pattern training will be of no value for
basic obedience outside of the club training grounds.
When this maturing happens, handlers are left with
establishing control through compulsion as a pack leader
would have to do with a young upstart. This would be
settled in the wild by confrontation and conflict. There
is always a decision on position. The handler must win
or lose in this situation, there is no other conclusion
possible for the dog.
The young dog may assume the top position, by overcoming
the pack leader in such a conflict. It is the natural
order to have the young dog continually challenging the
leader to ensure the most capable is at the top of the
pack. It is essential for the survival of the
pack.
Handlers must recognize the risks of establishing a
dominant position with an older dog. Dogs with
pronounced courage, hardness and fighting drives may
choose to utilize them.
Handlers must recognize that the continual attempts by
the dog to assume the role of leader is natural. It is
one of the primary behaviors that has kept canines
around for thousands of years. Failure by the handler to
maintain leadership through dominance will result in a
complete role reversal. Ensuring compliance ensures
dominance.
A dog who is dominant over the handler may not show its
hand all the time. Dogs often appear to be satisfied
with most normal daily situations and may show their
dominant position only at certain times. We see it often
in behavior such as, growling when eating as the
handler approaches. The protection phase is included in
the sport to identify handlers in this situation. The
out command is a clear indication of who is in charge.
Young German Shepherd puppies often get overly
aggressive while nursing and can cause a bitch a great
deal of discomfort. Mothers will discipline the overly
aggressive ones by taking them by the muzzle and biting
down hard enough to get a squeal of apology. After
several "corrective bites" the puppy learns to ease up
on feeding.
Handlers must learn the value of working dogs within
their natural behavioral patterns.
Dogs chosen to work in the sport of Schutzhund are
expected to have high play drives, high protective
drives, high fighting drives and a willingness to bite
objects such as tugs, sticks, training arms and in
extreme cases, threatening people. These dogs are chosen
and bred for pronounced tendencies along these lines.
Establishing pecking order dominance with dogs of these
tendencies bring its own inherent difficulties and
risks.
Understanding the importance of maintaining dominance
will radically increase the handlers chance for success.
You can take the dog out of the pack but you can't take
the pack out of the dog.
