People doing bite sports

casey82

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#1
Hey guys. So, in the future I'm interested in getting a dog to do bite sports with, because I think it'll make me a better trainer, and actually they just look darn cool. I was looking at Shutzhund but Mondioring has peaked my interest. For those of you who train and compete, do you think you are a better trainer because of it? What tips do you have for someone who's never done anything like this before? I have nothing but time until I'm seriously persuing this so what are things I need to think about before I start looking for an appropriate dog? What made you guys want to go into this? I feel like I should have more questions but I don't at the moment.
 
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#2
anything that gets you more involved with your dog makes you a better trainer. Every sport has its own quirks, but overall I think it does make you a better trainer. But "better" is relative :) I know lots of people that are as clueless as can be doing bite sports :), but they're not as clueless as they once were.

What tips for someone that's never done it? Have an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out. Observe a few people and their dogs and when you think you know some things, go observe some other people and you find a whole new world exists, some better, some worse.

Letting people help you because of safety is ok, letting people take a leash and do it for you because you don't know anything??? well sometimes it's ok sometimes it's not. Depends on what your goals are and what you're trying to do.

Nobody learns without making mistakes and nobody learns without taking some help too :) makes perfect sense I'm sure. I guess how you control that is by training with like minded people and you do that by watching a lot too.

Where are you in MN? There are a lot of very good trainers over there in MOndio and IPO depending on your location
 
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#3
oh, and not having a dog is even better, because now you can just go and watch and learn and help etc. Then you can observe all sorts of dogs, see which ones you like best and think would mesh with you and your lifestyle and they get one from where they did.

Though you'll have to be careful, some "clubs" see fresh meat and try to sell you the next dog they have available. and opposite to that, once you get to know people, a lot of times club members will give other club members a dog because they know it's a good home and will be worked :) or at least give a serious discount.

So take things as your'e ready, and don't be pressured to get a dog.
 

casey82

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#4
I'm in the twin cites. Thanks for the heads up about some "clubs" trying to sell the next dog available. That's good to know. Do you know how i'd go about finding a club to start with? Are you in the twin cities?
 
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#6
I am in WI (eastern side) and don't regularly train with any clubs over there. If you want to do IPO, i know MVSV has a club, but I don't know a lot of people with it anymore. Also Stefan Schuab is 30min-1hour or so west of there. Typical German :) but he knows IPO and how to train it well. he also has some very nice dogs. But I think they're are more of a "pay to play" type club. He makes his living with dogs, so most are paid sessions to train with him. as far as IPO goes though in that area, you'd be hard pressed to find a better training helper. Also there are a lot of people doing ring over there too. There's rumor going around a new Mondio club might be starting up, but there are some on here that might now more about that than I.

There's another ring club north of there about an hour, a group that does primarily French Ring in Hudson, right across the border, but that's usually them getting together and training, not sure how active they are anymore as far as regular club type days to train.

There were some other IPO clubs within about an hour drive or so, but I can't say what they do or don't have.
 

SaraB

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#7
You are more than welcome to come and watch when we meet with our club next time. We are just a baby club, just started and filled mostly with off-breeds. But we have a lot of fun, help each other out and learn a ton! It's a mondio club btw.
 

SaraB

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#9
annnd a third post because I am apparently too quick to hit the submit button.

As far as it making you a better trainer, of course you learn new things when you start a new sport. Whenever you expand your thoughts and look to others for help you will learn new things. As far as mondio specifically making you a better trainer, it depends on your goals as a trainer. If I wanted to be a better agility trainer, I would take agility lessons from someone I admire. If I wanted to be a better obedience trainer, I would find a stellar obedience trainer. There are so many different types of dog trainers out there that it's hard to say.

I do not think that a good trainer has to do bitework. At all. I think that a good trainer needs to excel in whatever sport they are teaching.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#10
I do believe bitework helps people understand working dogs and a variety of drives and aggressions far unlike other venues. That being said there is plenty more to be learned in other venues.

FWIW it's all about how to approach and what you take away from it. You'll also learn a variety from each sport, MR, FR, or IPO.

There is a good video from about 2009 by Ellis and Frawley about the variety of bitesports and how /why dogs are bred differently for each sport. It's pretty interesting, I'll see if I can find it.
 

casey82

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#11
Thanks guys! I'll see if I can watch all three sports and see what I like. Sara, I'll definately take you up on that offer. Would love to come watch!
 

Emily

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I do believe bitework helps people understand working dogs and a variety of drives and aggressions far unlike other venues. That being said there is plenty more to be learned in other venues.

FWIW it's all about how to approach and what you take away from it. You'll also learn a variety from each sport, MR, FR, or IPO.
This, definitely. It will make you a better trainer in the sense that at the very least, you will gain some perspective especially regarding working dogs and the roles of drives and aggression. If/when you observe, watch critically. If you're lucky, somebody experienced will be able to talk you through what you're seeing or discuss it with you. I think every new adventure makes us better trainers in some way, personally.

If you do make it down to Chicago sometime (like to meet a certain spaniel boy...) you are welcome to come to a club practice with me as well. :)

Personally, bitework hits some kind of adrenaline junky nerve I didn't know I had, so now I'm addicted. Plus my dog lives for it, so that helps too. lol
 

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