Drive, biting, lack of control, balance

Oh no, I'm... I'm good. :rofl1:

Yup, you're right Emily, your lack of replies to direct questions says enough.

I do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcjk2qSeGb8

short I know, but it's what I have.

and I agree with what Emily is saying. She's not saying a nip from a puppy or a hand bite from a dog missing a tug or some rough biting or a snap at an unfamiliar handler that is being rough on a dog is bad.

It's the constant fear of being bitten by your own dog. A dog that gets spun up by the decoy and will turn and bite you if you're close because it's being restrained, repeatedly is not something to accept. I happen to agree.

I've worked with hundreds of dogs at least, high in drive that have had no issues other than early training stuff unrelated to poor temperment, and they aren't biting their handlers. Mal's, GSD's Dutchies, Rotties, bully's a hovawart, cane corso's and on down the list.

Not surprising. Defensiveness, skirting of issues, and talking a lot without answering direct questions is all we're going to get from our resident expert.

And perhaps some more rolling on the floor laughing of course. Can't back up your "facts"? Just laugh a lot, it'll distract everyone.

Dude, nice catch and nice GSD!

We all agree that we do not want our dogs biting us because they are too high to think. My point is that when you have a dog that gets that high, especially a young dog, it often happens that you will get bit while you are in the process of training it. I personally don't think it's the end of the world, and I expect that once fully trained, my dog will have strong impulse control along with intensity.

However, Emily seems to live in an alternate reality where high drive dogs (and I still don't think she has ever handled one IRL) come perfectly trained and are moral beings that don't bite their handlers, because that would be some sort of personal insult....and scary.

RTH I agree totally - I've seen a few dogs go after their handlers because the decoy is out of reach, or the dog is guarding the sleeve after it's been slipped and yea, not something I'd want to deal with on either side of the equation.

I think the grey area we all seem to be going back and forth over is where the line is crossed into inappropriate redirection vs. "puppy stuff" that's not a temperament issue, but a training issue.

ETA: just watched the vid Looks like you incorporate markers into both bitework and obedience; very cool.

And unrelated to this thread, but whenever I watch others decoy I soooo wish I was big enough to do helper work! Alas, I think I'd seriously injure myself if I tried.

I must be reading it differently then, I got that she wasn't going to accept the repeated type stuff. Untrained and puppy stuff gets a pass, for a little bit.

after reading through the thread (PHEW!) i agree with stardogs that something i being lost in translation. throughout reading it, i'm realizing (without saying names) that people are agreeing and not even realizing it, and others are misinterpreting the definitions the poster is tacking onto terms.

anywho! thank you for posting this article. it was very informative and interesting, and seeing drivey dog owners reply to it helped it along quite well in my head. i can always admire a great dog with drive doing work (or a sport not considered work, either or!).

i think i also have a new blog to follow. fun fun.

Nope, she's going to get an intense high-drive Mal some day from lines that would never dream of biting. Lines which she also doesn't care to share, not surprisingly.

Seriously, a discussion can be had without a measuring stick being pulled out. I promise, it's possible.

Assumptions don't have to be assumed. Snark doesn't need to happen. And words really don't have to be twisted.

PS: RTH, that was awesome. You need to get more videos.

Thanks, but I don't have many videos, and most are old and shitty.

Well then I think it's time for some new ones.

Well I'm glad most of us are seeing the same thing here lol.

:yikes: Blasphemy!

That is ridiculous.
Everybody knows your dog is an extension of your penis.

For that I'd probably need a new camera and someone to take them. I can handle getting bit, but it's hard to hold a camera steady at the same time

God, then it's a good thing I'm lacking in that department. A merle penis would be quite scary I imagine.

RTH, you gotta know someone who has a camera and can hold it for you. One of these days I'm gonna drive up, find you, bring a camera and hold it for you. Then there will be NO excuses.

One word RTH: tripod! That's the only way I get dock diving vids with any regularity.

A merle penis with teeth, no less.

Could be worse -- Beanie and I would have double-coated hairy ones. Mine with feathering.

Agreed. A discussion can also be had without talking **** with no experience to back it up and insulting whole lines of dogs without knowledge to back it up.

On that note... mine would have butterfly ears? :lol-sign: