Thread: Working Dog Enthusiasts - Getting it right!

I would like to discuss a little bit more on my opnion about the "cowboy" element/mentality that is growing within the working dog fraternity.. I have a right to voice my concerns about these groups. We ALL know they exist. My whole point for bringing up the subjest, is due to my concerns about what affect this minority are having on the public perception of the working dog fraternity and more importantly on ALL working breeds. As said earlier by me, we all saw what eventually happned the the beloved Pit Bull. I have not 'mentioned' any names, or accused anyone of this cowboy mentality.. They all know who they are. As I haven't mentioned names.. it doesn't take an expert to work out they are out there..As if they weren't, all this attacking me wouldn't take place. We only attack out of defence.. of our own actions. So if the shoe fits... Wear it!

I am quite willing to have open and credible discussion with anyone about this subject...and who knows you may even be able to convince me differently with credible and respectful argument. If all you have in defence of your actions is attacking me..Then that says a lot, and makes my case even stronger.

This cowboy element is a very,very small minority.. and usually people new to the working dog, have little experience or background.. usually immature minds, and possibly of an age group between 18 and 28 in most cases. As we matrure and our knowledge base and experience grows, we tend to become more mature about beliefs and philosophies, and see the consequences of our actions..and change for the betterment of the working dog fraternity as a whole.

We ALL make mistakes, and make the wrong choices as we mature.. even me , in life we grow and usually become more responisble in regards to our actions, and accept that possibly in the past we did make wrong choices, and its the mature people that learn from these past experiences and decisions.. again I am one of these people... All of us are. Life is about growth and fulfillment, maturity, and acceptance of responsibilities and how our actions affect others.

My concerns are that many of our working breeds can and most probably will, end up on the banned dangerous breeds list, if we don't project a more responsible attitude. The the laws in Victoria will be tightened even more..and dogsport will be banned outright. Which is sad, as these groups are working so hard to improve the public perception of dogsport in Australia. I worry these laws restricting working dog training will spread throughout Australia, and become so strict, the average working dog enthusiast will have nowhere to go but underground...then the training of these dogs will become a crime and the public perception will be even lower than it is now.

I am not here to point the finger.. I am asking EVERYONE.. accept the concequences of your actions, and do the right thing for the working dog breed and fraternity, as a whole..Not to just satisfy self serving interests.. and ego inflating.

I also care more than anything for the safety of our children and the general public, due to a very, very small minority. Remember bad new spreads faster and stronger than good news.. It only take one child or person to be savaged by an out of control working breed for dogsport and the working breed to be thing of the past....

I have nothing left to say on this subject.. I possibly will not even post in this forum anymore... I've had enough of this small minority..It's not worth all the stress and battles

Good day to you all.

Mark

deleted by me

Thanks Adam ..But you know what.. I am past all this.. I am past these people that come on here to only cause trouble, hiding behind fake names. Just shows the mental maturity of some on here... I definitly expected some negative feedback from my posts...and would have happily gotten into respectful dialogue and debate with any credible person about my concerns. But when it just turns into an attacking fiasco by inmmature minds.. I realise I am wasting my time here.... Let them feel like big heros, and inflated egos with aggressive dogs with little control..This is not what my impression of a true working dog enthusiast is.. My values are much different than theres.. Time to focus my energeries where I am happiest now..

Mark my words though..days are numbered because of idiots like this..........

deleted by me

Thanks for your support.

I see Adam/Jeff/Jay hasn't responded to my invitation..seems like he has gone and hidden behind mummy's skirt as I predicted. My offer is still open to you and will remain open to you Adam/Jeff/Jay. This offer goes out to all you cowboys spreading rumours and slandering my name via emails etc.. Man up! If you want to slander me, or bag, me..do it with your real name and contact detals, either here or directly to me.. As I have openly done on here! I have no problems anyone questioning my credibility, background or knowledge, but do it like a man, not like school yard bully that needs to hide behind mothers skirt for protection, like Adam Brady. It is the ones with this attitude that are the true cowboys of this world, and need to be weeded out!

If you want to bag or slander me, give me the right to question your knowledge, background and experience, just as I have for you!

This working dog world in Aus is very sad indeed... My fight to get rid of this cowboy mentality will not stop. I will also continue it on my own site.. Hopefully open the publics eyes to whats really going on out there, and that there are honourable and respectful people out there that want to promote the working dog in a positive light. .that work hard with their dogs to ensure safety and control is maintained, and expect nothing but the highest standards are maintained with their beloved dogs. To show that people that join dogsport clubs and work hard with their dogs are to be admired, not seen as people just wanting dogs to bite. Educate the public, and open their eyes to the capabilities of these wonderful breeds in the RIGHT hands. To push for security companies that use K9's to do the same, remembering these dogs used by these companies live in homes with families and children.

Years ago I used to train personal protection dogs for almost anyone.. I will even admit to training some questionable dogs. Over 6 years ago a light switched on in my head.. I was seeing many that wanted their dogs trained like this, had no control at home. Many were irresponsible dog owners. That just because I spent an hour each week with them helping to train their dog, I couldn't know what was going on in the homes of these dogs. I realised many had virtually no control of their dogs except in a group class where training control was manintained. I now refuse to carry out personl protection for the genral public, except for exceptional circumstances.

As an example.. I went to a home not 3 weeks ago, again the issue was aggression. This was a Rotty.. One of the times this dog would show aggressive tendancies was when anyone put on gardening gloves. Sitting and talking with this family, it was found out the daughter had been doing some personal protection training with this dog. I informed her, this is her answer.. this dog was triggered to respond to a bite sleeve from its training. These gloves from the dogs perspective was a bite sleeve, and triggered this aggressive reaction. She said I never thought that this was the reason for this aggressive behaviour. What can be obvious to professionals is not always obvious to the inexperienced. I showed this family how to switch off this trigger in regard to the gloves. She also informed me she will not be doing personal protection anymore.....

See it wasn't until I started offering behaviour modification services, that I started seeing the results of a lot of this training. I am not suggesting I see it a lot..but one dog showing uncontrolled aggression, is one too many. Not unlike the Mal that bit me.. I STILL believe this was a triggered response to arm movement, that had been trained into the dog. This Mal showed me absolutely no aggression, and evensat right beside me for a few minutes.. It wasn't until my arm movement that the dog instantly responded.

We all make mistakes in our life.. So I am not blaming anyone for these dogs, or others I have come across over the years.. We all just need to change our attitude. Just because we as dog trainers maybe professional at what we do..the average dog ownrer isn't, and in a lot of cases, get thmeselves into a postion with their dog, and not know how to deal with it, when there is no professional around.

PLEASE.. BE RESPONSIBLE!

I will be taking up Michaels offer and start visiting the Adelaide Sportdog Club, and with their ok, even promote it on my site. I already promote the club to many of my clients.

Hopefully we can all do our little bit to help change the publics perception of the working dog enthusiast, and that the "true" working dog enthusiast is not a member of this cowboy element.

I'd like to recount to members and visitors here, what circumstance opened my eyes, and made me realise that this attitude about training personal protection dogs for anyone, was wrong, and dangerous

Over 7 years ago I had a client, and I helped train his Rotty in basic obedience. About a year later I received a call from this client asking for my help desperately, due to another 18 month old Rotty (female) he had that was overly aggressive. We arranged for him to bring his Rotty out so I could assess it. As I walked up from the kennels, he already had his dog out on leash. I didn't get within probably 8 to 10 metres from this dog, and she instantly switched into defence, and went right off at me, I mean over the top fear based aggression. I could see it was fear based, and this Rotty was highly stressed. I honestly felt sorry for this girl. I told my client to put her back in his car so we could talk.

I asked him had he been doing any type of protection work with this dog! He hessitated and said no. I looked him in the eye and said I don't believe you.. and explained why. He then admitted to having a guy come around to his home to do work with his dog (I know who this person is, but will not name him). This guy used to advertise in the Yellowpages, home presonal protection and guard training services. I asked what type of training had been done. He told me, his dog would be leashed to the fence, and this guy would run into the yard and threatened his dog until it started growlling and then bit him. He dropped the bite sleeve and ran out of the yard. This had been going on for a few months. I looked at my client and shook my head. I told him this young dog had been taken way beyond its mental capabilities, and I honestly felt no matter what we did, you would never be able to trust her again. She had been psychologically damaged, for life in my opnion. I said to him, I was willing to work with her and him, but would not guarantee any results. He said he would have a think about it... A few weeks later he told me he put her to sleep..she was just too dangerous.

When I looked into this young Rotty's eyes that day, it honestly broke my heart... I could see the amount of fear and stress in her. I feel this was the day my light switched on..and thought this has to stop. From that day forward, I didn't train another protection dog. Not that my training was that extreme, just that the average dog owner really doesn't have a clue what any trainer is doing, but more importantly, how to maintain and keep dogs trained in bitework when carried out by this cowboy element.

deleted by me