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Date Posted: 10:23:54 08/18/07 Sat
Author: Norman Epstein
Subject: Re: Tina-- what it takes
In reply to: Tina L 's message, "Re: This is where reading the dog is important-I'm confused" on 06:58:21 08/18/07 Sat

As I wrote to Lee in a perfect world, absolutely protection train your dog but as I said this, in most cases, is not that world. In that (perfect) world you can commit to at least 3 years of training because that is how long IMO it takes to teach a molosser to grip correctly and evidence control and or compliance while such a dog is in full aggression. It is good to remember that aggression without control can be a liability. In a perfect world you have an available trainer that understands the molosser and he or a like individual will be around to finish what you started. What is typical, is a handler will start and stop and start and then stop because the training is not going like you think it should, or it's just to damn hard. Or the dog is just to physically strong to be controlled or because of their weight very few helpers want to work them on an ongoing basis. Or maybe the training is to time consuming, in that you are left with very few week-ends to spend with your family. Because of the time taken from your family there can be conflict, between husband and wife because, you the handler, are spending more time with that dog than you do with them. Correct protection training takes a very large commitment of time effort and money and because of our life styles and other commitments, seldom completed. All of which, by the way, is completely understandable. Consequently the dog is left half finished with certain behavior triggers via a higher aggression level and no way for those same behaviors to be adequately controlled. These reasons are very valid and I have seen one or all in the 30 years I have been training. How do I know this because I have read the book and know the ending. That is why I believe that although many handlers heart's are in the right place, few have any idea of what's ahead of them. For those reason I suggest for all to train your dogs in obedience and through this training you will become a team. Later when the dog is mentally mature set up a scenario to see if your dog will protect you if called upon. Or a steak out test done by someone who knows what they are doing and then can knowledgeably report to you what they see. After this you will at least know if you can depend on your dog or not. Barking at the gate only proves the dog can bark at a gate. Done correctly protection training can make a good dog with correct temperament and nerves, great. Done correctly, being the operative term. Norman

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