Thinking outside the box of FF?

[Greenhead329]

Saw a demonstration today of some detector dogs. They don't "force" train the dogs, and yet are still obediant to an insane level, know their job and perform it.
If you have a dog that has the desire, knows the hold command and will do so..then what is the need to FF?

[GulfCoast]

I actually have a little bit of experiance helping to train bomb detection dogs with Tom Hamilton.

Just a couple of questions to ponder for you:

How ofter are detection dogs asked to plunge multiple times into icewater and make long swims in heavy waves?

Then sit still while ice forms in thier coat while they think about doing it again?

How often are detection dogs asked to break ice for 18 or 24 or 30 or up to 60 ducks in a couple hours?

How often are detection dogs asked to run 300 plus yards in muddy slop, swim another 100 yards, bring back a duck through all of that, and do it again a couple more times before resting?

"Desire" is probably the most misused word applied to dogs. I have seen the most "alleged" high dollar "no need to be FF'd" dogs totally quit after several retrieves in frozen up conditions. I have seen QAA dogs do the same. Difference? Whatcha gonna do now Mr. Owner of a Non FF'd, non-cc'd dog? Throw them in? Swim out there with them to the duck? Don't EVEN think "my super pup would never no-go." What tools do you have to deal with the situation RIGHT NOW? Ive been there, seen it happen. "Desire" will only carry you so far. Everybody got them some "desire" to show up that dude who called his girl "fat." You ever notice how quickly desire dies after dude gets his face busted from being punched in the mouth by some big dude? Same with dogs and big gnarly retrieves and temps in the teens. That's why the Military has boot camp, and gun dogs have "basics" like FF and FTP.

Peace out!

[cheeko]

+ 1 on GC reply. That is right on brotha

[DeltaCotton12]

That was a good read. I have asked that question before about ff and the importance of it and I have received some good answers, but that was by far the best. Nice job and good read.

[gunnercam]

like the passion, man!!!!.....you hit the nail on the head

[EvanG]

I actually have a little bit of experiance helping to train bomb detection dogs with Tom Hamilton.

Just a couple of questions to ponder for you:

How ofter are detection dogs asked to plunge multiple times into icewater and make long swims in heavy waves?

Then sit still while ice forms in thier coat while they think about doing it again?

How often are detection dogs asked to break ice for 18 or 24 or 30 or up to 60 ducks in a couple hours?

How often are detection dogs asked to run 300 plus yards in muddy slop, swim another 100 yards, bring back a duck through all of that, and do it again a couple more times before resting?

"Desire" is probably the most misused word applied to dogs. I have seen the most "alleged" high dollar "no need to be FF'd" dogs totally quit after several retrieves in frozen up conditions. I have seen QAA dogs do the same. Difference? Whatcha gonna do now Mr. Owner of a Non FF'd, non-cc'd dog? Throw them in? Swim out there with them to the duck? Don't EVEN think "my super pup would never no-go." What tools do you have to deal with the situation RIGHT NOW? Ive been there, seen it happen. "Desire" will only carry you so far. Everybody got them some "desire" to show up that dude who called his girl "fat." You ever notice how quickly desire dies after dude gets his face busted from being punched in the mouth by some big dude? Same with dogs and big gnarly retrieves and temps in the teens. That's why the Military has boot camp, and gun dogs have "basics" like FF and FTP.

Peace out!

If there weren't so many words, I'd make this a bumper sticker! Well done!

EvanG

[Copiah Creek]

Well done and very well written ,GC if i didn't know better i would think you were a college grad or sumpin

[cdwyer]

Holy Crap! GC must have his big boy shorts on!

[bustercat64]

My question is how you know when your dog is finished with FF.

[EvanG]

My question is how you know when your dog is finished with FF.

He isn't. Dogs don't become perfect. They become reliable. They remain that way through ongoing maintenance.

It's a pretty easy read, even for a new trainer, to know if a dog has become reliable. He does what you say, when you say it without having to repeat commands. The responses are accurate and sharp. But there are many steps to the process, so the more thorough the trainer is, the better the responses can be expected to be.

EvanG