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Puppy handling at a trial under the tent


nancyp
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Ive been at the National Finals and noticed several different ways of managing young dogs under the tent. One woman had a puppy, 3 mos old or so, on a choke chain and just kept yanking on it even though the pup was doing lots of appeasement behavior (and not otherwise being bad that i could see). Not sure what the best strategy would be--ignore? Say something? It's just so hard to see puppies treated that way. What would you do?

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I have no idea who the women was, not being from the east I had never seen her , but yes she was under the handlers tent, i have to say I have never seen a Border collie handler with a choke chain on a dog, Ive seen BORDER owners with them , but this pup really was doing what it could to please her, shame shame on that person!

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It's too bad that someone responsible (like Robin) didn't see it, speak up, and be able to make a difference (hopefully). I never saw any of that sort of behavior but I did see at least one dog under the handlers' tent with a prong collar and (I think) also another with a choke chain. One belonged to a handler and I don't know about the other. There were spectators, particularly earlier on, who wandered into the handlers' tent. Who knows?

 

This does remind us, though, that there are handlers who do not respect or care for their dogs and that is a shame. The vast majority of folks I saw were caring and respectful of their dogs, understood dogs, and would not approve of this sort of behavior - too bad no one who saw it stood up for the pup. Poor thing.

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I wouldn't automatically assume a prong collar or even choke chain are bad but from the way nancy describes it, the poor pup wasn't being handled fairly. I'll occasionally use a prong on a strong willed yearling who can drag me around if he chooses, but i don't abuse the dog with it. I had Devin (aka Devil dog) with his leash wrapped around his belly under the handlers' tent this past week just so i'd have some "power steering", but he wasn't being abused with it.

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I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression as I don't find prong collars abusive when used well. I was just meaning to say that I hardly saw anything but flat collars and I should simply have said just that.

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I had Devin (aka Devil dog) with his leash wrapped around his belly under the handlers' tent this past week just so i'd have some "power steering", but he wasn't being abused with it.

 

Robin, I have a "Devon" who is also referred to as "Devil" or "Demon" by my trainer and I on ocassion..... LOL. Must be the name. ;)

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Yeah sue thats what i wanted to do make a scene clear across the country, after i posted this she let up on the abuse so not sure she saw this, got a heart or what!

Gloria , im afraid she could probubly have eaten me!

 

 

Lol, yeah, the getting eaten thing is a bit of a deterrent. I'm always more of a badass behind the computer than I am in person. ;) But I'd hope I would have the gumption to say something to a person like that. Glad she eased up, whatever the reason. Maybe someone else did say something!

 

~ Gloria

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Hmm, didn't see it either. Actually saw very very few dogs under the tent due to the weather, who wants wet muddy puppies jumping on people.

 

I've used my foot to sweep puppies and move them back to the side (kinda of picking them up slightly with the foot and moving them over), when teaching them to not walk in front of me and continually trip me. Kicking them no, but who knows what people are thinking about it.

 

What is "appeasement behavior"?

 

Robin, leash around the belly seems to be an approved method anymore, since so many agility people use it now, tho I've heard warnings about abdominal and groin injuries from the method. But then so are bungee cord type leashes. Yikes! Once you've had a dog run and hit the end of the bungee leash, and then fly back thro the air and hit you in the chest, YOU WILL NEVER EVER USE ONE AGAIN!

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Robin, leash around the belly seems to be an approved method anymore, since so many agility people use it now, tho I've heard warnings about abdominal and groin injuries from the method. But then so are bungee cord type leashes. Yikes! Once you've had a dog run and hit the end of the bungee leash, and then fly back thro the air and hit you in the chest, YOU WILL NEVER EVER USE ONE AGAIN!

I have also seen a few handlers using the leash wrap method at agility trials without anyone thinking that they are 'bad' handlers/owners. I have never thought about the possibility of abdominal injuries, but it makes sense if the dog is too strong/reactive.

 

Wow! I didn't know that the rebound effect of a bungee leash could result in a dog flying through the air in reverse. I have never liked the idea of bungee leashes anyway.

 

Jovi

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What is "appeasement behavior"?

Things like lip licking, averting gaze, submissive urination, submissive postures, etc. that a dog will do to try to appease another dog or a person who they think feels threatening.

 

Sometimes called calming signals, too.

 

Whatever people call them it's dog speak for "Hey, I feel threatened and I'm begging you to stop and I'm trying to tell you I won't fight back."

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