# "And she said..."



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

The power of the human voice can make or break some dogs. How you command your dog is also a point to think about. Many men bellow out commands like old Marine DIs...PLATZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:twisted: 

The dog falls out not from the ear pounding command, but from the garlic toast breath. Macho commanding voices are not really needed to make many dogs comply to our wishes. Good training, a good bond, and a good understanding of pack position can do the trick. 

We often tell folks to "ask, command, and then demand" when giving your dog direction. If the dog has half a working brain, it will do the command because it wants to please. Nothing, not man or animal wants to live in a "walking on eggshells" life. Using a firm and directive voice many men can get their dogs to take direction. Most women get the same job done and have higher voices...

Writer's Note: Some men do through their genetic make up have sound restricting hearing. My point: "Honey, take out the trash." Erh, no response, and my point! :mrgreen: As the cast iron pot rings home again!!!


----------



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Many many many of the women I've been around in Schutzhund scream at their dogs just as much or worse than the men do.


----------



## Frank Smego (Feb 29, 2008)

Howard excellent point - One of the better GSD/man teams I saw working at a Sch. trial the Man basically was whispering the commands. It gave me the impression that the dog had to increase it's focus to get the direction they did a very nice job.

I'm to a point were I've stopped giving a 2nd command and I'm waiting for the exicution. I'm confident that my dog does understand the exercises IMHO 2nd commands at this point (for us)are counter-productive.


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I teach all my handlers, there are three voices used when working dogs. A command voice; praise voice and a corrections voice. The inflection of the three remains consistent. Consistency, in my opinion, is an essential ingrediant in dog training and it applicable in all situations. 

DFrost


----------



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

We try to use the quietist voice possible to get the job done. All of my dog's outs are done in pretty well a whisper. My dog becomes more in tune with me as she actually keeps her ears open for it. Not beaten to death by screaming commands .. 

Really all these people who scream commands at their dogs it becomes a place where there is nowhere else to go. It's like using a prong or e collar you want to use the least amount of force as possible to get results. Same goes for using the voice .. 

When it comes to trial day what do these people do? Scream louder? Especially if they are at 110% already .. ](*,) They have nowhere to turn and then they wonder why their dogs give them the finger on the field. [-(


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Many many many of the women I've been around in Schutzhund scream at their dogs just as much or worse than the men do.


Could it be because the men of the club make fun of our 'girlie commands'? :evil:

They're always joking around and making fun of the way I give commands at club, but hey, my dogs listen, so what's the problem?


----------



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

*Ask, command, demand*. Three simple terms in a list of many which are used to make man's best friend crazy! 

*Ask* the dog isn't begged, it's a simple directive. "Sit" and the butt should drop to the ground.

*Command* and the dog had better do it. The tone is deeper and more to the point. Yelling here shows a loss of control.

*Demand* is when you *step towards* the dog and look at it as if to say, "Dumb a$$ what part of this command didn't you quite figure out!!!!" 

Notice at no point do you knock the living breath out of the dog, that folks is a loss of leadership control! If my Border Collies fail to comply on the second command, I put them up and they don't get to work sheep. I own the sheep and the dogs get to herd them on my terms. My Bouvier male is going through some reconditioning drills to improve his "out" on the bite jacket. In a moderate level voice I command, "Rock, out." I don't want twenty seven more bites. ](*,)


----------



## Jose' Abril (Dec 6, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Many many many of the women I've been around in Schutzhund scream at their dogs just as much or worse than the men do.


I agree with you a 100% on this one!!!8)


----------



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

this is an intersting topic to me, as i have always tried to train my dogs to respond to the shortest, quietest (sp?) command i can get away with. ie: an "SSS" sound for "sitz". 

i wonder however, if, in trialing with all the background noise, one doesn't need to change the volume. or not. don't know about females "screaming", but i've sure seen/heard enough males "bellowing" in training/trials that i'm not sure you'all can diss us females.....


----------



## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

I'm not going to give some monotone here fuss or aus. However I do not scream my commands ether. I will say it loud enough that my dog will not have to listen for it he will here it and he will only hear it ONCE. Obedience is toned down much more.


----------



## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Geoff Empey said:


> When it comes to trial day what do these people do? Scream louder? Especially if they are at 110% already .. ](*,) They have nowhere to turn and then they wonder why their dogs give them the finger on the field. [-(


Maybe they save 115% for trial day..:mrgreen:


----------

