# Opinions on this story



## Sarah Best (Oct 3, 2010)

http://sixgunlover.sparkself.com/2010/12/blog-3-no-fear-bodies-story/


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Sarah Best said:


> http://sixgunlover.sparkself.com/2010/12/blog-3-no-fear-bodies-story/


Hi Sara

Sounds like BS to me. A "pro" trainer who gets himself bit by a known aggressive dog and then thinks an aggressive dog with minimal training for most of his life is a good prospect as a PP
dog?


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## Sarah Best (Oct 3, 2010)

Thats what i thought too. But I just wanted to get the opinions of people that actually know a lot about PPD as im limited in the subject


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Sarah Best said:


> Thats what i thought too. But I just wanted to get the opinions of people that actually know a lot about PPD as im limited in the subject


HI Sarah

I'm mainly a sport guy and not that knowledgeable about
PPD's but I think both of us know more about them then the
blogger ;-)


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## Sarah Best (Oct 3, 2010)

Maybe,lol. All I know thats that its probably not the best idea to take an already dangerous dog and turn it into a PPD.

Also if anyone's interested in what Bodie(Aussie) looks like heres a video with him in it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD1LbR3xlCk&feature=player_embedded


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I'm also just a sport person. Maybe not even that but just a dog person.
This guy is like many of the ppd folks I've seen. If they bite they must be good! ](*,)
Well...he did use the word "plethora" so maybe he does know what he's taking about. :roll: :twisted:


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> I'm also just a sport person. Maybe not even that but just a dog person.
> This guy is like many of the ppd folks I've seen. If they bite they must be good! ](*,)
> Well...he did use the word "plethora" so maybe he does know what he's taking about. :roll: :twisted:


"Plethora" How come everyone who uses that word sounds gay and/or like they have a lisp?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Thomas Barriano said:


> "Plethora" .... like they have a lisp?


Or any of these guys, spraying your face with the "th"? :lol:

Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

thufferin thuckatash.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

David Frost said:


> thufferin thuckatash.



:-o That's a plethora of spit! :lol: :lol:


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## mike finn (Jan 5, 2011)

Sarah Best said:


> http://sixgunlover.sparkself.com/2010/12/blog-3-no-fear-bodies-story/


To me it sounds like this guy has a giant ego and has wasted a lot of time on a dog that should have been put down. He probably has way more confidence in his abilities than is justified.


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## Rivek Irwin (Jan 30, 2011)

Actually, that's my dog. And I am the first to admit in any other situation I would have recommended putting him down. But if any one actually wants to talk about the process and the extensive training he's had to this date, I'm more then happy to discuss. Because it is a different case and definitely an unusual road to go. And I'm the first to admit, not how I would have chosen to go about building a personal protection dog given a perfect scenario. But it worked, and it opened my eyes to a whole new side of dog training that I had only briefly encountered before. Two years and change later still find the work fascinating and enjoy the work I do with my mentor I was build towards a more specialized career. 

Like I said any one wants to ask, I'm glad to fill in on how I went about doing this, and how long it took (the story is pretty vague on details). Precisely what went on in the early sessions, to what we work on now, to how the decision was made to go there in the first place. 

I can assure you he's a happier, healthier and better adjusted dog now then he was the first time I met him four years ago.


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## Sarah Best (Oct 3, 2010)

I would just really like some proof of his PPD abilities.

Im also curious as to why you chose training him as a PPD and not in say some type of bite sport.


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## Jackie Lockard (Oct 20, 2009)

Sarah Best said:


> Im also curious as to why you chose training him as a PPD and not in say some type of bite sport.


And I'm one of the people that told him that this would be one of the stupidest *ing ideas I've ever heard - taking this bitey dog and teaching him to bite, any bite from Schutzhund to PPD. Truth is that I would have put this dog down myself instead of working with him. Dog got a lucky break being with one of the very few people that can handle (including emotionally) a dog this reactive. Bodie was already willing and being his own PPD, so essentially the "pp" part of it was already installed and they just put brakes on the dog. It has stopped him from firing off as often and he can also cap the firing off now when he couldn't before.

I'm pretty sure that's why the PPD training, but as for the question "why not sport" I can't really answer, other than the dog was using himself in real world situations so why not train there? There is no prey drive.


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

Sarah Best said:


> I would just really like some proof of his PPD abilities.


+1


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

reads like a total "I wish this is what happened instead of what happened" story. Total bullshit if you ask me.


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## Rivek Irwin (Jan 30, 2011)

I didn't train him in sport because it became clear to me after getting involved in the sport (which was the initial plan) that it wasn't going to work for Bodie. Bodie has ZERO sense of humor, and almost as much sense of fun. He doesn't take anything as "just a game" to him even frisbee is a matter of life or death. It became very clear he wasn't going to play ball with sport (and teaching him to track was like pulling teeth he HATED it and could not get the concept no matter how we approached it). It was also very clear he'd NEVER pass a BH, and the thought of taking him to a trail was asking for trouble. Bodie didn't have the confidence in his own power to control his over-reactions to stimuli at that point in time. 

So on the recommendation of two other trainers whom I knew through a Schutzhund Club, I hooked up with my trainer. Who did an extensive evaluation on Bodie. He had minimal prey drive and an overload of defense. He was already a protection dog in his own mind (mind you this is a dog who is NOT fearful of ANYTHING, he does however get pissed off at the universe), it was a matter of getting some control over those innate tendencies. Like teaching a border collie obsessed with herding the family cat to herd sheep instead. It was just redirecting and controlling his focus. If this had been done when he was a puppy might be a totally different dog today, but it wasn't. Also I suspect a lot of people with doubts would feel differently if he were a working line GSD or Mal, but because he's an Aussie assumptions are made that are incorrect.

As for proof of his abilities: If you would like to see him in action, by all means come on down. We're always glad to have an audience.


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm calling BS.

I can't just fly to Idaho when I want to see a dog. But now in 2011 we this thing called internet and this other thing called camera phones. Take a video of Bodie being sent to a bite, experiencing pressure and a fight and staying until called back and I'll be the first to apologize for doubting.


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## Dave Colborn (Mar 25, 2009)

Rivek Irwin said:


> (mind you this is a dog who is NOT fearful of ANYTHING)


 From the blog


> Even things that frighten him (i.e. Bicycles) he will attack with out hesitation when he feels they are a threat.


Did you write both statements?


Which is it? Fearful and threatened? Or pissed at the world (which I don't recognize in a dog)?

Pissed at the world (IE showing aggression has stopped whatever makes me uncomfortable in the past, so I will do it now) is a conditioned response.

Did I misread something?

I see what you've done or are doing with this dog as being similar to having a dog that barks incessantly, putting the bark on command and rewarding it, so you can give an outlet and teach the dog the difference between barking and quiet. I don't disagree with that at all. Also, you say he is never safe for the public, and I think that is a great attitude to never have an accidental bite. 

Whether he really bites well or not only matters to you in my opinion. Since you are just getting into bite work though, I will tell you that when whatever he gets scared of and goes after fights back or squares off with him, he may run. I think that is why video proof is being asked for. To look for signs of that. 


Good luck with him in any case.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Ben Colbert said:


> I'm calling BS.
> 
> I can't just fly to Idaho when I want to see a dog. But now in 2011 we this thing called internet and this other thing called camera phones. Take a video of Bodie being sent to a bite, experiencing pressure and a fight and staying until called back and I'll be the first to apologize for doubting.


I'm with Ben on this one, sounds like BS. I think that was my first impression too. Now we get Rivek who also goes by JD the blogger who wrote the original story telling us how he now wants to expand his area of expertise to include aggressive/PP
dogs? Really, based on ONE dog you've missed read from the start based on everything you wrote here. You also mention working with a Schutzhund Club and a "mentor". There is only one Schutzhund Club in Boise (BWDA) and I don't any mention of you or Bodie on their website? Is Todd Whitaker your "mentor"?
You've got story telling/blogging skills but it looks like you should stick to "training" the pet dogs that come into the
boarding kennel and forget about PP "training" for Bodie.


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