# Possessiveness???



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

been thinking about this one too. Recently this was posted here..

*Some people like to think that possession is a form of confidence. It's an insecurity.*



*Possession.*.

1a : the act of having or taking into control

c: ownership

*Possessive:*

2 : *manifesting possession or the desire to own or dominate*


I am pretty sure the poster meant something other than what was written, probably in the context of a dog/handler relationship...possibly talking about conflict...

I am wondering how others feel about the trait of being possessive, and how it relates to working dogs?


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

When selecting Labs, I'm not all that concerned about possessiveness. The hunt and retrieve certainly. I know some, my senior trainer for example, is anal about possessiveness. Evaluating for detector work is really the only time I pay that much attention to it anyway.

DFrost


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

David Frost said:


> When selecting Labs, I'm not all that concerned about possessiveness. The hunt and retrieve certainly. I know some, my senior trainer for example, is anal about possessiveness. Evaluating for detector work is really the only time I pay that much attention to it anyway.
> 
> DFrost


In the evaluation of detection work if not selecting labs, and you are paying attention, what is preferable? or whatever..can you elaborate a little?

and when you say the senior trainer is anal...what does that mean? what is he looking for?


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> been thinking about this one too. Recently this was posted here..
> 
> *Some people like to think that possession is a form of confidence. It's an insecurity.*
> 
> ...


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

I like a dog that shows a lot of possesiveness over everything, if it gets to be too much later then we can put some control on it, but I like to see it in young dogs, I work my puppies in a way that makes them more possesive, in fact I just posted a couple videos on here 2 minutes ago that demonstrate that by teasing them with an object till they want it very badly, then letting them have it and then taking it away. The thing is though that the young dogs I see who dont show me strong possesiveness over an object (prior to training an out) usually tend to have less drive for it to begin with. The ones with the most drive for it are the ones who want to keep it the most, they are also usually the ones who want to hunt for it the most, and the ones who are more willing to crash through hell to find it. It's easier to teach a possesive dog to out than to teach one who has no drive for any object to go hunt hard in any environment for it, all day long.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

James Downey said:


> Joby Becker said:
> 
> 
> > been thinking about this one too. Recently this was posted here..
> ...


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Joby Becker said:


> In the evaluation of detection work if not selecting labs, and you are paying attention, what is preferable? or whatever..can you elaborate a little?
> 
> and when you say the senior trainer is anal...what does that mean? what is he looking for?


If the selection is for detection, I'm good as long as they hunt for it, retrieve it and want to do it again. Whether I have to fight them or not to regain possession isn't all that important, to me. I know a lot of trainers really like the idea and somehow translate a dog's unwillingness to give up an item with the drive to find it. In my experience, that just isn't true. I did mention labs specifically because many well bred field labs, while hunting and retrieving monsters, just aren't bred to fight you for the target. They bring it back, often times they'll drop it and wait for you to do it again. That suits me just fine. 

DFrost


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

mike suttle said:


> It's easier to teach a possesive dog to out than to teach one who has no drive for any object to go hunt hard in any environment for it, all day long.


Tru dat.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

It's easier to teach a possesive dog to out than to teach one who has no drive for any object to go hunt hard in any environment for it, all day long.

this is very true.


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> James Downey said:
> 
> 
> > Joby Becker said:
> ...


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

David Frost said:


> I know a lot of trainers really like the idea and somehow translate a dog's unwillingness to give up an item with the drive to find it. In my experience, that just isn't true. I did mention labs specifically because many well bred field labs, while hunting and retrieving monsters, just aren't bred to fight you for the target. They bring it back, often times they'll drop it and wait for you to do it again. That suits me just fine.
> 
> DFrost


A lot IPO trainers think a dog that is possessive is more of a dog somehow. I had a possessive dog, it's a pain in the ass is what is. I think initially it maybe easier to teach out. But I think it maybe harder to keep a clean out. In times of pressure, I see the possessive dogs go oh shit. He's trying to fight me for my shit, I'd better not let it go. Also, in IPO I think natural retrievers do better in OB they are faster to preform.

I was very happy to have a possessive dog, cause I did not know any better. till I got my male. He's much more about the fight. Which seems to me to be much easier to use as a reward in protection. Out for my first dog, meant she got the toy back. Out for this dog means he gets to fight again. So, if the action stops it's always a prelude to another fight.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Insecurity about loosing the object.....Yes....maybe no! 

I think it can be insecurity or some dogs just have that ****you, it's mine attitude.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Bob Scott said:


> Insecurity about loosing the object.....Yes....maybe no!
> 
> I think it can be insecurity or some dogs just have that ****you, it's mine attitude.


that is kinda what I was getting at, if my dog does not want to give something to James, it might just be that she does not want to give it to him..

if he decided to try to TAKE it, and the dogs shows aggression, that could be caused by insecurity of losing it...I can agree with that...

i did not frame this post very well...I admit...


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