# Desert Dog K9 trial



## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

here is our performance from last weekend's trial. not perfect, but not bad. i was happy overall with the results. 60 teams competed. mostly from the arizona area. a few cali dogs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spjWMJktgI8


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

You deserved the trophies. Congrats!


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

thanks connie


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

WTG Tim! I like the scenario's - a little more "street like" then some of the things I've encountered in the national certs Congrats again!


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

Lacey Vessell said:


> WTG Tim! I like the scenario's - a little more "street like" then some of the things I've encountered in the national certs Congrats again!


thanks lacey. yeah, this is the best trial i've been to. the trials around here are more like a SchH trial in that when you're doing OB, you're doing OB and nothing else. when you're doing the agility, you're doing the agility and nothing else. this trial combines various tasks in each event. take the area search. the timer started when you released your dog. it stopped when you're dog met you at the first base line. during that time, the dog has to bite and out, so if you have to go up and choke your dog off, obviously you're losing time. or take the tactical challenge course. multiple bite scenarios. all done off leash. 

it's just a real nice trial. we had a great time. i'm looking forward to next year.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Tim, I liked the exercises. I think the dog did very well. Two things I particularly enjoyed seeing;

1. Although the heel was a bit loose, it was not that "stare at the handler" while walking. I know it's predominant in sports, but not on the street. 

2. Out/heel, damn I like that. No bark and hold.

Overall, I think it was a very solid performance. Congratulations. 

What I'd like to see in a trial though, when it comes to pure competition is a decoy that doesn't stop fighting when the dog is given out.

DFrost


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## Amber Scott Dyer (Oct 30, 2006)

I loved it. Esp. the kiddie pool send. AWESOME. 

P.s. his call off is beautiful!


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

David Frost said:


> Tim, I liked the exercises. I think the dog did very well. Two things I particularly enjoyed seeing;
> 
> 1. Although the heel was a bit loose, it was not that "stare at the handler" while walking. I know it's predominant in sports, but not on the street.
> 
> ...


as far as the heel, i KNOW that it is 100% my fault. EVERY dog i've had forges while heeling. 3 dogs is more than a coincidence. we didn't do anything to specifically prepare for this trial. no extra OB. no extra control work. the only thing i would say we did was a few extra runs on the obstacle course (which didn't come into play as it turned out). this is pretty much my dog in working condition. 

i agree with you on outting the dog on a suspect that is still fighting or at least isn't perfectly froze up. it most definitely doesn't go down that way on the street. 

back to the heeling...i do like some focus on the handler. not the locked in stare at the handler the entire time, but the dog should "check in" with the handler from time to time. the problem with a dog SO focused on the handler is the dog will have a harder time getting "radar lock" on the suspect. i'm sure that's what you're referring to.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tim Martens said:


> .... back to the heeling...i do like some focus on the handler. not the locked in stare at the handler the entire time, but the dog should "check in" with the handler from time to time. the problem with a dog SO focused on the handler is the dog will have a harder time getting "radar lock" on the suspect. i'm sure that's what you're referring to.


I thought his focus on you was great..... I know I already said this in a PM, but anyway: to me, it looked perfectly halfway between the two extremes of lack of attention to the handler and that SchH gaze (which I admit I like, but this is a PSD :lol: ).


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Very nice!


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks for sharing!

Any idea where other videos of other competitors might be posted? I think it would be neat to see how some of the other dogs performed.

I noticed in this trial that the decoys don't seem to put too much pressure on the dogs (except for the water hose). I also didn't see any of the decoys trying to escape (which I think would be a typical scenario for a PSD on the street). Is this pretty normal for PSD trials? If so, why?


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

<<<<<i'm sure that's what you're referring to.>>>>

That's exactly what I referring too. 

I wasn't being critical of your performance, you do understand that right?
It was just an observation on the heel. Which by the way, in my experience is fairly common.

DFrost


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

I really like the kiddypool thing send!!

Congrats on your trophies (or is it trophy´s?)


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Very nice, Tim! Thanks for sharing the video.


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

David Frost said:


> <<<<<i'm sure that's what you're referring to.>>>>
> 
> That's exactly what I referring too.
> 
> ...


no worries. i know what you meant.


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## Dan Reiter (May 12, 2006)

Very!!!!!!!! nice I like the confidence he shows and willingness to work and respond to handler. You two show a great partnership.

Dan Reiter


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

thanks dan.

konnie, as far as pressure, i think the reason you don't see too much of it at police dog trials is because of public perception. i don't think you'll ever see stick hits at a PSD trial. as far as environmental stuff, i've seen some of it at trials before. this one didn't have too much of that. i guess the thing is, these trials aren't really designed to be a test for the dogs. that stuff SHOULD be in the selection testing/maintenance training. the trials are really for the public and to judge the dogs control work for the most part. i think. i dunno...


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Question for David, Why would you want to out a dog if the decoy ( bad guy ) is still fighting?


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Sorry meant to say too, Nice video Tim.


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## Simon Mellick (Oct 31, 2006)

Jerry Lyda said:


> Question for David, Why would you want to out a dog if the decoy ( bad guy ) is still fighting?


Even innocent people might be inclined to fight with a police dog if it was latched on.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Even a person that has, for all intents and purposes, submitted, it's very difficult for them to hold as still as a protected decoy. Another reason, the person may well have an edged weapon or other item that could do serious damage. If I'm that close, I'll try to get the dog out of danger and remind the subject to never bring a knife to a gunfight. From a training standpoint, Out is out regardless of what else is going on around the dog. 

DFrost


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

well there is also the scenario where the person is still fighting the dog and someone comes up and attacks the handler, now we need the dog to let go of badguy #1 and get badguy #2.

but at the end of the day, it boils down to what david said. "out means out"...


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Yep you're right, I didn't think about the innocent person but why would the dog bite the innocent person? Murphy's law right. Maybe handler error? And right again Out means out but not on the bad guy. I do understand training for the out. I'll take the dog off of him, wouldn't want to give him another opportunity to cause damage or harm. Thanks guys.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Tim Martens said:


> konnie, as far as pressure, i think the reason you don't see too much of it at police dog trials is because of public perception. i don't think you'll ever see stick hits at a PSD trial. as far as environmental stuff, i've seen some of it at trials before. this one didn't have too much of that. i guess the thing is, these trials aren't really designed to be a test for the dogs. that stuff SHOULD be in the selection testing/maintenance training. the trials are really for the public and to judge the dogs control work for the most part. i think. i dunno...



Makes sense, I think, I dunno


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