# Beginning bitework



## Jeff Oehlsen

I would like to hear how people start a dog off in bitework, from puppy to say, 1 year, and what equipment ect.


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## Connie Sutherland

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> I would like to hear how people start a dog off in bitework, from puppy to say, 1 year, and what equipment ect.


I would, too, and I'd also like to hear how many have been able to do it without a club, with just a couple other people.


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## Selena van Leeuwen

ok, shall I start?

Puppies in the litter get a jute bag to play with, this there biting toy till there about 12 wks.
I have diffrent \"baby sleeves\" (euro joe´s), every one a bit thicker. We built this up by playing. More serious bite work starts after teething, they meet sticks and plastic can. They are stroke with those and later on hit with it. At that time they learn also to make an attack from a short distance.

At aprox 8/9 mo.°1 yr there on the tickest sleeve or IPO (half) hard sleeve, it depends how grown (mentally) the dogs are. Than we move over to the french suit (suit you´re using in general), if they bite well we´ll move to jutte & leer (leather). 

Our club exist with 4 people, but most of the time Dick and I train together. Dick is my trainer to (hard if he is your husband to  :wink: )


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## Connie Sutherland

Selena van Leeuwen said:


> ok, shall I start?
> 
> Puppies in the litter get a jute bag to play with, this there biting toy till there about 12 wks.
> I have diffrent \"baby sleeves\" (euro joe´s), every one a bit thicker. We built this up by playing. More serious bite work starts after teething, they meet sticks and plastic can. They are stroke with those and later on hit with it. At that time they learn also to make an attack from a short distance.
> 
> At aprox 8/9 mo.°1 yr there on the tickest sleeve or IPO (half) hard sleeve, it depends how grown (mentally) the dogs are. Than we move over to the french suit (suit you´re using in general), if they bite well we´ll move to jutte & leer (leather).
> 
> Our club exist with 4 people, but most of the time Dick and I train together. Dick is my trainer to (hard if he is your husband to  :wink: )


Four people with how many dogs training?


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## Selena van Leeuwen

Do you really want to know?

Our dogs:
Anne (9 mo) 
her sister Grietje who will move to england end of this month, 
Drago 20 mo, going to england also
Benta (sometimes, just for fun, not at the moment because she´s pregnant (hopefully))
Furie
Spike
Robbie

Other dogs
Troy (9 mo brother of anne en grietje)
1 black malinois bitch


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## Gregg Tawney

Hi Jeff - 

Here is my 2 cents worth.  

I start our pups on a puppy tug. Once they begin teething I stop all bitework. I do not like to risk the pup having a bad biting experience so I wait until they are done teething. During that time, I like the owner of the dog to still bring them to training and do some frustration work with the dog. Also, we like to do food obdience with our pups so this is a good time for them to learn that they do not always go to the field and bite. They can go out onto the field and do some food OB. We also like the pups to come out and socialize with the other human members and learn to ignore thier canine friends. 

Once they are done teething and have good calm full grips (including good re-grips) I will go to a leg sleeve. During this time I like to shake jugs with rocks over the dog and pet him with a stick. I like to set an early foundation on the leg. After doing this, I have found it easier to bring them back to the leg at a later time. 

I then go to the sleeve. I will start with a soft sleeve and go to an intermediate sleeve as soon as the dog shows good grips. I will then let the dog drag the handler to the bite. I will have the handler let the dog go about two feet prior to the bite and gradually they will let the dog go farther away. This gives the dog time to begin to develop thier entry. Once they have nice entries, nice grips, and \"unload\" in thier grips. (I like to see the dog hold the sleeve calmly and carry the sleeve) I will then introduce the suit. For me, I like the dog to bite the inside upper left arm. This is preferred for PSA and I like my police dogs to bite in the arm pit as well. It is a very effective bite. :wink: 

Off the bite field we encourage all of our members to socialize thier dogs during the first year. Socialization includes people and environments. 

Gregg


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## Patrick Murray

Welcome to the board Gregg! 8)


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## Anne Jones

I started my puppy on a rag, went to a tug, then a bite pillow & then to the sleeve. Started her at 9 weeks on the rag & then went to the tug at about 3 or 4 months. Did only a little tug work when teething. Would work on her drive & then let her have the tug as a reward without a fight while teething. Also used the tug as a reward in heeling training. After teething I started backtie work with a bite pillow for several months. Then to the sleeve. She was introduced to the sleeve by Bernhard Flinks at 9 months & then did not see a sleeve again until she was a year old. Most of the beginning sleeve work was bite targeting, countering, & carrying for a calm full bite with out any mouthing or chewing. She has a very hard, full calm bite under any circumstances. She is now almost 2 1/2 yrs. old. I got my male at 3 years old so I didn't train him from a pup, but have followed the the same work progression with him except for using the rag. I have done drive & tug work, backtie & pillow work with him over the last 5 months & now have started him on a sleeve.


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## Gregg Tawney

Thanks Patrick! 

Tim Martins turned me on to you guys so you can blame him. :lol: 

Looks like a nice mix of people and backgrounds on this board. Thanks for having me. 

Gregg


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## Jeff Oehlsen

Thanks for the replies, now here is another thing I am wondering. I am really not satisfied with the bite development my current club is producing. I really don't like how we go from tugs to jambierres, it really isn't producing what I want. I am thinking of using the bite pillow, it seems to make more sense than a tug. What do you think????? 

I really have some quality dogs, and always have done Sch or PP before the last 5 years have been ring. Leg and arm bites are two totally different creatures. I am finding it hard at my advancing age, to get the quality strikes and rebites on the leg that I can easily get on the arms. Soooooo, I am thinking about sticking with the arm until I get the good stuff, then going with the jambierres. It is really different....more difficult to reward while they are on the leg. Opinions?????????


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## Selena van Leeuwen

Gregg- welcome! Will you please introduce yourself at the members bio topic for the ones who don´t know you (and Charis) yet?

Why do you think rewarding on the arm is more difficult Jeff? I´m afraid I don´t understand your question


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## Jeff Oehlsen

No, on the leg is more difficult. I was wondering if anyone thought that the bite pillow would be better than a tug, and I am considering starting the puppies on the arm, then move them to the legs after the bite is really good.


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## Selena van Leeuwen

We learn arm first indeed, and after that leg (behind bite, for the flee). I think you´re on the right track.


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## Greg Long

First sweatshirt or old coat.Then soft sleeve or suit.

Greg


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