# On/Off switch



## Martine Loots (Dec 28, 2009)

What do you mean exactly by saying that a dog has an off switch?

I figured it was that a dog should be calm at home and in his kennel but always ready to work when told so, but after reading other threads I'm not sure that's what you mean?


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Martine Loots said:


> What do you mean exactly by saying that a dog has an off switch?
> 
> I figured it was that a dog should be calm at home and in his kennel but always ready to work when told so, but after reading other threads I'm not sure that's what you mean?


That is what I consider the definition to a on/off switch. 

Sometimes I wish mine took a bit longer to turn "on".


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

IMHO, the "off" switch (here) means the ability to turn off when work is done, yet turn "on" in a split second, if required.

had a vet tell me once that he would rather work on a Dobe than GSD because "GSD think too much, while Dobes turn off". this while looking at a 3" slice on my GSD rib (from the doorway of the exam room, after Track growled at him and after i offered to muzzle him). 

no stitches, no return business (or referrals, BTW), to that chickensh#t vet. 

i guess that's MY definition of an on/off switch, lol. don't need it "on" 24/7, just on when it needs to be...but i'll take a dog that decides when "on" is appropriate over one that does not. FWIW


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Martine Loots said:


> I figured it was that a dog should be calm at home and in his kennel but always ready to work when told so QUOTE]
> 
> This is what I consider an on/off switch. I would also extend it to the ability to relax in their crate while at the training field waiting their turn to work.
> 
> Basically, the ability to relax/be calm when not working, but ready to work at a moments notice. Kind of like flipping on/off a light switch.


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## Christopher Jones (Feb 17, 2009)

Martine Loots said:


> What do you mean exactly by saying that a dog has an off switch?
> 
> I figured it was that a dog should be calm at home and in his kennel but always ready to work when told so, but after reading other threads I'm not sure that's what you mean?


 Thats what I mean when I say it but I know some people mean a dog who is in drive at a decoy at training and then two minutes after they can have the dog loose around the person who the dog was working on and he would be social with them.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

On/off switch to me is knows how to chill back at the house with the family and knows how to throw it on if need be at home as well as when its time to work the dog on scenarios, that whole bite you love you- bite you love you shit is for the birds I don't want my dog to ever love you, maybe tolerate you but thats it.


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## Jason Lin (May 26, 2009)

Chilling in the kennel is different than chilling in the house.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Is the switch, mechanical, electrical or verbal? I remember someone described a mechanical "off" switch in another thread, said it was right in the middle of the dog's ears.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Kadi Thingvall said:


> This is what I consider an on/off switch. I would also extend it to the ability to relax in their crate while at the training field waiting their turn to work.
> 
> Basically, the ability to relax/be calm when not working, but ready to work at a moments notice. Kind of like flipping on/off a light switch.


Pritty much the way I think about the switch


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I don't really get it either. A tired dog makes a nice house dog and kennel dog.


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## Timothy Saunders (Mar 12, 2009)

hey Martine, that is a term normally used in personal protection. I basically means a dog that is the great protection dog and also the great family dog. That dog could be killing one second and playing with the kids the next.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

One of my GSDs, Thunder can "shut it off" and chill quite easily but is always ready to do whatever I ask.
Trooper will lay down and chill if nobody is around, he doesn't hear footsteps in the house, the wind isn't blowing, the bird sitting on the fence at the other end of the yard doesn't move....or even fart. etc, etc.
Both are good in the car or crate but Thunder is much more alert/attentive to the world when in the car. Trooper is just looking for a road trip in the car. \\/
Thunder is my calm, thinking, serious dog that can sit back and "keep an eye on things":twisted:.
Trooper is looking for..........whatever is running around in his head.
Thunder will stand quietly while I praise him or just pet him.
Trooper has to be told to settle down just to pet him. Praise, or even talk in a upbeat manner and he turns in to a mass of wiggling, squealing efn jelly cause he thinks you may want to touch him. ](*,)
Thunder can play fetch with the g-kids all day long and never get out of control. 
Trooper has to be kenneled when the g-kids come over or it's bowling for babies in the yard. 
Funny thing about that is it's my youngest (5yr old) that can control Trooper best and he's the one that puts Trooper away so the older ones can go out and play.
In other words, Thunder has a great off switch but Trooper's only works if you keep your finger on it.


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## Tanith Wheeler (Jun 5, 2009)

I define a dog with an off-switch as a dog that is environmentally sound - i.e. not constantly looking around whining for something to do. A dog you can take into the store nice and relaxed, a dog that isn't barking it's head off while waiting for its turn at training, a dog that will lay quietly while you watch tv or whatever. However I want to pull out that tracking harness and have him bouncing out of the car, ready to drag me a mile or two. I want him to see the decoy and be ready to take him down. but... he's gotta be controllable until commanded to work.

That's actually how I picked the breeder my male came from. Most of her dogs are really calm, relaxed - until you ask them to work. Granted my male isn't world championship material but he does everything I want with one hell of a lot of gusto.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I would define it as being worked in protection one moment and straight away afterwards being able to pass quietly with the dog amongst the peorple watching.


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## Toran Scott (Mar 27, 2009)

Bob Scott said:


> Thunder can play fetch with the g-kids all day long and never get out of control.
> Trooper has to be kenneled when the g-kids come over or it's bowling for babies in the yard.


Bowling for babies... too funny...

My favorite example of the switch is Rick Rutt's Vulcain (FRIII). Will bite the heck out of your leg, digging, driving. Then a minute later after Rick "turns him off" you can pet him while still in the suit (unless Rick tells him to guard again...). I haven't been around the dog enough to know how "serious" he is but I'd be willing to put some money down that he'd nail you for real if told to. I like a dog like that. 
Toran


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I always thought an on/off switch meant they can be chill and relaxed at home while being clear headed was more like you can take the dog off the training field after bitework and it can go back to being social nearly right away. Or are they more or less synonyms?


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

For me this loosely very translates into what the general resting character of a dog may be. In the US we refer to very high energy people as being "on" all the time. It's generally taxing to be around people like that unless they have a sense of humor or can tell a good story - even still one grows tired of that as well eventually. Same goes with dogs like that (a bit spun). This on/off switch for me is just the capacity to shut things down appropriately within a specific environment and/or situations.


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