# Looking for Decoy Apprentice-Houston Area



## Tammy McDowell (Dec 4, 2006)

Hey all,
We are looking for someone in the Houston-ish area that would be interested in learning to catch dogs under Darryl's instruction. If you know of anyone that may be interested in such a thing that is in our area, please send them our way.  It would be nice if the prospect is somewhat in shape and has some athletic ability! [email protected] or [email protected] 

Thanks,
Tammy


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I think there is a shortage just about everywhere.


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## Kristina Senter (Apr 4, 2006)

Definitely is here, too 
Who would have thought it would be so hard to find people willing to get the crap bruised and pinched out of them by a bunch of crazy dogs?
What are we coming to?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

My old club, as a bonus, liked to treat us like shit, and blame us on occasion for a dogs problems.

I really enjoyed standing in the sun in the summer, while the club members sat in the shade.

The best, was that if there was anyone to work my dog, I had to wait until I was finished working all the club dogs before I could work mine.

Never have I been treated like that. I am afraid that clubs are gonna have to start paying their decoys. It is just a matter of time before this happens.


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## steve gossmeyer (Jan 9, 2007)

this is were multiple decoys come in. i work a few dogs take a break you work a few and somewhere in there my dog and your dog got worked.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

We are talking about the shortage of decoys. At my club it was either me, or a decoy who has retired and is in his 50's. He was willing to work my dog, but a lot of times I was too tired to be able to work my dog well.


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## Howard Young (Nov 24, 2007)

Jeff, your club experience sounds a lot like mine. No hard feelings and lots of funny experiences to look back on but kinda like high school I wouldn't go back and do it again. Once I started getting paid to train police dogs busting my a#$ twice a week for nothing lost its appeal fast.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

So where do I sign up? ? ? ? ? LOL I don't mind free, just getting blamed for every and anything. God Forbid I make the dog screw up, it was the end of the world, then, at the end, I sucked as a decoy, because I was "making the dogs look good" and therefore I sucked. Can't win for trying. :smile: :smile: :smile: 

The funny thing is that my Xgirlfriend who used to tell me to quit crying when I talked about being the only one, is the only one now. They tell me that she only shows up if there is someone to work her dog. At least the sucky decoy that I am I showed up. :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: They can just blow me.

At least I am not bitter about it. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Our club's decoys are held in very high regard. The TD/lead decoy is breaking in a couple of new folks that are comming along nicely. 
Same TD/lead decoy/artist/silk screen press operator made t-shirts for our Decoy certification seminar a couple of years ago. They read, "Support your decoy! Without them you have no sport".


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

This is quite an interesting topic to me. I upon getting back into dog training had a very difficult time getting anyone that would teach me/let me work their dogs. I had thought that as a young tall athletic guy that people would jump at the chance to let me get bit? Who knew>?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Greg Leavitt said:


> This is quite an interesting topic to me. I upon getting back into dog training had a very difficult time getting anyone that would teach me/let me work their dogs. I had thought that as a young tall athletic guy that people would jump at the chance to let me get bit? Who knew>?


Not at all uncommon. The old saying "Use an expierienced dog with a green helper and an expierienced helper with a green dog". 
A lot of handlers don't want to risk their expierienced dogs on green helpers.
When it's done properly, both sides learn.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote: This is quite an interesting topic to me. I upon getting back into dog training had a very difficult time getting anyone that would teach me/let me work their dogs. I had thought that as a young tall athletic guy that people would jump at the chance to let me get bit? Who knew>?

There was a time I had a lot of dogs sitting around that needed to work, where were you??????? LOL I used to run my buddy stupid.


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

I understand and agree with that totally Bob. I am pretty skeptical about who works my dogs, but am usually willing to let some people try as long as they helper work is safe. 

I hear that Jeff, I recently got a bite suit and have been working with a few people who were very willing to let me learn on thier dogs. I feel like helper work is one of those things that you can only improve with practice. I mean I have had some really good tips/workouts/drills reccommended to me but there is no substitite for working dogs.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

It is nice to be young, and in shape, but like you said, running ten miles in a suit everyday doesn't help the catching esquiving thing, and without that, what is the motivation to run in the suit again?????


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Greg Leavitt said:


> I understand and agree with that totally Bob. I am pretty skeptical about who works my dogs, but am usually willing to let some people try as long as they helper work is safe.


Safe, meaning experienced?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

It is easy to have someone that is new totally screw your hard work up. Buko was a leg dog, then I needed a decoy, and had no choice if I wanted to keep training him.

With all dog people, if there is no ego, then they suck. The problem with ego is that they figure that the dog is OK, then what is the problem. I lost more than a year of training my dog. I liked him on the legs better. I have had people tell me that it is just an excuse, but they won't let me work thier dog to show them how easy it is to screw things up. LOL


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> It is nice to be young, and in shape, but like you said, running ten miles in a suit everyday doesn't help the catching esquiving thing, and without that, what is the motivation to run in the suit again?????



Ya i try to spend a good amount of time in the suit just practicing moving and ducking dodgeing ect. I have been told at 6ft 6 235lbs I am a prime canidate to be a good helper. Being yound doesnt hurt either.


QUOTE=Connie Sutherland;49628]Safe, meaning experienced?[/QUOTE]

Safe meaning I dont feel they will hurt my dog. I have auctually seen someone work a dog and thought that dog is going to end up seriously hurt. I think you can be very inexperienced and still safe. Simple things like learning proper falling technique and how to safely catch and deflect the dogs energy are crucial. IMHO


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Quote: This is quite an interesting topic to me. I upon getting back into dog training had a very difficult time getting anyone that would teach me/let me work their dogs. I had thought that as a young tall athletic guy that people would jump at the chance to let me get bit? Who knew>?
> 
> There was a time I had a lot of dogs sitting around that needed to work, where were you??????? LOL I used to run my buddy stupid.


WTH Jeff! You took one of our mods, tossed a suit on him, tossed him under a bridge in one of the "less civalized" areas of your old hood and started tossin dogs at him. 
Poor guy hardly ever visits us anymore. Claims he's to busy working. :lol:


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

It was one dog, and how bad could it be at that point????? He had already went through the bad decoy part. LOL


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## jay lyda (Apr 10, 2006)

Come on Jeff, all the dog folks that you know, surely you know someone that'll work your dogs. If not, then bring them down here, we'll take care of them for you. Free of charge at that, just let me know when you'll be here. Its about time that you got into APPDA anyway huh!! :smile:


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Buko already knows the tricep bite. If he ever gets rusty at it, you are the guys to come see.


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## jay lyda (Apr 10, 2006)

Actually I prefer the inside bicep bites and bringing them deep in the pocket. I also like not giving them a target and seeing where they go, thats alot of fun too.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote: Actually I prefer the inside bicep bites and bringing them deep in the pocket. I also like not giving them a target and seeing where they go, thats alot of fun too.

See, this is why you have to make your own sport. I like a dog that comes at you dead center. I ****in hate KNPV style BS.


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## jay lyda (Apr 10, 2006)

Trust me, we have a few that do. They'll hit you right in the chest. Those are fun to catch.


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## Joel Anderson (Apr 16, 2007)

Man I knew we were unique we have 3 great decoys one ring decoy one Sch decoy and one that likes KNPV we just have a hard time finding decent dogs to catch. We have gotten so sick of working sh!tty dogs we only train with each other now. So sometimes the problem is people cant get a real look at the dog that they love and see its not a WORKING DOG and should have NEVER been taught to bite in the first place. Seriously everyone who belongs to a club step back and take a real hard critical look at the dogs in your club and what is the percentage of dogs that are really stable enough and have the genetic gifts necessary to perform any of the listed sport routines. I have visited many clubs meaning probably 15 plus and I would say at a good club the number is 50 -60 percent. Now think as a decoy is it fun to work dogs in the blazing heat that shouldnt be worked in the first place but nobody wants to hurt fifi's owners feelings because they "Love" the dog and they would get very offended if you said it just didnt have the nerves or the genetics to work and that they need to get a new dog. 
A few years ago the decoys I have spoken of got together and looked at starting a club where it was purely a dictatorship run by the decoys and all dogs must be unnanimously voted in by the decoys or they were not welcome and if the handler wanted to keep coming they needed to get a new dog. After all the review we just felt that club politics and hurt feelings were not worth the effort. 

Thanks for letting me vent, this board has really provided a therapy that was much needed I appriciate the patience while I work on my mental health.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I am just as brutal on dogs that I own as I am on someone elses dog. I was brought up with get it right, or get the **** out. Doesn't mean you have to be perfect, but the person telling you the truth, is not the person that is gonna spare your feelings. I say **** the feelings, and lets get it right.

There are clubs out there that do NOT play the fifi game. They are hard to get into period.

On the other hand, if I recognize that the person behind the junker is working their ass off to learn to handle a dog, and are not in a situation to have more than one, I will go out in the heat. When they have the crap dog, and barely try, and all they want to do is the bitework where their fat ass can just hang on to the leash ? ? ? They can piss off.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Greg Leavitt said:


> This is quite an interesting topic to me. I upon getting back into dog training had a very difficult time getting anyone that would teach me/let me work their dogs. I had thought that as a young tall athletic guy that people would jump at the chance to let me get bit? Who knew>?


Wander on down my way some time Greg, and I'll throw plenty of dogs at you LOL They will bite the sleeve, the suit, whatever. And I always have at least a couple retired dogs around that are perfect for decoy training. Course I have this nasty habit of letting decoys learn on my younger dogs to, oops.


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

Kadi Thingvall said:


> Wander on down my way some time Greg, and I'll throw plenty of dogs at you LOL They will bite the sleeve, the suit, whatever. And I always have at least a couple retired dogs around that are perfect for decoy training. Course I have this nasty habit of letting decoys learn on my younger dogs to, oops.


I just need a date, time, and address.


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## Matt Hammond (Apr 11, 2006)

Reading this topic makes me wonder why some of the old timers....I mean more experienced guys don't take a young guy under thier wing and show them how to decoy. In our club we have three good decoys all are certified in atleast two sports, and we have two young decoys learning right now. 

I hear of clubs having to pay for decoys which I think is crap. I decoy my clubs dogs and Jay and I switch off working each others dogs. The decoys that are charging club member per session IMO are doing thier members wrong. I decoy because I love it and will travel to do it if needed. Jay and I decoy for a police group down here in GA. We have been asked about money before. We do it because we like being in the suit nothing more. If you want to pay my gas then fine that is up to you, but I will not ask you to. 

The shortage of decoys is really the fault of the older decoys right now. Take someone in your club and teach them to catch dogs, show them what you know. Don't hi-jack your knowledge, give it to someone. You can't take it with you when you die anyway. I will teach anyone what I know, because that is what William McClure did for me. HE showed me the right way to catch dogs and the right way to read dogs. By not passing this knowledge on I am doing him wrong. 

I guess what I am saying is if you are lacking decoys find a younger club memeber that wants to learn and show them the ropes. Don't pay to have some pre-madonna come down and take your money. 

Ok I am off of my soap box.......


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Matt Hammond said:


> The shortage of decoys is really the fault of the older decoys right now. Take someone in your club and teach them to catch dogs, show them what you know. Don't hi-jack your knowledge, give it to someone. You can't take it with you when you die ......



Yeah, Jeff.


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## Andy Andrews (May 9, 2006)

Well, since I'm gonna remain dogless for awhile, I decided I wanted to give the decoy thing a try. Found out I'm not as young as I used to be and this decoy business ain't easy at all. 

What's worse/harder then getting people to agree to let you work their dogs is finding someone who can teach you how. Definitely not something I want to walk into without a teacher, even a little scary at times, so I'm thankful to have found the right ones. 

Having a blast doing it, but damn I gotta get back into shape! lol




Andy.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

In my old club, I was the only decoy for a very long time. Then, when I got a new member that was interested, he was 37. Not that THAT mattered, but not really the age to teach, as the older they get the more they like to argue LOL

I had a green dog and a green decoy and no one else in the lame ass club wanted to do anything with him at first. I vouched for him and they did some bites on leash with him. Then we got a girl, and I let her learn on my dog. Then we got another guy, and I didn't let him so much, but of the three his timing with corrections and such was perfect. The problem was his physical condition.

So, while I wanted to train decoys, I sacrificed a bunch to teach them. I cannot say for sure that Buko wouldn't have messed up at trial, but I do think that training new decoys didn't help. I remember Emily putting on the clubs old Gallais suit jacket, which is like working in a cardboard box, and Buko flattening her from 6 yards out. Poor Em, she had as much as she weighed on her, and then Buko decides to hit her in the chest, and not the leg. Not really the kind of work needed for a dog that needs to not be so pumped up all the time. AND not what you want to do to your new decoy.

In Denver, there were no 20 somethings wanting to train, and our club moved training a lot at the last minute, so there were a lot of people left in the dark and they went away. Not something I had to do with.

While I do not agree with decoys getting paid, with some of my experiences, **** you, pay me is something that I can see younger guys saying.

Again, if I had an older just retired dog to teach people with, I woould be all about training new decoys. You have to remember that once you make the commitment, you have to have some dogs to teach him with. Can't be just one dog. As it is, I would like someday to get Buko and myself back to trialing. Right now life is a bit much, so we go running and biking and do a lot of OB.


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## Matt Hammond (Apr 11, 2006)

Excuse excuse excuse, I am sure you can find an older dog to teach a decoy with, or hell why not just use yours. I use mine on the young guys. Jeff you are such a super trainer I am sure you can have the dog fixed in an hour or so if some one jacks it up right?

No wonder young guys turn to charging. I would charge you too.


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