# From dog owner to dog Handler



## alexandra ofor (May 8, 2015)

I an a novice in training can any one Please tell me the difference between a good dog owner and a dog handler. What are the qualities you need to be a good dog handler . Any reply would be very helpful. Thanks


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

don't worry too much about the terms 

whenever you are doing something with your dog you are a handler and hopefully you do it a LOT 

some K9 professions refer to people as handlers because they may not have trained the dog they are assigned to and are paired up and assigned with it as a working partner

in your case i would probably consider both terms the same


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

What Rick said 

In addition it's someone who can move between dogs (not just their own but someone else's) and have that dog perform the same way. 

A person that can integrate with and work with any dog trained in that skill set. So as a person trained in working mantrailing dogs, with minimal or no instruction about a particular dog, I should be able to pick up the lead of ANY mantrailing dog and be able to work as a team with that dog.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Sarah Platts said:


> A person that can integrate with and work with any dog trained in that skill set. So as a person trained in working mantrailing dogs, with minimal or no instruction about a particular dog, I should be able to pick up the lead of ANY mantrailing dog and be able to work as a team with that dog.


 In this scenario I would say that you would be a good handler only being as the dog is already trained in that skill set by someone else. Just saying....


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Howard Knauf said:


> In this scenario I would say that you would be a good handler only being as the dog is already trained in that skill set by someone else. Just saying....


I understand that and will use the military MWD handlers as the example. They are sent through a school and the dogs are all trained on the same commands, protocols, etc. Technically, any military handler should be able to pick up the lead of ANY of their dogs and be able to work the dog. Handler, not trainer. The question was difference between pet owner and dog handler.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

I stand corrected. You are right.


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## alexandra ofor (May 8, 2015)

rick smith said:


> don't worry too much about the terms
> 
> whenever you are doing something with your dog you are a handler and hopefully you do it a LOT
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. The reason I asked this question is,because I thought working with my standard poodle during agility is hard, trying to handle my Gsd during tracking training sessions is even harder.(learning to work /feel the line on his harness ,watch the dog and reward him when he finds the toy at the end of the track is make me feel there is alot of difference between the two


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## alexandra ofor (May 8, 2015)

rick smith said:


> don't worry too much about the terms
> 
> whenever you are doing something with your dog you are a handler and hopefully you do it a LOT
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. The reason I asked this question is,because I thought working with my standard poodle during agility is hard, trying to handle my Gsd during tracking training sessions is even harder.(learning to work /feel the line on his harness ,watch the dog and reward him when he finds the toy at the end of the track is make me feel there is alot of difference between the two


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I came across this article. It's about dressage, but I think what it says about the stages of learning is equally applicable to dog training.

http://dressagetoday.com/article/embrace-incompetence-26425

Just when you think you're doing okay and you get a handle on one thing, something else comes along and you realize how much you still have to learn. Roll with it, it's all part of the fun.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

Nice article and true on so many levels.

Thanks for posting.


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## alexandra ofor (May 8, 2015)

leslie cassian said:


> I came across this article. It's about dressage, but I think what it says about the stages of learning is equally applicable to dog training.
> 
> http://dressagetoday.com/article/embrace-incompetence-26425
> 
> Just when you think you're doing okay and you get a handle on one thing, something else comes along and you realize how much you still have to learn. Roll with it, it's all part of the fun.


Wow! Leslie I have read this article two times over. I started with a smile and ended up with a huge grin on my face. It helps me connect all that emotion and feeling clumsy sometimes when training. Thanks for sharing. Its back to training for me so. Thank you Thank you Thank you


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Glad you liked it! I read it again after I posted and it's more horsey than I recall, but I think it's not hard to draw parallels to working with dogs. Lots of people here with both dog and horse experience.


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