# Inconsistent Confidence issues



## Brad Doerle (Nov 8, 2010)

Has anyone ever seen a dog that was inconsistent with their bite and OB confidence?

I have an 8 month old female white GSD who has mostly excelled in OB and has a good bite of play and pray drive, she doesn't have a working dog pedigree. I can play with rags and jute pillows with her just fine, a helper can crack whips near her and it doesn't scare her. She assumes a playfull posture around pretty much every other dog she comes across. Some people she is a little shy of if approached too quickly and will bark at smaller kids when they approach too fast, but will quickly change demeanor once she has sniffed them out. I almost never catch her tail between her legs when approached, but sometimes her hair stands on end.

As for barking, its very occassional and if I praise her for it she stops. Rarely will she let out more than 1-2 barks and has only ever barked at the field once. maybe a handfull of time on the street. Overall she is just quiet.

I've recently started to slowly transition to eCollar and even on low settings (15ish on a dogtra) she SOMETIMES drops her head and will try to stand between my legs, or slow her pace. I've had my trainer help with some of my own personal timing issues. And if I nick her more than once or twice she is pretty much done for the session.

Overall I think she should should do well with getting a BH, but don't think shes got the drive to do a SCH. I'm ok with her getting a SCH even with a very gamey feel to it, as this is my first time training a dog for the sport. She is still not fixed at this point and hasn't gone through her first heat cycle.

I'm just curious if anyone notices any drastic changes after the first heat or second heat cycle that would lend to more assertive behavior?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

How can an 8 month old "mostly excel" in obedience already? I'm all for teaching puppies, but... :-s If she's going out of drive with a mild e-collar correction, you probably shouldn't be using an e-collar on her. It's not the right tool for every dog and every situation. And if you're new to training, think more about how to motivate your dog to get her something right rather than how to punish her when she does something "wrong" (which, as a pup, she may just straight up not know how to do).


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

I love this forum . Looking forward to more replies.


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## Brad Doerle (Nov 8, 2010)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> How can an 8 month old "mostly excel" in obedience already? I'm all for teaching puppies, but... :-s If she's going out of drive with a mild e-collar correction, you probably shouldn't be using an e-collar on her. It's not the right tool for every dog and every situation. And if you're new to training, think more about how to motivate your dog to get her something right rather than how to punish her when she does something "wrong" (which, as a pup, she may just straight up not know how to do).


Thanks for your reponse. Agreed the eCollar may not be the right incentive, and I may be more ambitious than what she is able to give at this point. I won't pretend that might not be the case.
There is a lot of positive reinforcement still and she funcationally knows her commands. She is great at the focused heeling and the recalls. All of this is 8-10 sessions. Other sessions she just wants to be a puppy and will stray mentally from working.

If she does go lame I finish up with 1-2 simple excercises that she can easily do and then drop it. I'll use food and toy motivation and she does great with it.

Will the corrections, even seemingly (to me) minor to me, take drive out long term? Or can I expect increased drive after maturity?


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Brad Doerle said:


> If she does go lame I finish up with 1-2 simple excercises that she can easily do and then drop it. I'll use food and toy motivation and she does great with it.


 
This is great .


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Brad Doerle said:


> I've recently started to slowly transition to eCollar and even on low settings (15ish on a dogtra) she SOMETIMES drops her head and will try to stand between my legs, or slow her pace. I've had my trainer help with some of my own personal timing issues. And if I nick her more than once or twice she is pretty much done for the session.


I can take a 30 right on the eyeball without squinting.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> I can take a 30 right on the eyeball without squinting.


Video please Gerry, sounds AWESOME!


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## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

Yes Gerry a video of you taking it in the eye would be hilarious and might even make you some money.


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

Brad Doerle said:


> There is a lot of positive reinforcement still and she funcationally knows her commands. She is great at the focused heeling and the recalls. All of this is 8-10 sessions. Other sessions she just wants to be a puppy and will stray mentally from working.


8-10 Sessions? Some people train their dog daily from 7 weeks to 12 months before using corections. Thats around 200 sessions (assuming they skipped a few here and there). With a low drive and softer dog even more positive might be neccesary.

I have a low drive/soft dog and it is super frustrating. I may go weeks with out giving a correction and when i do he has to know why he recieved it and what he can do to avoid it in the future. Has to.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Ben Colbert said:


> 8-10 Sessions? Some people train their dog daily from 7 weeks to 12 months before using corections. Thats around 200 sessions (assuming they skipped a few here and there). With a low drive and softer dog even more positive might be neccesary.
> 
> I have a low drive/soft dog and it is super frustrating. I may go weeks with out giving a correction and when i do he has to know why he recieved it and what he can do to avoid it in the future. Has to.


 
Now we're warming up .

Why would you want to be ladelling in with the corrections on a low drive/soft dog, too slow ?? #-o:-D:-D.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

will fernandez said:


> Yes Gerry a video of you taking it in the eye would be hilarious and might even make you some money.


I'm not into it for the money, I'm an artiste.


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

maggie fraser said:


> Why would you want to be ladelling in with the corrections on a low drive/soft dog, too slow ?? #-o:-D:-D.


Is this at me or the OP? Can't really figure out what you're saying.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Ben Colbert said:


> Is this at me or the OP? Can't really figure out what you're saying.


 
Pay more damn attention then...slap. You a slow learner ? ;-)


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

Stuck at a Coast Guard school with very limited access to WDF for the past 4 weeks has put me behind the curve.


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## Tracey Hughes (Jul 13, 2007)

First thing I would do is stop using the e collar and for my own dogs I wouldn’t even do any obedience until the drive was way, way up. It is much easier to bring a dog down in drive later on with OB then it is to build it up.

Start working up her prey drive for a tug. Back tie her and work on getting her being active(barking) before getting a bite. At first you will have to work on frustrating her by making her miss the tug, but you want to work up to having her barking before you move the tug. So she learns the bark= the bite. 

And I believe that EVERY dog should understand why it is being corrected. It is unfair to the animal if it has no idea why the correction is being given, or how it can stop it.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

maggie fraser said:


> This is great .


 You do have a naughty streak.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Terrasita Cuffie said:


> You do have a naughty streak.


Thankyou :grin:.


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## Brad Doerle (Nov 8, 2010)

Tracey, Ben, Thanks for your replies.

for the tie out idea, would a regular line and 1.5 inch collar do or should I be looking into something else?

Ben, how old is your dog?

Also any suggestions on the praise while barking, and why that might stop her?


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

What do you mean about praising while barking?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Brad, you need to fill out a bit of information about yourself in the Member's bio forum.
Area your from, Your goals and training experience.
Well reopen your post then.

Thanks
Bob Scott
WDF Moderator


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