# "Bite heaven"



## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

For those of you that wanted to know what I mean by the term "bite heaven", I found a perfect video that shows exactly what that special place looks like. I promote all dogs in bitework to go to their "bite heaven" when they have finally overpowered the decoy in the suit or have won the sleeve. This is the last step of bite drive after they have defeated their opponent or claimed possession of the bite equipment. A mental state that isn't registered on earth. - Greg 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ii1RJI5I1_s


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## Elaine Matthys (May 18, 2008)

That was one happy little dog!


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Dig the rocky 3 soundtrack!


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## Tamara McIntosh (Jul 14, 2009)

Gregory Doud said:


> For those of you that wanted to know what I mean by the term "bite heaven", I found a perfect video that shows exactly what that special place looks like. I promote all dogs in bitework to go to their "bite heaven" when they have finally overpowered the decoy in the suit or have won the sleeve. This is the last step of bite drive after they have defeated their opponent or claimed possession of the bite equipment. A mental state that isn't registered on earth. - Greg
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ii1RJI5I1_s


not all dogs want to just hold a bite object tho. my dog would have rather instigate another fight with the decoy over simply holding an inanimate object.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Tamara McIntosh said:


> not all dogs want to just hold a bite object tho. my dog would have rather instigate another fight with the decoy over simply holding an inanimate object.


would your dog hold the defeated opponent in bite heaven though, instead of the object? I could be wrong but in that case the purpose of bite heaven is domination, satisfaction and joy that comes from beating the opponent....I always called it "owning"...whether that is an object, or the guy in the equipment.


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Nice pup man, nice music, nice landscape, nice work.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I really enjoyed that Greg.

We trained similarly but the pup / young dog didn't get to hold the sleeve so long. We went *further away* *from the helper* to get him to release more willingly and the running around we would do with slight tugs on the line to stop him from shaking. I must honestly say I never saw the benefit of the running around with the sleeve although I mastered it well, even with the Briard. Maybe someone will explain its benefits. It didn't stop my Briard from an occasional "sewing machine bite" and with the GSDs, their bites were hard and "steady" bites. anyway but the older one was always reluctant to release the sleeve.

We calmed the dog in "sit" until he let go of the sleeve whereupon he was given another chance to go to the helper.


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## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

Tamara McIntosh said:


> not all dogs want to just hold a bite object tho. my dog would have rather instigate another fight with the decoy over simply holding an inanimate object.


If he's biting a suit or a sleeve you don't want slipped, then by all means the decoy can go submissively to the ground and act limp and lifeless like he has been overpowered and conquered so the dog can go to that next level. 

"Bite heaven" is when the fight is over - the dog can now go to this euphoric place that is someplace else that allows him to go to that next level of biting. IMO, if the dog doesn't want to bite to overpower the helper and then possess the bite equipment then he doesn't know the end drive goal of prey drive. It probably is a training issue with not giving the dog a proper education on what to do after he wins the equipment. Possession wasn't built up and promoted in the training - the decoy probably encouraged in the training to bring the equipment back to him and/or promoted the dog to somehow drop the equipment so they can mix it up again instead of possessing it. If he wants to instigate another fight with the decoy after he has already won what they were battling for, then what is a clear victory to the dog? If real protection work is the objective, he never gets total drive satisfaction in training unless you only do civil bites with concealed equipment, muzzle training, or show him that his aggressive responses makes the decoy elect not to fight him. That dog with only this type of training doesn't care about bite equipment - it's just an obstacle that stands in his way of being satisfied. If he bites something he doesn't want then what is the point of training with it? If it's man work, then don't use exposed sleeves or a bite suit - make it real to the dog so he can reach his drive goal. - Greg


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## Gregory Doud (Nov 10, 2008)

The carry is usually used to relieve the stress of the confrontation with the helper before winning the sleeve or it is designed for the dog to parade around like it's a trophy he just won. It can also be used to teach the dog to come back to the handler after carrying and also to promote a pushy response by the dog by the dog demanding the helper to get back into the arm. It really depends on what kind of training you are doing and want to promote with your dog. - Greg


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## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

The fulfillment of prey and bite drive is to fill the mouth (my opinion) the dog fights the decoy...wins and drive is satiated by filling his mouth with the prey and possessing it (heaven). thanks Greg..Easy to see in the video with that young dog..which at seven months is still a few steps away from truly fighting the man.. .. .....


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

ON the other hand my first show line Dobermann looked like that when carrying the sleeve . Only in his case he'd figured out as long as he was carrying/holding the sleeve the decoy wasn't likely to come after him. A "safe" place


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