Bite Work????

I'm curious to hear all POV's on bite work. I am still not sure where I stand on this subject..Although there is no doubt in my mind that a professionally trained APBT is much more stable and secure than the one that bites out of fear or otherwise, I can't get my head around the fact that this work may influence their unjust reputation in the public's eye...(PUBLICS EYE)....

 

Define "bite work". Just hitting a sleeve? Personal Protection? Ring? Schutzund? Guarding work (stationary object/property)? ect.

 

LOL, PP, Sch......

 

I cannot comment as far as working an APBT in bitesports, because I have not. I have worked other breeds.

There are certainly a lot of misconceptions when it comes to bitework. A lot of folks think that a dog that goes so "viciously" for a man in a suit will also be as eager to go for a man with the suit off. This is just not true. While every sport varies and some sports require a dog to be much more sharp, I have had a lot of experience with nice bitesport dogs who show little to no interest in dealing with the "real thing." There are dogs who are actually quite serious off the field, there is no doubt, but that comes mainly from genetics and less from training.

GOOD bitesport requires a dog to have intelligence, lots of drive, agility, stamina, strength, courage, strong nerves and a ROCK solid temperament. There are people who will train just about anything, but these bad apples shouldn't ruin the bunch. Good trainers do not rely to fear to get the dog to bite the suit. You can create a nervous, fear biting animal in a minute but you cannot create a confident bitework dog out of nothing. It's already there, in the dog. The deocy just brings it out. The majority of the work (again, depending on the sport) is done in PREY drive. It's all a big game of tug to the dog, the decoy being the dog's tug buddy. The majority of the dogs in my local club LOVE the decoys, with suits on or off.

I really don't like seeing an APBT with a heavy amount of defense. I don't like putting a lot of defense on an APBT. Pressure, sure, but APBTs shouldn't be Mals in bulldog suits. How much defense you ask/require of your dog depends on the particular bitesport, the level of the sport and the decoy you're training with.

As for how bitesports make the APBT look, I really haven't asked myself that question because I haven't trained in APBT in the sport. Most JPQs do not understand the aspects of the sport, which shouldn't stop people from training their dogs in it. The dam of my Boxer is a wonderful dual purpose dog. She is as solid as a rock in every which way. You wouldn't think she was such a spitfire on the field when you see her snuggling up to "her" three human kids.

 

There are PP pitbulls, most of these pitbulls are from non game lines, as they are easier to train for PP, I would never suggest train a game bred pitbull to do PP as there are far better breeds for that function (mali, gsd,doberman), that come from long lines of pure protection, to put a game bred dog to do protection work, is like forcing a gsd to get in the [], wont work. If you are interested more in depth on this subject i know of this cool working pitbull site, check it out.

Pitbull site

 

Thanks, I bookmarked it...
My thoughts remain with the fact that this type of work is not for the APBT or Staffys..Or is it??????
Seems to me that they are too deep in crap to work them in this area? Or not?
I'm speaking of the breed as a whole...Sure It could benifit some, but as a whole?

 

PP and Sch are very different. I am not against APBTs or ASTs being trained for Ring sports. I am against them being trained for Protection or Guarding work. Way to much defense. I don't think it looks great for the breed to have them biting someone (even in a suit) but they're not just doing it on the street. The dog would most often be at an event where there are many other people involved in the sport and know that the dogs aren't just crazy attack dogs. However, dogs used for Protection and guarding work are aloof towards strangers and that is not something the APBT should ever be. I think if you want a dog for protection get one that is bred for it. Same with herding, tracking, dirt devils, obedience, and any other sport. Let the dogs do what they are bred to do.

 

I have nothing against bite sport, IF done within a legit sanctioning body. I am against PP training for Pitbulls.

 

I don't know personally, but Mike Harlow, the author of K-9 Bodyguards, seems to like pit bulls and ABs a lot. I've read the book. This guy is a Kohler method kind of guy. Almost seems like a dick IMO. But the pics he has of the dogs in the book aren't gamey. They are 90+lbs. Some are from a well known kennel, but I can't remember the name of them.

 

I haven't read the book but I bet you are talking about Land Of Giants. They do a lot of Schutzund with their dogs.

 

Yep. I believe that's who they are. Thank you.

 

best advice i can give you is get a dog that is more suited to this type of work.bulldogs are not they are way to friendly and the amount of work it takes to get them to go against their nature to me is just cruel on the dog.there are so many good breeds available that you will be happy with even though you like bulldogs.keep your bulldogs but also keep diffrent dogs for this hobby.

 

Just to clear something up. I understand what you are saying. But in biteSPORT you can use a Bulldog and do the whole thing so that the dog loves it and thinks its a big game. You just train in prey/play drive and not in defense drive. I don't think Bulldogs should be trained in defense drive even in sport training. And its not for everydog and its rare to find gameline dogs with the temperment to do it but they are out there. But again, I think that the training needs to be done in prey/play and not in defense.

 

LOL, No, I'm dead set against it. I was just curious to hear everyones Point of views...I guess you could call me an open minded person...

 

to me i don't care how it is done we are still planting the idea in the dogs head that it is ok to bite a person.and even worse we are making it like a game to bite a person.and thats going against everything the bulldog was bred so perfectly to be.so to me no i don't belive a bulldog should be allowed to bite anyone sleeve or not game/fun or not.

 

I don't I would ever own a dog that was trained to bite a human. To me that is just asking for trouble it anything ever did happen.

Ferk out

 

I think that the APBT would be awesome in Sch. if brought into it properly with prey drive. I have torn my mind apart because I know my dog would excel in Sch., she is trained according to Schutzhund standards, just minus the bite work. And her prey drive is awesome.
But, I do not agree that, in the state this breed is in, they should be shown to the public doing anything resembling attacking a person.

 

Here's how I see it....If this type of work was what they were ORIGINALY bred for, than I think it would be a totally different story..I think It's too late for this breed for this type of work....JMO
Here's a thought though, Maybe In another say, 500 years or so if this breed is not totally wiped out, Maybe just maybe..

 

Why wait 500 years? APBTs are competing, and excelling, in numerous bitesports. Whether or not you agree with it, the bulldog is preforming well in all sports, events, and activities.

 

I have no problem with Schutzhund. I like to see people getting out and training their dogs, even if its a sport that I'm in no hurry to compete in myself.