Hi PSD:

Dog training in PI has improved significantly compared to a few years back. You'll see more owners involved in dogtraining helping themselves train their own dogs. New dogclubs with varying training styles offer options for dogowners to choose from, mostly in obedience.

SchH in PI is more of the traditional, that is Breed Suitability Test (BST) as it was originally intended. After a year of slump, many are now serious in acquiring their BH. Others train for honest-to-goodness ringsports. Discussions on Sports vs. Real has helped a few realize its difference but sadly, there are still many who trains sports and passes them off as PP dogs. Many are preoccupied with just bitework and rocking the decoy. Agility, tracking and protection are mostly done sportstyle here, save for a few who works not for recognition, trophies or ribbons but only for security and peace of mind. It's a variety.

Best regards...

Al,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. One thing I hope you dont mind me exploring deeper on BST tht u mentioned. Can you list down the exact discipline and its format done in full detail for BST? Sorry for troubling you with all these request however this is very important to see our options to develop this in Malaysia.

Thanks.

Anyway, from ur position being one of the founder for ScH in ur country as well being a involved wt working service dog , what is ur opinion on the essential element that will help to popularize or develop ScH/ringsport in our country {be it as a dogsport or BST} ....? ?

As for working service, it is mostly the need for real security that propels one to train this way. Training in this discipline requires dedication, physical and mental fitness, hard work, a very strong and stable dog, discipline, and maturity

When u wrote the above, besides the reasoning difference of actual real life situation compared to biting sports decoy, does service dog or sport require any less ability in the dog and handler especially in this "Training in this discipline requires dedication, physical and mental fitness, hard work, a very strong and stable dog, discipline, and maturity."

while making sure it obeys its' master only because the master says so, and not because it expects any reward except the gentle touch and voice of its own master praising it for a job well done.

Yes this is becoming interesting. I agree with you on the concepts of toys in modern training. Same like in current management system in the corporate world as compared to the old time management. There is a difference in motivation and its methods used. The olden way is i pay u and I brush u up so u better do a good job or face the gun pronto. In modern way of management is I give u incentive, the better u do the more I appreciate your effort, Occassionally I pat your back if you do great job, If u do wrong i guide u first to correct path, u continue to do wrong then i give u a good brushing but then u feel ok because u know the mistake being reprimanded for, end of the day I will still tell u this company is not charity organisation as u either do your job properly or out u go........

***For whatever you compare it with, just remember that the dog is your friend, and probably the only true friend you'll ever have in this world. You never bully a friend, trick him nor punish him in the course of training and showing him what you want. You simply guide him. We pursue training in its simplest and its most natural form knowing that a dog can read humans very well as there is a form of communication among animals that's very subtle. He's knows when you're sad, disappointed, sick or happy. Some even can detect cancer and other abnormalities. That's how keen they are. Man has just got to learn to respect a dog's natural abilities in order for him to generate a deep-rooted trust, confidence and bond with his dog. Then you will be one with your dog, trusting and respecting each other and can be called a team. As I've said in my previous post, the difference between the two is astronomical, not only in terms of bitework as it is only a minute portion in the development of a total dog. Even tracking is done differently and so with OB and agility. All things are done as natural and real to simulate actual chaos in the field, known or imagined. The training is to improve communication and function between dog and handler even in the most dreadful condition. I don't think there is a need for a sportdog to work on impossible terrains under inclement weather and other adverse conditions to track down a "lost" subject. I don't think a sportdog need to learn extraction to identify and engage a lone felon in a crowd. A sportdog need not even go far from a sporting field and do everything right in there to earn it's way with it's owner to the podium. That's how the vast majority of sporting dogs are bred and worked. A US trainer friend of mine who attended our training and helped with some decoy work, attempted to describe what we do in the field, I tell you it's not that simple as he may think but it's very close to what he witnessed: "What ___ and his group are doing is exposing their dogs to unanticipated situations that far exceed usual and common situations. The dogs then become accustomed and habituated to unusual stressful situations that the planned situations we expose them to become commonplace and no cause for concern. We bring them to the point where they are probably thinking: Shoot, that's no problem! Hit me with your best shot and it'll just roll off my shoulder like nothing.

They work their dogs through these stresses, which makes the dogs rely on their bond and trust on their handlers to get them through those stresses. Everything else is unnecessary. The dog is made to believe that the dog/handler bond and trust will get them through the situation. Tugs, toys, treats, and other training tools become unimportant to the dog in these situations. They look up to their handlers for guidance. They know that following their handlers whom they trust will get them through this stressful experience. This then strengthens the dog/handler bond and trust even more.

As a reminder: these exercises are more for the advanced and experienced trainers and I would not recommend them for the newbie or someone who doesn't know how to read dogs, or for dogs that do not have the right working traits."