Editorial #1
SPORT vs. WORKING SERVICE
To understand the differences between sport and working services
training, one should first look up the word sport in the dictionary. Sport
is described as: diversion, amusement, fun, jest, pleasantry, game, past-time,
to play, to divert oneself, to trifle, to jest, to make merry. The word
working is described as: engaged in work, especially manual labour, taking
an active part in a business, the act of labouring, operation, mode of
operation. We can see, even by the terminology by the dictionary, one is
serious, one is not.
The problem in sport today, is that the competitive
spirit of some human participants, has made this play, this sport, appear
to be something it is not and that is where the danger comes in. Schutzhund
has changed dramatically in the last ten years. Money has played a big
part in this. Titled dogs from Europe, especially from Germany, have lined
the coffers of many dog brokers. This in itself is not a bad thing, but
when sporting dogs are being bought and sold for law enforcement, military,
or tactical work, this borders on criminal. To explain myself clearly,
I will go over a few basics of how a sporting dog functions. Being taken
from the kennel or crate, to the training field, and back to the kennel
or crate, is how the vast majority of trainers advise to build a Schutzhund
dog and many other sporting dogs. Working service dogs are socialized around
other dogs, people and their handlers and kept out of kennels at all times.
They must live in the environment they must work in to be effective. Sporting
dogs are trained on the field, as they are trialed in the field, one dog
at a time. This is good for the sport, but not for the working world, where
distractions of other dogs and handlers are imminent. Sporting dogs are
taught to bite a bite sleeve and hold it, while a weapon, stick or blank
gun, is in the free hand of the suspect or helper, visible to the dog.
Working Service dogs are taught to take out the weapon hand yet can
safely perform bites on a Schutzarm, where no weapon is exhibited. The
logistics of this are simple, if someone comes at you with a knife, are
you going to grab and hold his empty hand, permitting him to attack with
his weapon hand, or are you going to let go, and defend yourself. This
exercise is excellent on the sporting field, where the bad guy isn't really
the bad guy, and we're after points not survival. But this dog in the real
world, is a liability. The sporting dog is taught to search the blinds
in sequence, following the same routine every time. When he finds the bad
guy, he goes up to him and start to bark. This is called the Bark &
Hold. In Working Service work, we call this the Bark & Die. If
you're after points on a groomed, this exercise looks good. If you're dog is really
finding a bad guy, you want him to go in on air scent and wipe him out.
All too many, cross-trained, sporting police dogs have died doing this
routine in real life, yet because of a large lobby group, sporting dogs
are still being used by some departments. Sporting dogs are trained to
track nose down, having been baited with wieners or some tasty little tidbit.
They have been permitted from the beginning to eat along the way or at
the end of a track. Working dogs are permitted to track naturally, which
means air scenting. German Shepherd dogs are masters at air scenting. Working
Service dogs are never given food or ball reward. If someone is lost
over rough terrain, in inclement weather, and the search is being conducted
with sporting dogs, tragedy is usually the result. This is for two reasons:
one, the training the dog has undergone and two, the training the handler
has undergone. To track in the real world, means that someone is either
really lost or being pursued for other reasons. The conditions and the
stress demand a disciplined team be in the field. If we look at the obedience,
especially the "fussing" or "heeling" of a sporting dog, it is virtually
impossible to cover a natural terrain, with a dog that has been taught
to walk like this. I tried to walk through snow in a bush area with one
such sporting dog and was ready to abort the exercise within five minutes.
The poor dog was simply dysfunctional. It is not my intention, to say sporting
dogs are of no value, for they have their place, and that is in the sport.
They have no place in the working world, absolutely no place whatsoever.
Keeping in mind, the definition of the word sport, we can clearly understand
the intended use of these dogs. Somehow people have been led to believe
sporting dogs, are working dogs. This is a very dangerous assumption, for
a slippery floor, a steel crate, iron steps, vacated buildings, rough terrain,
inclement weather, other dogs cats, and assorted animals, live gun-fire,
take quick thinking and quick action. Sporting dogs cannot be blamed for
going into flight in these conditions. It is also true that KNPV
or Ring dogs are very misunderstood in this country. So few people know
the commands and all too many people think that these dogs are trained
on a higher threshold than Schutzhund dogs and are ready for the street.
Unfortunately, many dog brokers have an in, in places they shouldn't. And
all too many people who have picked up a lead have called themselves trainers.
It is one thing to lose points on a field; it is another thing to lose
your life on the street. The tactics and logistics involved in the real
working world are so far from the sporting world, that the only thing in
common is they both require a dog. It is my sincerest hope that we
can soon put a stop to the use of sporting dogs in the working world. Even
cross-training these dogs has its dangers. A Boy Scout and a police officer
each wear a uniform. Who do you call when you need assistance? This same
logic applies to the K9 world. In closing I will say, if you are involved
in sport, you need a sporting dog. If you are in need of security, personal
or professional, law enforcement or military, you need a working dog.
Written by Mike McConnery
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