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Sometimes
when we are forced to deal with a large number of details, we lose
track of the overall concepts which govern them. I believe this may be
happening to many of us in the obedience and aggression phases of K-9
training. In basic training, the two phases are often separated so
that learning will occur faster. Many people continue this separation
after basic school, probably out of habit. It is not unusual for
training days to be split up into tracking (early in the morning),
then obedience later, followed by aggression and control still later.
While this may a useful method during initial training, it certainly
sends mixed signals to experienced dogs. It teaches the concept that
obedience and aggression are separate items, which do not have to be
performed together. This may suffice for some sport dogs, but as we
all know, this is not reality for street dogs. On the street, there is
no separation between phases - obedience and aggression must be
performed at the same time. Unfortunately, the way we teach and
maintain these phases encourages the dog to think that they are
different skills with little connection to each other. It is simple to
find dogs which will perform certification level obedience when they
receive signals indicating that this is the �obedience phase�, and
yet cannot perform the same maneuvers correctly when they receive
signals indicating that this is the �aggression phase�. Many of
these signals come from the handlers, some of which have different
expectations of the dog depending upon which phase they are in. This
separation of phases and the different expectations create confusion
in the dog�s mind and are clearly not the best we can do for them.
What is needed are training techniques and patterns which teach the
concept that obedience and aggression are never separate skills, but
always performed together. In other words, obedience is never out of
session. That way the dog will always be responsive to obedience
commands, but we can choose not to use them at times when we want the
dog to focus on something other than the handler.
A good start is to have a decoy present during obedience training. If
the handler continues to have the same expectations of the dog, this
teaches it not to be a raving lunatic simply because a potential
aggressor is present. This is better than nothing, but does not
combine the two phases since no aggression is required during the
sequence. Other units incorporate tactical obedience into their
aggression phases. This is also a good start, but tactical obedience
often does not reflect the entire spectrum of obedience. This again
insinuates to the dog that only a portion of obedience is required in
difficult situations. Hence the two phases are not completely merged.
A better approach would be to keep tactical obedience and also devise
a set of routines where every maneuver in regular obedience is present
in some combination with every maneuver in aggression. The two phases
would have to be performed in the same set of routines. Training for
such a combination would teach the dog that no separation exists
between the two phases. This may be difficult to accomplish, but it
encourages the type of thinking the dog needs on the street. Good
obedience should not interfere with a good dog�s focus on the
suspect. If it does, you may want to check on the quality of your
obedience training.
Combining the phases of obedience and aggression should lead to three
things. 1) You should have much less trouble with aggression control,
2) your training should become more realistic, and 3) better voice
control should allow you to stay under cover in bad situations. It�s
worth a try.
Stephen
A. Mackenzie, Ph.D., is a professor of animal science at the State
University of New York and a canine trainer for the Schoharie County
(N.Y.) Sheriff's Department. |
