Family dog
The Vizsla as a family-dog
When hunters see the Vizsla as a family-dog, this causes
a cry of despair in most of them ;-)
The argumentation according to which a Vizsla not trained for hunting is useless
for breeding purposes and so the hunting passion of the breed could disappear
through the generations, makes the non-hunters' heart bleed, because they are
classified by some breeders as "inadequate" owners and so they will
receive no Vizslas.
More and more they ask us if the Vizsla can be a family-dog. A lot of prejudices
spread: according to them these dogs should run at least 10 km every day, following
their owner on a bike, in order to "make the most of them" etc...
But I wonder which hunter goes cycling with his Vizsla every day for 10 or more
km through the woods.
Have you ever thought
about how many hunting-dog breeds exist, whose representatives are considered
as family-dogs and which have shown they can be also very good as "family
members"?
- Golden Retriever
- West Highland White Terrier
- Teckel (Dackel)
- Jack Russel Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
- English and American Cocker Spaniel
- Basset Dog
- Scottish Terrier
- Labrador Retriever
- Münsterländer
- Dalmatian
etc.
The list can naturally
go on.
Which German Shepherd dog or Collie still guards sheep today? They should be - if compared with the spread of these breeds - statistically a very small part. The same happens with "hunting-dog breeds", which conquered our sitting rooms much time ago.
Not only hunting develops Vizsla's qualities, but there are other sport possibilities,
which tighten the link between dog and owner and are a good spare-time possibility.
They generally require much team spirit and bring both the dog and the owner
much fun and nice contacts with the relative companions. ;-)
So a dogs-friend, even if not particularly sporty, can achieve successes with
his Vizsla, for example by practicing Dogdancing with his dog, without needing
him to be "the Sprinter", which resists the 175 m Agility-Medium-track
without any problem.
So... time for action! For every dogs-friend there is the right possibility
to make his/her dog work - and not only the Vizsla - and have fun with him.
Here are some suggestions:
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Frolic-Frisbee-Team Dog show Rostock 2005 |
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Dogs like very much playing Frisbee. Naturally if they are in good health and have no problems with their articulations. They like very much hunting and catching the Frisbee after it has been launched (if possible not too high) and so their instincts are refined, without directing them towards other animals.
As a practice-field, chose preferably lawns, as plain as possible and without
small gaps or molehill.
You should not use just one or two Frisbees to play, so it will remain a fast
game, without becoming a great bring-back exercise.
Later you will be able to train your dog with various training elements, such
as for example the wheel.
You can find much information on: www.crazyflyndogs.de
Obedience should
be translated as "dutifulness". The exercise is practically identical
to all common "obedience exercises" for protection-dogs, but has nothing
to do with the old "strict training methods" and refers also to distance
control.
Next to the "basic exercises" such as for example
- Seat
- Lie down
- Walk, also other
interesting elements are presented, such as for example
- the bringing-back
- the search for
objects (identification)
- jumping over
an obstacle
- the distance
control (seat, lie down, stand at a distance)
- the sending
forward
- and character
consistency
Since April 2001
there are trial examination regulations, so that in Germany we can organize
tests according to the German examination regulations.
But temporarily just foreign (internationally recognized) judges can control
tests in Germany.
So we will have recourse to judges from our neighboring countries.
In the meantime many places for dogs offer the possibility of the Obedience-Training.
is a relatively young kind of sport.
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Among others Mrs. Nicole Weber has described on her Homepage, how this sport was born on www.dogdancing.de. You can find another Website about this on www.dogdance.de, with interesting Video-Demos.
Every owner can practice Dogdancing with his dog. It is not really important
how big, how old, how heavy or fast the dog is. Also the owner must not exaggerate
when practicing Dog-dancing.
Maybe you have already noticed that Agility represents "the show jumping"
for dogs. Dogdancing can be compared with the classical dressage for horses,
where choreographic elements are presented with music.
In order to achieve the final goal you need much patience, empathy and an excellent
communication with your four-legged friend. Those who manage to make their dog
move, just with acoustic and visual signs according to music rhythm, gain the
greatest respect.
In some dog competitions and fairs Dog-Dancing-demonstrations are the "Highlights"
of the event that you should not miss.
Among others, delicacies, clickers, small balls are used for practicing. In
a demonstration such tools are not used. - Just try with some elements such
as for example the Slalom with your dog. You will see how funny it is!
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For Agility the dog overcomes the most varied obstacles, so his obedience and
above all his rapidity will be tested. As already mentioned, Agility is similar
to a jump competition for horses.
The dog must overcome various obstacles on the course. The owner runs next to
the dog.
The obstacles are for example viaducts, walls, catwalks, rockers, diagonal walls,
slalom, rigid tunnels, fabric tunnels, tires, long jump, barriers for dogs and
possibly the table.
In order to overcome the obstacles, a big quantity of exercises is important
in the training program.
The course is between
100 and 200 meters and all obstacles must be mounted on a field of a minimum
size of 20 x 40 meters.
Herbert Wagner
from California has discovered in the 70s a possibility for working with
his dog, crazy for balls. He built a tin, his dog had to move it with
his paws, so a ball was thrown in the air 3 meters high. So the concept
of "Flyball" was born.
This game spread very fast and was developed, so that today dogs must
overcome 4 obstacles, before they can take the ball. Meanwhile Flyball
has become a team sport, which is carried out as a relay race.
In the eighties Flyball was officially recognized as a competition sport.
In Germany there are unfortunately no valid rules systems for Flyball,
but it is funny for dogs.
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Karen Pryor from
USA has already in the 60s trained dolphins and other mammalians through the
Clicker.
So the idea that, among others, also dogs could be trained with the Clicker
(a Plastic box with a metal clip) was born.
Today this method is known as "Clicker-Training". It is based on scientific
knowledge about the applied behavior research and is suggested by animal psychologists
and ethologists. This Training method allows new, positive experiences in the
ambit of the comprehension between men and animals.
With the Click as a signal for the right behavior, followed by a reward (game,
food, praise or caresses etc.), soon your dog becomes a careful, active friend
and learns with a right timing every desired behavior in an astonishingly fast
manner.
The Click is not a command signal, but for the dog it is the signal, that he
has done something right and the promise of a reward - so a positive confirmation.
Physically a rescue
dog must be averagely big, not too heavy, robust; he must not aggress men and
animals.
The dog learns the real social behavior already as a puppy, through the contact
with other dogs and men.
Also in the rescue-dog work it is important that both team partners trust one
another.
The training for a rescue dog lasts ca. 1 1/2 years.
The dog trainer must have followed successfully fist-aid courses A and B, previously,
they must have knowledge of Kynology, maps, compass and radio technology, before
the Team can make the first exam.
The most important training is the search. For example one person hides in the
wood and the dog must begin the scent. After the dog reaches the victim, he
should seat there and bark, until the trainer reaches him. This skill is called
in the hunt "Totverbellen".
Already after the Second World War, Vizslas were used as rescue dogs, because
they were astonishingly good when finding victims, barking until the arrival
of the rescuers.
Therapy dog
By Jana Kämpfer from www.hundezeitung.de/ausbildung/therapiehunde.html
We often hear about "animal therapy" with dogs or through Dog-visiting
programs in social institutions. But what does it mean exactly?
I would like to report a couple of thoughts about my pluriennal experience as
an Ergotherapist with therapy dogs and as a dog trainer.
Through the contact with a dog the ill/handicapped person or the residents can feel new impulses. This means for concerned people, an increasing motivation to face the ambient and themselves. The dog with his look, the corporal contact, the communication and the interaction helps men. This phenomenon is the key for the success of animal therapy or visiting-dog programs.
Basically it is necessary to distinguish between dog-therapy and dog-visiting: a therapy dog is used in a traditional treatment, such as Psychotherapy, Ergotherapy, Physiotherapy, Logopaedics, Medical pedagogy. He is a "time-worker, supporting the therapist as a co-therapist", normally he is the therapist's family dog.
A typical example for the therapy-dog supported Ergotherapy is a child, Tom. He avoids every contact with unusual materials and with people. The contact with a therapy-dog involves, for Tom, such an invitation, that he touches various things "for the dog's sake " and he is motivated to common activities, such as searching a ball in a box filled with beans. Moreover corporal contact originates automatically from playing together, because the dog always wants to be close to the child.
A "visiting-dog" instead goes with his socially engaged owner (companion) regularly in various institutions, such as senior citizens homes, orphanages or clinics, to meet residents or patients. So no therapeutic use, but games, coddles, brushing, promenades and conversation with the dog.
In both animal-supported activities "therapeutic effects" are similar, for example normalization of blood pressure, increase in the production of endorphins, general increase in the activities, improvement of motory and spiritual skills, capability of facing with the World through the "Dog" medium, structuring the week, learning new forms of communication, reducing stress, deflecting pain, learning social behavior and not embarrassing corporal contact.
The dog is particularly
indicated as a "therapy medium", because he is warm, capable of adapting
himself, he searches for contact, he can communicate through facial mime and
body-language, he likes common activities with men and he encourages contacts.
Before you can use ad adequate dog as a therapy dog, he and his therapist /
companion must attend a basic training. So the soon-to-be therapy- or visiting-dog
must learn to tolerate uncommon movements, noise, smell, touch, various tools,
various kinds of handicap and therapy media.
The therapist or
the companion must acquire other competences; how the dog can be used, which
possibilities and limits such therapies have. He must create basic knowledge
about the existing legal situation, as well as about the learning attitude and
the signals of stress of the dog. The training of such dog and of his owner
does not only aim at the contents configuration of an animal-supported therapy,
but also at the protection of the dog.
For this reason I have elaborated a special training concept for animal-supported
activities, in which I present all my experiences as an animal-supported Ergotherapist
and dog trainer for Family- and Service dogs. In these lessons the necessity
of training therapists / companions and their animals shows its importance every
time. Because here more security and competence should be achieved, since later
in the practice they will generally be the most important people in the group.
"An
excellent trainer is not who trains his dog to guarantee a good performance,
but who trains his dog to want to be trained for this."
Nicole Weber