Utility articles: number of bars?

[Rottlva]

Is there any advantage towards having a set of articles with more then one bar?

[Judi W]

My dogs prefer the single bars. The multiple bar articles usually have one bar wopping them on the chin when they carry it. I have both. an old set of single bars that has been through 5 dogs and still working great. A fancy set of multiple bars that was a gift. I thought, oh, how nice, but using the fancy ones with mutliple dogs over different times, although they work them without problem and retrive them, etc. they do not like them and I finally figured out that I think it is that bottom bar clunking around under their jaw. Also, single bar - only one to scent!

[excellrott]

What's a bar?

[Rottlva]

Originally Posted by excellrott

What's a bar?

The bar is the long middle peice of a dumblell. It is what the dog should grasp when he picks it up with his mouth.

Judi, you're explanation makes me wonder why anyone would even want more then one bar! Thank you.

[Judi W]

New and fancy! Just like those heavy wooden boxes with the sliding pegboard lids. Heavy and awkward to carry and the stewards hate them as well.

I travel as light as possible. Avoid those wooden boxes or you need an extra trip to the car just top get that ringside!

The theory behind the mutliple bars is that the dog's nose doesn't bump the ground to pick them up. You know dogs are quite fragile.......... yeah, sure. It that were truly the case, and it was a hardship for the dog, just make the bells a bit bigger. But it is not the case and I think just a marketing device.

I'm starting a boy right now and about laughed my self silly last night. You know dogs are problem solvers and with this guy, I ended up putting together a rug (haven't used one since about 4 dogs ago, but thought it would be a good thing for this guy). The principle behind tying down the unwanted articles is that the dog will decide it is easier to sniff than to try to move each one looking for the lose one. He'd been sniffing quite well and I was in fact getting ready to untie the whole works when last night he invented an even quicker than sniffing method to find the right one. Did it three times in a row so I know this was not accidental.

Pick up rug, shake, loose article falls to ground, get that article and bring to mom. Problem solved!

Not sure what I'm going to do now. I'll have to think on it.

Judging utility at a match this am, so I'll ask some of my savvy friends and see if they have any lightning bolt ideas.

[excellrott]

Oh, I got one of those. Duh.
Question..........My big girl does not like to pick it up at all. She has an underbite and I wonder if that is why. She will take it if I insist and doesn't seem to be in any pain, but if she can get away with it, she would rather work on anything else. What should I do, she will need this skill in the ring.

[Judi W]

You are seeing just one of the reasons why correct dentition is important. If the underbite is much more than a tiny bit, it is very difficult for her to pick up or carry. The carry is hard because the place within the premolars where such an item would be carried does not match and picking up itself can be very difficult. In fairness to the dog, you need to look carefully at her bite from the side and make sure you are not asking her to do something that she cannot do.

[excellrott]

It's pretty pronounced. So I guess after her CD, she probably needs to move on to something else. :( She loves tracking, so now I guess I have a new direction. :)

[Rottlva]

Judi, It seems as though your boy is quite the thinker! I'll take a dog who puts good thought into things any day. We're still trying to finish up our CDX, but I figured now was a good time to start the scent discrimination.... I am due to have a baby real soon, and can't do my boy any justice as I can't get in a good heeling pace right now.... so, until I am back to a reasonable level of fittness, we are on a competition hiatus.

[Judi W]

You can teach articles at home on the living room floor. Perfect for a pregnant lady. My last dog learned hers during the summer when we have temps too high for working outdoors. You can also do a bit of mark and turns for the glove even if the room is only big enough to put out one glove. Put it in a different place each time, do your turn, etc. Signals can be done in the kitchen or LR, etc. ....................

Chris,
Yes, I agree you should find another activity. Bad bites are actually a structural problem. Upper to lower jaw misproportion. If it is a fairly pronounced undershot, then she really cannot pick up. Scooping with the lower jaw, but can't get behind the upper canines to grasp and like I said, no holding area between the premolars. There are bunches of other things you both can do. Enjoy.

[Judi W]

PS,
14 utility dogs today, both A and B's. Only one qualifier and that was a Dobe bitch at her first match!!!

[excellrott]

Thanks for the upbeat, Judi
We will be enrolling in tracking for the spring ;)

[Silvana]

Originally Posted by Rottlva

Is there any advantage towards having a set of articles with more then one bar?

From a trainer who also does schutzhund "Three bars hold the scent in the triangle better"

[Judi W]

Originally Posted by Silvana

From a trainer who also does schutzhund "Three bars hold the scent in the triangle better"

Good thought, but does not carry through in practice. Bigger feet might lay down more scent on the track, however more bars do not give more scent to an article and in fact can cause it to dispurse more. Only one bar is raised up off the ground where the dog is taking the scent. All three bars do is put two on the ground, take longer to apply scent, and generally get in the way. With three bar articles, the bars are also usually smaller in diameter giving more cause for them to swing around when carried.