Trouble holding dog.......

[Rottlvr]

I have a 14 month old male Rott. I am currently in a Schutzhund club in my area, I am very new to the sport only been in it about 6 months. We have just recently started him on the sleeve, he is doing great according to club members. Problem is I only weigh 103 lbs and he weighs 110 lbs. I have LOTS of trouble holding him when the helper is building drive with the sleeve. Someone suggested having my husband stand behind me and help hold and eventually the dog will think that he can't pull me down. Well, we have done that and the only problem is that when the helper tells me to release him my husband doesn't always hear him and nothing goes as planned. So does anyone have any suggestions on how small women can hold big dogs. I also notice that the other club members dogs are high in drive, but they don't lunge and pull like mine, will he ever learn to stop lunging so hard? Any other suggestions are welcome.


Thanks, Beth

[Judi W]

First, go buy yourself some little league shoes with the rubber cleats on the bottom. That will help you with your footing. Then you must teach yourself how to manage the leash so that you never allow slack which gives the dog the opportunity to give you a jerk forward. (the dog will back up trying to get the opportunity, you must back up also, preventing slack) You have to learn to use you arms and body and not allow the dog to bring the top of your body forward. It can be done. I weigh the same as you and have worked a very large boy and did all the holding myself (no one behind me).

[WorkinDogz]

You can do what Wonder Woman Judy did http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif or....do what I do and work them on the long line and enlist the help of a club member to hold just in case.

The drive building phase is tough for us "little" women.

I'm happy as hell when the dog is ready for obedience to be introduced into bitework http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/biggrin.gif

I've seen quite a few helpers get hurt by the dog "getting away" from the handler. I'd feel terribly guilty if I was the one a dog got away from.

I'm not proud http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif and I'm nooooo Wonder Woman!

More power (and good cleats!) to you Judy! You're da WOMAN!!

[Judi W]

Hey, that was quite a few years ago. There were darn few Rottweilers in the work and the helpers were looking for any reason to send you away. No one offered to help and I darn well wasn't going to give them a reason to tell us "by" Stubborness pure and simple

[WorkinDogz]

Judy http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif

Amazing the things we can do when we decide "I want this" http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif

[Mick Trainer]

How are you girls standing when holding the dogs? Where is the wait in your feet? Where is the lead? Once I teach people how to hold their dogs I have no trouble with the girls being able to hold their dogs.

Mick.

[FredAl]

Like Judi, I also had to train my very large rott with no help (USA club who thought: No tail, no good!). My rott was 135 lbs. of pure muscle with the high drives of a Banshee when doing protection work. Back then, I was about the same weight as my dog (not anymore ... just can't get enough hot & spicy Thai food). http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif

To hold my dog back, I looped the lead around my thumb and and held the doubled-up lead with my right hand. I positioned my right hand behind my hip, with my feet spread apart, right foot directly under my hip, pointing right, knees bent. My left foot way in front, pointing forward. Most of the weight is on my right leg.

It's like a karate stance just before you do a front left kick. Then my left arm is holding the taut lead with the base toward the front. I also wore soccer shoes with the rubber cleats.

I just realized, this is like the stance of the anchor man in a tug-of-war.

Hope this helps! http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif

[Orville Story]

I have two suggestions for you:

1. Allow the lead to semi wrap your body. Hold the end of the lead with your right hand pinned at the beltline to come around your back with your left hand holding the lead about a foot away on the left side. This allows you to counter his strength with your biggest muscles.

2. For a small girl suggestion #1 still may not be the answer. The fact is that you may not be strong enough to counter the power of your dog on your own. The next step would be the use of a pole and long line. With the line tied to a pole the helper can work in and out building drive. You the handler will be ready to control the long line when the helper gives the dog a bite. As soon as the sleeve or tug is slipped you will have grabed the long line just a few feet away and lead your dog around with the sleeve.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by FredAl:
...I positioned my right hand behind my hip, with my feet spread apart, right foot directly under my hip, pointing right, knees bent. My left foot way in front, pointing forward. Most of the weight is on my right leg.

It's like a karate stance just before you do a front left kick. Then my left arm is holding the taut lead with the base toward the front. I also wore soccer shoes with the rubber cleats.

The proper stance, and distribution of the body weight, helps tremendously to build a solid anchored position. Of course, leg strength, and the right shoes, add-up. The karate stance I would recommend is spreading your legs side ways twice your shoulder width, and put about 70% of your body weight in the rear leg (and about 30% in the leg in front of you), with both of your knees flexed like you want to sit down, while the right hand (like flexing your biceps) grabs the loop holder of the lead and the left hand in front of you (like pushing something down) holds the lead down hard. See how it works for you http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by German Vanegas (edited November 28, 2000).]

[czechrott]

Failure to hold a dog properly can lead to a few big problems. Many times the dog learns to be "Dirty" from pulling the handler around, and biting when he shouldn't. The other problem is the dog biting with a poor grip, because the dog got to the helper before the helper could place the bite.

In these cases, we put the dog on a pole. This way, the handler can stand next to the dog, and the helper can get his/her timing down.

[damp]

Well come to the small women’s club. http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif


I have NOT found the philosophers' stone but really hope to find them here. I have trained all my dogs my self, but can’t do this any longer because of a bad back. It is really hard work. No doubt, the standing is important but in “the heat of the battle” it is easy to forget and in one second…the perfect scene for a home video.

Even working with pole or a big boy in the end of the long line, I feel my arms are 3 feet longer and aching all over after training.

I am just now in the phase building up prey in my 9 month old male. I don’t know how many great ideas my friends offer me, to STAND STILL and hold THAT dog. “Tie me to the pole, put on a big rucksack filled with stones or pour me down in concrete… http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/biggrin.gif

[amano the indian flautist]

Put your feet wider than shoulders turn toes inwards at about "five mins before twelve"and bend your knees.this will bring your centre of gravity closer to the ground.theres my two and a half

"dropping your weight"


[This message has been edited by amano the indian flautist (edited November 28, 2000).]

[WorkinDogz]

Damp...you just crack me up!!! http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/biggrin.gif

I wish I did posess the strength needed to hold during the drive building stages. Even with knots stratigically placed in my long line...I worry that a "pass by" bite might turn into a "send away" and get me "the look" from a helper. http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/eek.gif

Hmmm..maybe I should use that membership to the gym every once in awhile....hmmm....Nahhhhh!

[Dux]

I agree with all the above mentioned ideas, especially German and Czech. Remember in the foundation stages, it is very important that your boy is clear on the rules. Same helper, one day at a time. Don't take this wrong, but if your husband has a hearing problem, find a different line person...will mess up the dog.

Dogs only learn what we teach them, if we are not consistent and fair, can be a real mess. I help a 98 pound lady with her 110 male, because she is not strong enoug and is very inexperienced. Our helper has made this dog look like a different dog in 3 months from the prior training, However, consistent and correct handling are a must also.
There is no way she could hold this animal, due to his strength, her lack of strength, her inexperience and poor timing. After 3 months, this 4 year old boy, is now ready for the pole without me thankfully. LOL.

Ladies, dont take this wrong, but unless there is an experienced line person, or if you dont have the desire,timing, stance and posture for holding a male rottie with any kind of drive...I am thinking a mal or shepherd would be better.

I have a 14 month old male who has an absolute insane long bite, without much stimulation from the helper, holding him is a could be bit of a chore for me if I was not handling him correctly and I weigh 200 pounds.

[damp]

WorkinDogz,
I better tell you… just in case…before you get an inferiority complex http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/biggrin.gif the first 3 dogs were Boxers, and my Rottie Carlos…I hate to admit this http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/redface.gif …but once I got “THAT LOOK” (and had to spend beers) Then I DECIDED he was ready for obedience
#&@%%.
May be I am small, but I have a big mouth. http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/wink.gif