PROTECTION THEORY AND PRACTICE:
SECTION ONE - PROECTION THEORY
SECTION TWO - DECOY CLINIC

This highly detailed course is unlike any other currently offered in this country. It is broken into two sections. Each section is one week long, and they can be taken back to back or independently.

The first section covers the theory behind protection work from a training perspective. We will discuss the various venues for protection work (police service, personal protection, Schutzhund/IPO, French/Mondio ring, KNPV, and Belgian ring) and how they differ in theory and practice, as well as their historical significance and their influence on the techniques we use today. We will define terms commonly used in protection work, and learn to apply them in practical situations, as well as examining the strengths and short-comings of “drive theory” as it relates to protection work. We will discuss techniques for creating a strong protection dog and learn to read basic canine body language as it relates to this goal. We will learn how to establish a behavioral baseline for a given dog based on genetic gripping style, body language, and other external signs, and we will cover the role of the handler in protection work. This course is a must for anyone doing decoy/helper work, and is highly recommended for anyone interested in protection sports, aggression in dogs, or canine behavior.

The second section is a purely practical education for the helper/deco. In other words, this is the class where you learn to work dogs as a decoy/helper. This course introduces the equipment used in protection work, common safety measures, and the general “do’s and don’ts” of the work. We will cover the mechanics of working a protection dog with both the sleeve and the bite suit, proper targeting, techniques for working both upper and lower body dogs, and the differences between the various protection venues as it relates to helper/decoy work. We will also cover, in detail, the physical techniques for improving a dog’s protection work. Dogs will be available for students to work, but each student is also required to bring a dog that can do some protection work.