Hercules at the training school

[Dobepip]

The training school is police's and it is 600 km away from home. If we were not their friends, Hercules would not be accepted. And because we're friends, I only have to pay for Hercules' food. It is a good deal, isn't it? Hercules will be back home in 3 months. They said after training, Hercules would obey whoever they appointed.

In the car:

In his place:

His neighbour, a German Shepherd:

The training school is a very extensive place. Hercules seemed liked it as he walked comfortably when he got out of the car. But he was scared when being barked by two big German Shepherds. Anyway, he is just 8 months old.

 

[Purr]

What kind of training do they do there?

 

[Barb04]

Are you doing protection training? I've never heard of being away for 3 months. That seems like such a long time.

 

[Dobepip]

The dogs there are trained to attack, to search, to detect drugs...

Hercules is trained for protection.

I don't think 3 months is a long time, they said he would do everything a police dog could.

 

[ohmai]

That's great. Are you allowed to visit him during training, or when it's a day off for him?

 

[oriondw]

The dogs there are trained to attack, to search, to detect drugs...

Hercules is trained for protection.

I don't think 3 months is a long time, they said he would do everything a police dog could.

8 months old, 3 months, protection training and "do everything a police dog could" just doesnt add up.


Sorry, thats just my opinion, and the fact that you are not the one who is training him.... sounds like wasted money

 

[Love4Pits]

8 months old, 3 months, protection training and "do everything a police dog could" just doesnt add up.


Sorry, thats just my opinion, and the fact that you are not the one who is training him.... sounds like wasted money

Me too I also don't think it was the smartest thing to do.

 

[oc_spirit]

Uhhhhhh ya I'm deffinately not a big fan of sending a dog away to be trained. The reason? They tend to bond closely to their trainer and though they will respond to others the reaction just isn't the same at all. Sometimes they won't even listen to anyone other than the person who trained them. I've had a few dogs sent to me to be trained then I send back to their owners and the results are never as good as when I'm training the owner to train the dog.

And Orion said a very valid point, it takes a hellofalot longer than 3 months to train a police dog no matter how intense the training! And if too intense the dg may actually get bored of it and no longer respond positively to more training.

Just my 0.02

 

[Purr]

I wouldn't send my puppies away for three months, personally. And, I certainly wouldn't let someone else teach them to bite. JMO. Eight months old seems a bit young to me

 

[smkie]

he must be so confused..let us know how he is when he comes home.

 

[Dobepip]

LOL

I recommend waiting.

 

[RD]

At eight months of age he is just a baby, I don't know if he would be able to comprehend the idea of protection. I've never trained a dog for protection but I'd think that a dog has to mature past the puppy (You protect me) stage to the adult (I'll protect you) stage before any protection training will be successful.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

Yes...that's a long time to be away from home!

 

[Sunnypup]

This is how they train POLICE dogs so I am sure they know what they are doing huh? She is excited about Herc, so let her be excited. What's done is done and I hate it when people come on here all excited about their dog and we all beat them down with oh that was a bad idea, and I don't agree and you're an idiot. I know you just mean to help, really but some people have different ideas about dog training then us. Yes, he may be confused, but he may also be having the time of his life. Dogs aren't so much like people that they over analyze every situation. The joke about the dogs journal...I see that being pretty close to the truth. Sure they can be scared and hurt and all of that, but they do tend to make the best of situations too. It is 3 months to train then the rest of his life to bond with his human. Are you saying then that a shelter dog who has been with someone else for a year can't possibly bond with his new owner even if the previous owner did all the training? I don't think so but this is a similar situation. For pitys sake don't jump down happy peoples throat unless they are truely abusing an animal or breeding for a stupid reason (aka, not a real breeder) This negativity is REALLY getting me down. I woudn't want to send any dog away for 3 months(I'd be waaay to paranoid about my dog loving someone else more then me) but Hercules thought it was a good idea and it is done. Like mama rabbit said "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." there. done. Goodluck with Herc, I hope things go as you want with him and you have a good, loving obedient dog when he returns

 

[SallyandPippa]

From reading this thread it doesnt sound as if anyone is trying to beat anyone down or rain on their parade. One of the reasons I love this site is because I know I can access honest advice from ppl who have much more experience about raising a happy, well behaved dog than I do. What is the point of having a forum if we are all going to go around agreeing with everything anyone else says and not being able to express an honest,well thought out opinion? We all have our strengths and weaknesses and one of the joys of a site like this is we can all pool our knowledge and become better dog owners because of it! I don't mean that we should all go around unthinkingly criticising each other but if I write something that is not for the best of my dog I would want someone to tell me where I was going wrong. For example Sunny, I have had experience of Basset Hounds so i was able to comment on your possible new family member as a backpacking dog. Now was I in the wrong to do this? Should I have said 'yeah, brilliant, great idea' and not shared my experience with you? This does not lead to a place where the dog is the winner, it will mean that we are all (especially the dog) worse off because of it. So personally speaking, if i say something that someone disagrees with please tell me and explain your reasoning, I want my dog to have the benefit of all the knowledge available to me on here, I believe that i will become a better dog owner because of it.

Thanks.

 

[Dobepip]

They are police and as Sunny has said, they know what they are doing. They told me a dog could be trained at the age of 8 months. I called Hercules' trainer this morning and he said Hercules would only start to be trained next Monday because he needed to be acquainted with the new place. When I sent Hercules to them I was afraid would Hercules be treated well, would he be scared of those big German Shepherds... but my worries were completely vanished when I arrived there. I think the only problem of Hercules is he would miss me a lot, otherwise, I feel secure about him.

@Sunny: thank you.

 

[Zoom]

Keep us updated!

 

[Love4Pits]

I still don't trust it. Im not beating anyone down im just letting my opinion fly.

 

[Saje]

No one is beating anyone down Sunny. We are all just giving our opinions. People can take or leave the advice. Me, I don't like it either. And this is an open forum where we can say that. I'm not saying that Dobepip is a bad owner or anything. I know she loves her dog. I just wouldn't send my dog away for three months for protection training. My dogs don't' need it! Protection comes naturally and since i"m not going to use them to sniff out drugs I think I'd rather have them at home.

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

I am NOT beating anyone down. I just don't think it's a good idea to send your puppy off to be kept in a kennel and be trained for three months to attack. Not my thing.