Switching between handlers

[gcv-border]

I recently heard (second-hand, but reliable) an open sheepdog handler say that if one was to send out an adolescent pup for training, that one should choose a trainer that is somewhat physically close to yourself. Therefore, since I am considering sending out my pup for training, I should try and find, at a minimum, a female trainer - preferably on the smaller side.

 

Uhh, I was surprised to hear this and wondered how valid this viewpoint is. I am fully expecting that there will be a transition time from the 'training' handler to the owner, but never considered that physical similarities in handlers would be something to be concerned about.

 

And by extension, what is your experience(s) with regard to the transition between knowledgeable handlers?

 

Thoughts? please.

[Gideon's girl]

The only time I've seen it matter was when our local police department got it's first police dog. Soon after getting Natan, he got loose and wouldn't come to anyone. They ended up sending to Germany for the trainers coat and hat and found the officer with the right build. They located the dog, drove up, the handler in disguise got out and opened the rear door and commanded the dog to load. In he went. A couple months later, he was bonded to his new handler and there was never another problem.

[GentleLake]

My only experience with sending a dog for training was with my first border collie.

 

My ex did most of the handling of him for training on sheep, but I worked him extensively on chickens, on which he learned many of his commands. (Darn dog was a real handful on sheep but gentle as a lamb on chickens.) We sent him to Jack Knox, who had a different build from either my ex or me, and a totally different accent, and there were no problems transferring.

 

Of course, Mirk already knew Jack from having worked with him at clinics, so that may have had something to do with it.

[Sue R]

I know several women who have very successfully sent youngsters to Scott Glen for starting training, and Scott did not remotely resemble any of them!

 

There are some dogs that will work for anyone (like my Celt or Dan) and some dogs that won't work for anyone but their handler (like my Bute). Maybe there are some that are in-between, and prefer their people to be familiar.

 

A police dog is another issue entirely - they are trained, among other things, to recognize differences between people and to be very discerning. A police dog has sometimes been described as a dog that looks at the world with the question, "What is wrong with this picture?"

[juliepoudrier]

I would say it's more important to choose someone whose training method you like and can emulate once you have your dog back. Looks should be pretty immaterial (with Sue's caveat that some dogs don't easily transfer from one person to another).

[Sue R]

I would say it's more important to choose someone whose training method you like and can emulate once you have your dog back.

I think this is so important.

[GentleLake]

I would say it's more important to choose someone whose training method you like and can emulate once you have your dog back.

 

 

Yes. I agree that this is the most important thing to consider also.

[Pippin's person]

Three of my dogs have been sent out for training and none had any particular trouble turning over to me despite one trainer being physically very different and one more similar. Any troubles I've had are tied to not being nearly as good as those who trained the dogs. Like Julie said, I suspect that understanding the training system being used is much more critical than the physical characteristics of the trainer.

[Gloria Atwater]

I would say it's more important to choose someone whose training method you like and can emulate once you have your dog back. Looks should be pretty immaterial (with Sue's caveat that some dogs don't easily transfer from one person to another).

 

 

This. This is the main thing that matters. I have worked extensively with a couple of young dogs for a friend of mine and we're not remotely the same body type. Likewise she has sent dogs out to two different trainers, one a man and one a woman, who again don't remotely resemble her.

 

I think all that border collies look for is consistency in handling and communication. That's why it's far more important to send your dog to a trainer whose method you can duplicate or closely approximate when you get the dog back.

 

I've honestly never heard of worrying about matching physical types!

 

~ Gloria

[lookback]

I would say it's more important to choose someone whose training method you like and can emulate once you have your dog back. Looks should be pretty immaterial (with Sue's caveat that some dogs don't easily transfer from one person to another).

 

If you really must send the dog away for training, Julie's words are very wise - but far better to train the dog yourself.

 

Even if you make mistakes, you'll have a much better bond with the dog - and along the way you'll learn an awful lot about sheepdogs and how they work.

[gcv-border]

Thank you for the replies everyone.

 

I asked the question because in the 6-7 years that I have been a member here, I don't remember ever hearing that particular piece of advice. Plus, I know that quite a few people will send out a dog for training, and neither party (owner and trainer) looks like the other.

 

So I was quite surprised, and decided to come here to get the experts' opinions. It appears that it is and example of one person's opinion.