Dog Training - all breeds for basic obedience - AKC and K9 Sports assistence

There are many regiments and venues available for owners to participate with their dogs when trying to train their dog.

Why does a bird hunter prefer a German Short Hair pointer instead of a German Shepherd Dog? Why does a Duck hunter
prefer a retriever? To review all the dog breeds and their inherent abilities is not my goal but we at Von King Haus recognize
that every dog breed has abilities and breed characteristics. The owner has a responsibility to his dog to keep them safe,
happy, social, and provide them a structure where they can keep those Breed Characteristics, which make them so desirable.

One of the most important phases of dog ownership is the Training of the dog. I will call it by a common phrase of “working’
your dog. Whether you are ‘working’ your dog in the hunting field trials, herding events, obedience trials, or in a show ring it
does not matter, the dog is performing for it’s owner. A dog is happiest when it is ‘working’ and you will find that a destructive
dog is usually a bored dog with high energy.

Our choice of Breed at Von King Haus is the German Shepherd Dog. We love our dogs and the stable temperament they
have proven over the years along with the high intelligence is what makes them special to us. There are many books and
articles about this Breed illustrating their traits so we won’t try to waste your time with our experiences with this breed.

The German Shepherd Dog is a Working Dog and as such must feel a purpose in their life. They are easily trained because
they want to please their owner/handler and achieve a purpose in their life to them. Our training sessions are open to all
breeds. All dogs must be current on all vaccinations and healthy to attend.

We want all pet owners to be able to ‘work’ their dogs and have a facility to pursue pet activities in obedience and other
activities of their choice. We don’t provide for all activities of training at our location. We do have training fields available for
obedience, obstacles for activities, and fields for K9 Sports Training Clubs involved in certain K9 Sports related to the German
Shepherd Dog or similar breed. There are Sports for Protection, Schutzhund, Ring Sports, etc., which require a handler/decoy
participation.

The German Shepherd Dog is just one of the many social breeds for a family that we know. They are natural protectors when
they have been allowed to live with the family and not in a back yard alone. A Dog of any breed has to have structure though
and if the structure is not established then often some dogs and breeds will try to assume the role of the master. Dogs are a
‘pack animal’ and must have a leader or they will assume that role in ‘their’ mind. So all ‘Training’ is important in establishing
the control of a pet that is a dog.

Von King Haus is about the dogs and most of the dog problems brought to us are not a dog problem at all. They are mostly a
Human problem or a problem caused by a human. Some problems are resolved easily enough with proper direction and advice
to an owner. Some are a little more complex and require extra time and training to resolve. A good trainer has to be flexible in
his or her training methods because each dog is as different as we humans are. I have been dog training since 1968 where I
learned the skill in Hampton, Virginia. It was through my interest in the German Shepherd Dog and friends with the Hampton
Police K9 Service, which allowed me to get my basic dog training skills in the need for obedience and other training.

We offer free basic obedience training sessions as a ‘Train-The-Trainer’ course available for those pet owners that wish to
take advantage of learning more about their dog’s behavioral messages and will take the time to train their own pet. The
training sessions also stress the socialization of your pet with humans and other dogs. Everyone enjoys a well-behaved pet.
Ask about our 'Free' session schedule since they change to meet group goals.

We also offer assistance to those owners that are in a specialty club with training, often Club schedules are not compatible with
your daily schedule so we offer flexible schedules and assistance that will allow you to meet your Club goals for competition
events. Some owners attend our sessions to prepare for personal goals with their pets such as AKC Rally, AKC Canine Good
Citizen certification, or conformation shows. We assist them with support and training tips to help them prepare for those
events.

We do not spend hours on the phone or in email's discussing dog problems. You must bring the dog to us at one of our open
sessions for observation and we will be glad to meet you and your dog to discuss any concerns you may have.

Most German Shepherd Dog owners recognize the “Protective” instincts in the breed and chose this breed for those reasons,
along with the social traits of the breed within the family. We assist those owners in developing those traits and understanding
required to control the dog’s behavior in a social environment.

Just as there are opinions on any subject it is the same with the K9 Sports activities, which teach a dog how to bite, etc., that
raises many controversial views among the dog owners and dog organizations all over the world. Why???? Because a dog is
being trained 'how to bite'. Most dogs will not bite except out of fear or self protection which is referred to as ' A Fear biter' or
'Defense biter' by trainers. People forget about Breed Characteristics and the need for a dog to keep those characteristics,
which is what enhances the love for a particular breed to those that own their Breed of Choice, with the GSD protection is
one of the most desirable traits of the breed. The Training provides the owner an understanding of the necessity of 'Control'
and the responsible development of their dog's behavior in a safe manner. The scenarios used to develop the dog provides
the dog with the skills required to be a social pet within the family and circle of family friends. Strangers and undesirable people
should beware of these dogs if the owner does not introduce them to the dog. Their actions will determine if the dog will accept
them into your family circle. The family is always protected first by the dog and friends should not rough house or try to
intimidate the dog because he is no longer a puppy but a defender of the home and family.

There are many K9 Sports and equally just as many methods of training to meet those Sport requirements. The goals of the
owner need to be established before training begins with their dog. Each venue develops the dog in specific methods to reach
goals. I see many owners change their goals, which often require the dog to be retrained utilizing new techniques and it
confuses the dog. It takes a longer development time to retrain the dog when this occurs.

We highly recommend that any dog owner that wishes to participate in a sport with their dog should visit breed specific dog
clubs and events to have a better understanding of the breed characteristics of the dog they have chosen and then establish
the goals they want to pursue with their dog. The opportunities and activities are countless in most areas and some travel may
be involved in other areas of the country to achieve certain goals. Even if it is a Frisbee competition in a park or an afternoon
at a lake retrieving a ball from the water, there are always activities to ‘work’ your dog. Dog clubs are for people that have the
same interests and goals. The conversations almost always are about training methods and goals for the dogs. I have found
out that over the years it is all about ‘fun with your dog’ and the owners that participate in some program whether it is
obedience, show rings, Frisbee throwing, agility trials, or sporting clubs, the bottom line is to enjoy your pet and what he
can do.

Thank-you for allowing me to explain my views/opinions by taking the time reading the above statement.

Tom King

Click here for pictures of our
obedience training groups.

Click here for pictures
of K9 Sports Training.