# Semi-brag for Diabla



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Diabla and I trialed this weekend. After the almost year we took without training I decided to give it a try again at the promotional category (CAB) Which consist of the obedience part of the BH and a courage test (Attack from the blind and a long distance attack).

Diabla got the best score in obedience (96 points), but if you ask my humble opinion, it was far from good. She was distracted, opened on the turns and overall flat, though she did all the exercizes right. It happened to be one of the hotter days of this summer and all dogs looked flat, specially for us that call a 24°C (75°F) a hot day here in Valdivia. Diabla didn't earned that high score, too much small mistakes, but looking today at the videos she was probably the more spirited of the category and the judge may have taken that into consideration.

Protection was not that good either, she bites with a full mouth, but her bit is weak and slipped on the long attack to take a second bite later. Maybe the myositis? or maybe not. The helper was barely a kid, at only 18 years old, Diabla didn't take him seriously and in the guarding she barked, but it was a distracted barking, like if she was not sure if to bite him or to invite him an ice-cream. 89 points. Again, too generous points here, which put us in 5th place of 8 dogs.

Regarding of not winning a place, it was a great experience, I still have a lot to improve on my handling skills and I also met very good people, as much that I planned to go back to Valdivia in the same day, but was invited to stay in the house of someone of the club and improvised a barbecue that night. 

There we took the opportunity to work with the helper I had been working before she got sick. He worked her purely on aggression and her bite improved from earth to heaven so I think most of her flaws can be worked if she learns to see the helper as an adversary in every single occasion. Lately I had been working with a friend who wants to learn, but not anymore, since he can't inspire that in her and she keeps seeing him as a tug toy no matter how hard he tries to piss her off. She has matured, I don't want to give up on her and I can ake this as great learning opportunity to learn from there.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Congratulations!! 

We are always our own worst critics. LOL


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Congrats!!!!


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

Congrats you two!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Way to go Diabla and Catu!!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Congrats you two!!!!


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

Good for you both!! Congrats . That is a great accomplishment given the time off you took.



> like if she was not sure if to bite him or to invite him an ice-cream.


:spittingcoffee:


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Yes 

When I say more mature I mean she is at a point where she does not only tolerate a heavier helper work, but where she truly enjoys it. Even being a ball monster lately she does not commit to the helper if she doesn't see a challenge there. This guy who has been helping me has the best of intentions, wants to learn but his built doesn't make him look like a threat (he is shorter and lighter than even me) since he is awkward yet the dog can feel the insecurity and he wants to get into French Ring and looks at Ring videos in YouTube all day, which ends up with him moving more like a bunny every passing day. He helped me to prepare Diabla for this trial the best he could on the past weeks, but I don't see Diabla seeing him like a threat soon.

The trial helper was and looked like a kid, he got his certification just past weekend. Diabla doesn't have the experience to see the helper always as someone to fight with as the other dogs did. If she has had constant training of seeing the helper as someone to fight with, then the trial helper would have no mattered, so I blame nothing but lack of training and Diabla being softer than ideal (and a bit too social if you ask me). I have a real good helper that is able to make her spit foam of rage and yet make her feel powerful, one of the best helpers of the country, IMO, but I have no money to travel to train with him as often as I wish, less this last months. I wish I had an old experienced dog so my friend could learn helper work, but Diabla is too young and I still have too much homework to do with her. I prefer to wait until I can figure out how to train with the experienced helper and see how things works if I work her in aggression.

I wish I had a video of how Diabla worked then at the BBQ, because that image is what I want to keep on my mind of her. I know she is capable of it and I just hope it is not too late.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Congratulations on the scores and the good placing! (just take the points and run!). It is frustrating when in trial we KNOW our dogs can do so much better, but still, it WAS good, and you got good scores! How much more frustrating would it have been if you failed! 

I'm so impressed with how much you accomplish considering the lack of resources where you are. 
I'm pretty impressed that a young kid was showing enough interest in dog training that he went for his helper certification - let's hope that with more maturity on his part and more experience he will turn into the kind of helper that can really challenge a dog when need be - but as you said, good experience for you and Diabla to have her in a new situation and see how she reacts. I think you would be hard pressed to find any 18 year old that Diabla would see as a threat! 

So full brags for you and Diabla, and you do deserve the congratulations!


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## Fast (Oct 13, 2004)

Congratulations! It's nice to see your hard work pay off. 

I'm really interested in this CAB. I have never heard of it before. Are there rules and regulation online somewhere?


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Castlemaid said:


> just take the points and run!


:spittingcoffee:

Fast, dog training is still in diapers around here, thoiugh it has improved a bit on the last years. Still I would say that in Chile there are no more than 20-25 dogs with Schutzhund titles, being generous. Dogs with a SchH III you can count with your fingers.

So they invented this categories called Promotionals: Novice Handler and Basic Trained Dog (Can Adiestrado Basico, CAB) precisely to promote training. It does worked, but this category took a life on its own with experienced trainers with 20+ years of experience than kept and kept competing here instead of getting real titles, though in the last few years it has changed a bit.

The rules used to be here until a couple of weeks ago, but last time I checked the link was broken. Lets hope it is temporary.
http://www.chilcoa.cl/webs/reglamentos_examenes-trabajo.htm

I don't think there is an English version, though. Everything is in Spanish.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

All the more reason you need to come visit the States with your pack!! You could travel from club to club and be put up by the club members...what a great experience it could be!!


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## Joker (Sep 15, 2006)

Congrats!! going out and testing is really the only way to find out ware your training shortcomings are. May be you will be able to get some help from your old decoy and bring the young guy with to learn.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

That is my plan. I am paying some debts now, which means that by now every spare coin go there, but when I'm done with that I plan to go to train with him once a month.

When I win the lottery, that will be my plan, Jane :grin:


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## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

onyx'girl said:


> All the more reason you need to come visit the States with your pack!! You could travel from club to club and be put up by the club members...what a great experience it could be!!


Come to Michigan, there are several clubs to visit & train with, plus you can stay with my wife, kids and I for your time in Michigan!!!!


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

W.Oliver said:


> Come to Michigan, there are several clubs to visit & train with, plus you can stay with my wife, kids and I for your time in Michigan!!!!


Thanks! Who knows, maybe when I finish college I could organize something like that


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

Congrats. 



onyx'girl said:


> All the more reason you need to come visit the States with your pack!! You could travel from club to club and be put up by the club members...what a great experience it could be!!


Why the **** would you do that? You have one of the best helpers in the world residing in Chile!


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Because right now to train with him in Santiago is almost as easy as to train in USA or Belgica


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

Catu,
Point taken. But when you finish college and win the lottery I am sure it will be a possibility.

(See it is funny. All the parrots are squwaking "who, who, who is the best helper?!!)


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

We just want Catu to visit! 
Who, Who cares is the best, or maybe after experiencing many, Catu can tell us!


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Zahnburg said:


> Catu,
> Point taken. But when you finish college and win the lottery I am sure it will be a possibility.
> 
> (See it is funny. All the parrots are squwaking "who, who, who is the best helper?!!)


They can't say I didn't give a hint 

Jane, and I'd love to travel nonetheless. If not for working the dogs, for living the experience. Some years ago I had the opportunity to do something like that with SAR trainers in France and the best moments I remember are not from the training itself, but those dinners after, trying to communicate in frenchspanglish and hand signals.

I still have to go to South California to learn from a woman who does helper work  and in Michigan there are at least two clubs I'd love to train with.

I just gave a first step today... I BOUGHT a lottery ticket :laugh:, without that is hard to win it.


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

Lol


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Wishing you lots and lots of luck to match! I bet Vandal's kennel would love your presence and then head East!


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