# Aggression and barking



## Nepenthexx (Apr 27, 2015)

Hi!
I am new to IPO-training and need some answers to my questions. I have a 9 ½ month old WL and I have been asked to come try out protection training with her. I do tracking and obedience with the already but this protecting phase had been very unknown for me. 
My questions around this training is:

1. Does it increase any chance of my dog getting aggressive after training protection? I guess it will not but I want to be sure.

2. My dog pretty much never bark. She has been a very quiet puppy and I dont like her to do unnecessary barking. Maybe with age she will start barking more but will protection training somehow increase her barking?

3. How are they testing/looking at the dog if shes suitable for protection work? Mine has always had a strong preydrive, is that good or can it also be bad?

4. If you decide to starts training the protection part, how often do you have to train and can you stop it whenever you want or will it be any harm to the dog not to continue with it (many years?)? Is everything only a fun game for the dog?

Sorry for perhaps stupid question, but I want to know what I am getting into.

Thank you!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Nepenthexx said:


> Hi!
> I am new to IPO-training and need some answers to my questions. I have a 9 ½ month old WL and I have been asked to come try out protection training with her. I do tracking and obedience with the already but this protecting phase had been very unknown for me.
> My questions around this training is:
> 
> ...


1. no, most dogs aren't more aggressive after being worked in IPO protection, though the confidence level may rise and make the dog more assertive.
2. You may have inhibited her as far as barking during protection, you need to let her know it is fine to bark, and the helper working her will reward the barking. Thresholds play into it as well...so encouraging the bark is important, barking will make the action happen. 
3. dogs are started in bitework using prey drive, a flirtpole or the helpers movement to tap the dogs prey drive....then they should balance out the prey with aggression. Your dog should show confidence, move towards the helper and want to engage the helper. 
4. Depends on your goals, many clubs want commitment and to be fair to the dog, you should train regularly. Doing an IPO routine takes quite a bit of training, the transports, working clean outs, the hold and bark, call out...many things to teach the dog. It isn't just grips, sleeve slipping. 
Most handlers become addicted to the sport, so be warned, lol
IPO Protection is a 'game' but some dogs take it seriously, some dogs are in it for the fight, some are in it to win the sleeve. It all depends on the dog, and how they are worked.


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## Nepenthexx (Apr 27, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> 1. no, most dogs aren't more aggressive after being worked in IPO protection, though the confidence level may rise and make the dog more assertive.
> 2. You may have inhibited her as far as barking during protection, you need to let her know it is fine to bark, and the helper working her will reward the barking. Thresholds play into it as well...so encouraging the bark is important, barking will make the action happen.
> 3. dogs are started in bitework using prey drive, a flirtpole or the helpers movement to tap the dogs prey drive....then they should balance out the prey with aggression. Your dog should show confidence, move towards the helper and want to engage the helper.
> 4. Depends on your goals, many clubs want commitment and to be fair to the dog, you should train regularly. Doing an IPO routine takes quite a bit of training, the transports, working clean outs, the hold and bark, call out...many things to teach the dog. It isn't just grips, sleeve slipping.
> ...



Thank you for the answers! So all in all.. there is nothing negative with this training if the dog itself is stable, has good genes and the helper knows what he is doing? Nothing can go terrible wrong?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Nepenthexx said:


> Thank you for the answers! So all in all.. there is nothing negative with this training if the dog itself is stable, has good genes and the helper knows what he is doing? Nothing can go terrible wrong?


Nothing should go wrong if the helper knows what they are doing. The timing of rewards, the helper knowing how to read the dogs drives, presenting for good grips....there are many things that can go wrong, work with someone experienced, who's trialed/titled more than once. A good dog will excel on the field and off with 'normal' IPO training.


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## Nepenthexx (Apr 27, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> Nothing should go wrong if the helper knows what they are doing. The timing of rewards, the helper knowing how to read the dogs drives, presenting for good grips....there are many things that can go wrong, work with someone experienced, who's trialed/titled more than once. A good dog will excel on the field and off with 'normal' IPO training.


I also wonder if there is any chance that the dog, who is in protection training, can in everyday life protect the owner or attack (bite arm?) an person, if the situation only reminds (but isnt actually dangerous) of some situation in training and the dog feel it has to protect the owner? Or does this matter at all, would a dog which hasnt been trained in protection do the same thing or could that untrained dog be ever more unpredictable?

I want be able to trust my dog not attacking and protecting me from everything even after protection training.

I have heard of a dog that protected owner from some gesture, made as a joke, that another man did against the owner. Also heard of a dog that didnt let any strangers inside the house anymore. Both been in protection training. I dont know if this is because the training or if it would have happened anyway, but this is things I wonder about.

Sorry for being annoying or so, but I am feeling confused and I really want to know peoples experience and knowledge in this.


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## Jackal (Sep 13, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> 1. no, most dogs aren't more aggressive after being worked in IPO protection, though the confidence level may rise and make the dog more assertive.
> 2. You may have inhibited her as far as barking during protection, you need to let her know it is fine to bark, and the helper working her will reward the barking. Thresholds play into it as well...so encouraging the bark is important, barking will make the action happen.
> 3. dogs are started in bitework using prey drive, a flirtpole or the helpers movement to tap the dogs prey drive....then they should balance out the prey with aggression. Your dog should show confidence, move towards the helper and want to engage the helper.
> 4. Depends on your goals, many clubs want commitment and to be fair to the dog, you should train regularly. Doing an IPO routine takes quite a bit of training, the transports, working clean outs, the hold and bark, call out...many things to teach the dog. It isn't just grips, sleeve slipping.
> ...


Fantatstic post for a newbie like me to read. To the OP, you asked all of my questions, thankyou!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Depends on the dog and the skill of the helper as to whether the dog will take this wrong. This is one reason why IPO folks insist on obedience training being firm.

But if you do not want to do protection, continue to work with tracking and obedience. That's accepted now and recognized.


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