# Finding a Helper



## GSDOWNED (Mar 16, 2010)

What is the best way to find a helper for a club? We're a fairly new club located in St. Albans WV and are looking for a new helper. I know there are tons of helpers on the UScA site but no information other than their name is given. Thanks.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Whats to stop a club member from learning the job?


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## GSDOWNED (Mar 16, 2010)

Our club is small at the moment and we did have one club member learning the job but he's kind of been slacking lately. Our trainer is a fantastic helper but has hurt her shoulder. We've put ads out for a helper trainee but have had no response. The members of our club are very dedicated to the sport and want to continue to do the best we can for our dogs.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

GSDOWNED said:


> Our club is small at the moment and we did have one club member learning the job but he's kind of been slacking lately. Our trainer is a fantastic helper but has hurt her shoulder. We've put ads out for a helper trainee but have had no response. The members of our club are very dedicated to the sport and want to continue to do the best we can for our dogs.


You can't blame him for "slacking"... doing helper work is hard on the body and on the mind. It takes a very real toll on the body doing helper work day in and day out. Everyone should pitch in and, under the direction of your trainer who has experience, learn helperwork. One of you may find you enjoy it and want to do the job fulltime.

I started doing helperwork out of necessity. We also have a new (2009 formed) and rather inexperienced club. I'd be shocked if an ad found anyone


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## GSDOWNED (Mar 16, 2010)

hunterisgreat said:


> You can't blame him for "slacking"... doing helper work is hard on the body and on the mind. It takes a very real toll on the body doing helper work day in and day out. Everyone should pitch in and, under the direction of your trainer who has experience, learn helperwork. One of you may find you enjoy it and want to do the job fulltime.
> 
> I started doing helperwork out of necessity. We also have a new (2009 formed) and rather inexperienced club. I'd be shocked if an ad found anyone


By slacking I mean, not showing up for training. I understand that it's extremely hard work and we appreciate everything our helper does. Just can't train when we have no helper. Right now, our club consists of middle aged women and one gentleman who has tried to do some helper work but by his own admission, isn't cut out for it. So you can see our dilemma here.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

It's hard... most helpers are taught and groomed in-house. Our club is fortunate that we have 3 active helpers but most clubs suffer and others even need to hire a guy from outside to come once a week.

Some thoughts:
1. Have you contacted the regional director? Send him / her an email - maybe they can list some helpers in the area. Then I suppose your next step will be to contact those helpers directly.
2. If you do end up grooming someone in-house, make sure you don't take the work he/she does for granted. It's hard (first person perspective), not just physically but mentally. Every dog needs to get worked differently, every handler has his/her problems, and it's all on the helper in the end. Lot of helpers get treated like crap and end up leaving for greener pastures. Of course, don't keep a primadonna around but make sure you buy them a beer or something once in a while 

Good luck!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Helpers are extremely hard to come by....Good helpers even harder!!!! 

People TRAVEL to train with good helpers.....100, 200 even 300 miles....finding one in your "backyard" is tough!!! I would start looking for someone young and strong who is physically fit - someone doing martial arts or some other athletic endeavor often has the reflexes and strength to learn to do helper work - even a mid teen ager ....And then suggest doing some seminars with people who are good and will help the green helper learn....Dean Calderon is in Columbus and travels...bring him in once a month - you can work on obedience and tracking and even protection obedience without a helper if someone helps you set up a program....a tug or bite pillow or even a ball can be a reward bite even if you don't use a sleeve 

Good Luck!!!!

Lee


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

GSDOWNED said:


> By slacking I mean, not showing up for training. I understand that it's extremely hard work and we appreciate everything our helper does. Just can't train when we have no helper. Right now, our club consists of middle aged women and one gentleman who has tried to do some helper work but by his own admission, isn't cut out for it. So you can see our dilemma here.


I assumed thats what you meant by slacking. When you volunteer to do helper work it can making coming to training be much more work and more training other dogs than training your own... when its 95 degrees, or freezing and raining, I'll admit it can be very hard to show up to train. Last fall I had one dog on 2 months restriction for a torn muscle, and one dog getting a crown... showing up to do helperwork when my dogs weren't even training was really really hard... just to put some perspective one why he is probably not coming consistently.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

wolfstraum said:


> Helpers are extremely hard to come by....Good helpers even harder!!!!
> 
> People TRAVEL to train with good helpers.....100, 200 even 300 miles....finding one in your "backyard" is tough!!! I would start looking for someone young and strong who is physically fit - someone doing martial arts or some other athletic endeavor often has the reflexes and strength to learn to do helper work - even a mid teen ager ....And then suggest doing some seminars with people who are good and will help the green helper learn....Dean Calderon is in Columbus and travels...bring him in once a month - you can work on obedience and tracking and even protection obedience without a helper if someone helps you set up a program....a tug or bite pillow or even a ball can be a reward bite even if you don't use a sleeve
> 
> ...


Yeah, I'm our club helper and I often am taking 6 hour road trips to train with certain helpers with my own dogs.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Helper work has to be a passion or it just becomes a chore. Just like training dogs. As Hunter points out, many have to travel elsewhere to get their own dogs worked and rarely get to trial on their own field. This can get very frustrating and discouraging. The people that choose to do helper work and then stick with it get tremendous satisfaction out of the work, seeing the dogs improve and title. That is what keeps them there. Some like the rush of working dogs in protection, but that can wear off when it is hot, they are sore or tired.


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

If you are near a military base grab some infantry/artillery guy! I am MORE than willing to bet there would be some K9 guys willing to help out and other MPs that are wanting to go K9 but have to prove to their command they are dedicated (being trained as a helper in his/her off time would be great!)...without knowing the title I was roped into doing that for our dogs in Korea (SCARY!!!! and HARD!!!) in order to get a slot for k9 school, but I got pregnant so I was unable to attend


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

lhczth said:


> Helper work has to be a passion or it just becomes a chore. Just like training dogs. As Hunter points out, many have to travel elsewhere to get their own dogs worked and rarely get to trial on their own field. This can get very frustrating and discouraging. The people that choose to do helper work and then stick with it get tremendous satisfaction out of the work, seeing the dogs improve and title. That is what keeps them there. Some like the rush of working dogs in protection, but that can wear off when it is hot, they are sore or tired.


 
This. Those who do it out of necessity never seem to progress. I do it because I love it. I actually enjoy it more than handling. Which is good since half the time I'm too tired to work my own dog. My club has three helpers and most of the time we are the last to work our dogs. By then we are all tired so things don't always get done. Some days it feels like a thankless job. The joy comes from the progress I make as a helper and seeing the dogs I work come in first place/high in trial at trials they go to not just our own. Just like Hunter said, sometimes it really sucks. Right now my puppy(the only dog I handle right now) is on 6 weeks crate rest. I'm still at the field three days a week working dogs for hours on end.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

mycobraracr, you and your helpers should work your dogs first or towards the top of the order. Our one helper chooses to work his dog last, but our other works his dog early before he puts on his scratch pants. This is only fair. With three helpers you guys should not have to sacrifice your dogs because you are too tired to do good work.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

lhczth said:


> mycobraracr, you and your helpers should work your dogs first or towards the top of the order. Our one helper chooses to work his dog last, but our other works his dog early before he puts on his scratch pants. This is only fair. With three helpers you guys should not have to sacrifice your dogs because you are too tired to do good work.


We just have a rule that the helper works his dog whenever he feels like. He is immune from any orders or lists


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

lhczth said:


> mycobraracr, you and your helpers should work your dogs first or towards the top of the order. Our one helper chooses to work his dog last, but our other works his dog early before he puts on his scratch pants. This is only fair. With three helpers you guys should not have to sacrifice your dogs because you are too tired to do good work.


 
We try to when we think about it. After our last club trial, our lead helper didn't do as well as he should have so he was going first. That lasted about two weeks. Then it was back to going last for the most part. Also, we have three of us but all three are only there on the same day maybe once a week (usually Sundays). All the other days, it's just one or two of us.


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