# What's with the "shhhing" sound?



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Okay, so I am trying to learn as much as possible about SchH in the next few months before I start taking Stark out to the club to train and I have a kind of silly question... 

What is with all the "shushing" sounds the helper does?

What is the point of them and when and why do they make them?

Just curious as I couldn't find any information online about it.


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## GSDluver4lyfe (Nov 15, 2006)

I believe its to keep the dogs attention on the helper and to keep the dog barking and focused.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Don't know, never heard our helpers do that?


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Never heard it - must be something your helper came up with on his own.....

__________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSBlue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I know what you mean, not sure what it's for. We sometimes do it in obedience when rewarding/playing with the dog (I make a little "pshew pshew" sound when I flip the ball away from the dog's mouth).


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I've seen helpers hiss too, usually in the blind. I think that a hiss coupled with a good stare and posture makes the helper seem more threatening and draws attention up to the face? Maybe it helps the helper feel more threatening and create the right body posture? 

I also make noises when I snatch the ball, I'm not sure that it has any real purpose other than me making sound effects for my actions? You know...like little boys that make racecar noises when they run? It helps me feel like I'm doing something more exciting, so I present a more exciting picture to the dog? Thinking out loud...

I don't know I'll have to ask.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I see it a lot with those using a flirt pole too.. making that "shusshing" sound.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I notice that too but never commented on it, lol.


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

Like the whip, the noise is used to enhance a prey object so it becomes a bigger attraction to the dog. If a helper has to hiss to get a dog to bark in the blind, the dog should not be in the blind because he does not understand the hold and bark. I see lots of people doing that in the blind though , so, in today's SchH, that makes it right.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

I've seen helpers make noises as they move back and forth with young dogs or while doing some agitation work, but I've never seen it done in the blind..


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I've never seen it done in the blind either.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

i dont think its something that all particular SchH trainers do. every trainer does there own thing.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I was watching for it now. Last night I just saw it with one dog. The dog is new to SchH, over a year old but one of the first times being worked and we are currently working indoors b/c of weather, in a small facility as far as SchH training goes. The dog seems to me to bite fast and hard but is somewhat distracted by the environment, a bit of a reactive edge, and also was confused by the leash pressure at first (lots of household type obedience and manners training, and now we are asking the dog to pull and lunge so the leash pressure was a new thing). Some "shhhh pshhhhh" keeps the dog focused on the helper. This dog is nowhere near blinds yet, just learning what this is all about and lacking the foundation, whereas I snap a long line on my dog and he *knows* at the van that we are there for protection, if I let him he's barking and carrying on before we even get into the building and needs no "shhhhhh" noise to load up.


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