# Sensitivity vs Softness



## Shavy (Feb 12, 2009)

Is there a difference between a dog being 'soft' and being 'handler sensitive'? How would you generally describe the temperament of both kinds of dogs? Do these traits sometimes overlap?


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Bump this as I have the same question but didnt know how to ask.Thanks Shavy!

OK handler sensitivity means dog wants to please handler,That's good right?

Soft means maybe they need trained softly and might not bounce back as well from a harsh correction right?

Im assuming based on threads Ive read the two soft and handler sensitive might overlap?

Sorry Shay if Im hijacking .

Maggi


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I think a dog can be environmentally "hard" and still be very sensitive to the handler... think herding dogs, working in drive and impervious to everything except the sheep and his handler. And a "soft" dog can be incredibly stubborn. I have seen a good many Golden Retrievers like this. They are soft, submissive, and seem very compliant, but when they don't want to do something, they simply shut down and plaster themselves to the floor. To me a "handler sensitive" dog would remain attentive and responsive to the handler's command even when feeling unsure. 

Other people may describe "soft" and "handler sensitive" differently, so it may be a matter of semantics.

But yes, very often the two traits overlap.


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## Shavy (Feb 12, 2009)

Are soft dogs always fearful, or can a dog be both confident and 'soft'?


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I don't think being "soft" has much to do with being fearful. I see them as two different things, although they certainly can exist together. Hopefully others can chime in and give their perspective.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Good post

I have heard the term "handler sensitive" can someone explain what that means and give an example?


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I view a "handler sensitive" dog as a good thing, as long as the dog is not environmentally sensitive. If a dog is sensitive to his handler, he is biddable, wants to please, is quick to respond, and always listening for the next command, and respects a reprimand. If the dog is environmentally sensitive, it may mean he cannot tolerate harsh conditions. Heat, cold, rough surfaces, water, anything scary, etc. Not the same thing as being handler sensitive, though the two can exist together.

A dog that is handler hard can take a firm correction without shutting down. This can also be a good thing. A lot of trainers like a hard dog, because they are resilient and can withstand a lot of pressure, and are very forgiving. 

Ideally, what you'd want to see on the SchH field is a dog that is handler-sensitive but helper-hard!


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Freestep, thank you for the detailed post!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have an aussie who has always been "soft". Her being my first aussie, 12 years ago, I was not real prepared for a dog who was 'soft' and had to be most times, handled in a purely positive manner. She can be environmentally 'soft', afraid of gunshots, fireworks, t storms..But put her into a pen of a sheep and she turns into a maniacal bull  You could blow off a cannon and she's not going to get off those sheep.

I was used to harder dogs, like my gsd's, who could take a correction if needed and move on, " Got it ,ok what's next?" I like a resiliant dog and a somewhat hard dog but I also want biddability which I've been lucky to have in all my gsd's. 

Love my aussie to death, but I honestly do not want another 'soft' dog of any breed.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

My dog is extremely handler sensitive. If I try and give a correction, be it verbal or with a prong collar, I get an extremely over-the-top reaction from him, and most of the time he would stop wanting to engage in any food/tugs used for training. With anyone else, he could take a beating and not even blink. I do not need to work him on a prong collar (after figuring that out) because he just wants to please me and is really afraid of being wrong. I even have a hard time engaging him in playing tug because he doesn't want to fight me. I'm his momma  So typically, our training sessions involve the reward coming from someone else with the tug or bite pillow. 

He is extremely hard in his protection work. He takes the stick "hits" well and isn't afraid whatsoever. So it really is just me that makes him that way. I've become a much "softer" and gentler handler because of him. And environmentally he is totally sound. The only thing he's sensitive about is me.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have a 'handler sensitive' dog, yet he can take corrections. 
Today at training(first time with this group/helper/new facility) it was observed that my dog deferred to me when the line just went thru my hands to the B&H position in the blind from basic position. Just that little bit of tension going through my hands made him turn around to see why I was 'checking' him.
If I didn't have my hand on the line, he strongly did a H&B. We practiced it a few times to show me what I was doing wrong to cause his focus back to me when he should have been looking at the helper.

I usually train in obedience with a flat collar as he is biddable, and corrections are seldom needed. 
But in protection when he is in drive a prong pop correction may not phase him. It depends on what drive he is in and the level of it.
He is not a soft dog whatsoever/nor can I describe him as hard. Just biddable, handler sensitive and a thinker.


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

To somewhat simplify/dramatize it, a handler-sensitive dog is one who will respond to a quiet word from his person but ignore a shouted word from a stranger. A soft dog will shrink from the shouting person--stranger or friend.


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## Shavy (Feb 12, 2009)

BlackthornGSD said:


> To somewhat simplify/dramatize it, a handler-sensitive dog is one who will respond to a quiet word from his person but ignore a shouted word from a stranger. A soft dog will shrink from the shouting person--stranger or friend.


That's a great analogy, thanks. 


ETA: So is the soft dog fearful? What is the difference between 'soft' and 'fearful'?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Usually a soft dog is fearful or timid. Won't always manifest into fear aggression, but just not outgoing or confident. And like Diane posted, some will be right at home and confident in their element. & not all soft dogs are afraid, just more sensitive to their surroundings. 
I don't think you can peg "one size fits all" with softness in a personality.


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

Shavy said:


> That's a great analogy, thanks.
> 
> 
> ETA: So is the soft dog fearful? What is the difference between 'soft' and 'fearful'?


I'd say that a fearful dog is maybe afraid of things that shouldn't normally cause concern or fear. A soft dog may also be fearful, but it might just react strong to mild negatives--so a person yelling might be something they are sensitive to--it is intended to be aversive and they're going to take it that way.

I've had handler sensitive dogs who were not at all soft. And some soft dogs react strongly to negatives but they don't really care about actually trying to respond to the handler--so they are not handler-sensitive. 

But normally, a soft dog is going to be handler-sensitive, but not all handler-sensitive dogs are going to be soft.

Another way to think about it is to think of border collies. They can be incredibly responsive and sensitive to signals/communications from their handler. They may or may not be soft. 

Another element of "softness" is how fast does a dog "bounce back" from something negative--say a badly timed correction or the handler steps on their foot by accident. The handler-sensitive dog might quickly realize that it was not a deliberate communication and therefore it's not important. (A hard dog probably won't realize he got stepped on.) A soft dog may shut down because something bad happened. I call this ability to bounce back "resiliency."


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Jane, rather pegged my aussie, she's not fearful in all of life's things, but she has some weird quirks She would turn into a marshmellow if I yelled at her, tends to be very forgiving, but can shut down faster than I don't know what. It's like having to use kid gloves with a dog so as not to hurt their feelings..Basically THAT is why I stopped agility with her..It was frustrating for me and probably her to, and I honestly couldn't adapt to having to wooby wooby this girl ..I would say Jynx was/is not real handler sensitive, she can blow me off quicker than any dog I've ever had. 

Don't get me wrong tho, she has her moments where she's VERY into me, but most of those times 'food' is involved or sheep And it could very well be an aussie quirk, and ME just to used to having dogs that were/are eager & ready to jump right in and DO something and being able to read them better.

I was to used to having dogs that were forgiving, didn't blow me off, and I guess having stronger personalities with me not having to 'beg' them to do something..She's 12 years old , still a little spitfire and is what she is.

Thank goodness for my gsds  I would say Masi is handler sensitive by the descriptions above, bounces back from anything I throw at her or it doesn't bother her at all.. Did I say in another thread that one day I'd like another aussie? LOL Maybe I take that back.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

This is a really interesting topic. I have a very handler-sensitive dog, who I would not consider fearful-- I would consider him "soft", however, though he is very resilient. I've often wondered about this.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

so, what would be the ideal dog? If you're a trainer...what's your favorite combination type to work with?


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

jetscarbie said:


> so, what would be the ideal dog? If you're a trainer...what's your favorite combination type to work with?


Im interested in this as I think that I would do better w/ a handler sensitive soft dog but one who isnt enviromentally reactive. I want to a dog i can take everywhere w/ me including vacations. handler sensitive sounds good but soft I'm unclear on.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My ideal would be a biddable thinking dog that can be very pack driven yet independent to work on its own. Not reactive but mindful of the surroundings. I have that right now in Karlo. 
Kacie is soft/reactive, Onyx is hard/reactive. Neither of those are what I would seek out in a dog, even though I love them and their ways.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Can a dog be soft w/out being reactive?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Daisy&Lucky's Mom said:


> Can a dog be soft w/out being reactive?


absolutely!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

yes, jynx tho soft, is a marshmellow when it comes to any other animals, she wouldn't hurt a fly


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## LukasGSD (May 18, 2011)

I think Jaxon is handler sensitive but not so soft. In training He can take a correction although he doesn't need a harse one to get the point, even a firm "No" and soft pop on the prong get's the job done. Trainer said out of level 10 he only needed a 3. Although, if he does something that upsets me and he knows he's in trouble (IE ate my shoe) he has dropped to the ground and rolled over.

I find this kind of hilarious because I was concerned when I learned he was linebred on a dog that apparently produced a lot of handler aggression. Heh.

I will say I think he is the soundest dog in the house. He's very comfortable with other social dogs. He doesn't care if he ends up being at the bottom of the dog pile. He can share his food if Cierny happens to try and steal a bite. If a more dominant dog comes around he turns to butter though.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Im going to summarize what I think .If Im wrong tell me.

1. A soft dog would not be a good candiate for schutzhund but if handler sensitive and not reactive would make a good service dog or therapy dog.( I have an agenda for my next dog)

2. A soft dog who is handler sensitive would make a good pet? ((also my agenda

3. Daisy could care less what you want its what its worth to her where as Lucky a leash pull a yell or a finger tap on the nose is all he needs. She would be hard but because of her reativitry to children and female dogs as well as the fact she has difficulty being called off a behavior thats her reactivity and hardness?


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Daisy&Lucky's Mom said:


> Im going to summarize what I think .If Im wrong tell me.
> 
> 1. A soft dog would not be a good candiate for schutzhund but if handler sensitive and not reactive would make a good service dog or therapy dog.( I have an agenda for my next dog)
> 
> ...


 Ok Let me rephrase to a question.

Soft dog who is handler sensitive good candiate for therapy dog as long as it has no reactivity?

Soft dog not a good candiate for schutzhund?

Soft dog no reactivity good pet?


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Actually, there are plenty of soft dogs doing Schutzhund. Their flaws can be covered up which is why it's always ranted and raved about that it boils down to being a sport and not used to actually evaluate and test the dog...


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