# "Capping" drive



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

OK I admit, I don't really get this. For the sake of this thread, I'm thinking about the protection phase. I've heard this so many times but can't seem to actually apply it to my own dogs or what I seen in front of me at our club. I see some dogs that lack drive, some dogs with a nice balance of drives, some that go too far towards defense or prey and could use more work bringing the dog back to one of those, some dogs that have nice drives but are immature, are lacking in confidence, and/or have conflict b/c of prior bad handling or bad helperwork, and some dogs that are just plain hectic and not really using their head. Where does this concept of "capping drive" fit in?


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Think of it like taking a bottle of soda, shaking it up, slapping the cap on and letting the pressure build... and then what happens when the cap comes off. The dog is put in a very high state of drive, but is required to "cap" that drive and hold it in, then when released (the cap is popped) the result is an explosion of the drive.

This can be used many places in bitework, for good or ill depending on the dog and the work being done. One example is the long bite. When the helper is charging down field, before the dog is released, the dog should be building drive anticipating the release, but internalizing or capping that drive. Then when told to "go" the dog explodes like a rocket right from the beginning because the drive is already there.

Another easy way to visualize it is the common practice of restrained recalls. Some just do this where the young dog is teased into a frenzy, then released to get to the handler. No capping there, the dog is externalizing all the drive. But others add some capping to it. Work young dog into a frenzy, then ask for a sit, and when the dog sits, capping his drive as he does so, then he's released and all that capped drive explodes as he takes off like a rocket to his handler.

I use a similar technique for teaching the send out. Place a toy out there, restrain the dog by the collar while patting the dog excitedly and verbally encouraging the dog with "wanna go get it?!?". Then I ask for a sit, and as soon as the sit comes and I can tell that the dog is mentally stable in that capped drive state (no leaking, but still in drive, not out of drive) I point to the target and send the dog. Again the point being to use the pressure build up of drive to create that explosive take off. Then from there I work up to a little more obedience, a few steps of heeling, all again in a capped drive state so when I do send the dog, the dog explodes and doesn't just lolly-gag on the way out there.

Too often in training (and in trials for that matter) dogs are leaking and externalizing drive when they shouldn't. Barking, whining, bouncing, etc... Not only does that sort of leaking mean that they aren't in the correct mental state for the work they are doing at that time, and presents an undesireable picture, but it also means that they are wasting drive and energy. By letting it leak out at inappropriate times, there might not be enough left bottled up for those times when the dog needs to externalize it and we want them to explode.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

It seems this typically goes hand-in-hand with working in secondary obedience and self-control? 

Are some dogs able to do this naturally (maybe because they are just more clear headed)? For example, in bitework I see some dogs that just want to bark and bite and they are great dogs with great drives and good work but if the handler were to say "Fuss" and move away they'd basically be dragging the dog around with them whereas I've seen other dogs that also have great drive but if the handler gives a command the dog is likely to respond without being dragged around or needing heavy compulsion, but that the same time is not falling flat. I guess it seems like the ability to "cap" drive effectively kind of goes hand in hand with a dog being clear-headed and more naturally biddable? Otherwise the dog is just being stimulated and then nagged by the handler which sometimes creates frustration that just amps these dogs up even more?


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

I think the dog's natural ability has something to do with it, but in the end, if you have to drag your dog around all the time, it's because it was taught that way. Not because the dog is not able.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

You got it! 
That would be me that you describe in your last sentence. 
And I know I need to work on this because my dog is clear headed and biddable, but when I want to fuss him away from the helper, he is still trying to go back(and my "nagging" or popping his colllar ramps him up). Especially when we work inside. Outside seems to go better.
We didn't start putting obedience on him in protection till a few months ago, and he's gotten better the last few sessions.

I believe it is a handler issue, but each dog is individual in their response/drive/and ability to cap it(immaturity also plays a role in it)


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

Chris - thanks for the very clear and thorough answer!! I am a novice and that really cleared up some things I had in my mind although I could not voice them clearly.


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

Everything is connected in protection. Yes, it has a great deal to do with the dog's genetics and their ability to think and hear the handler when in a high state of drive/aggression etc. Those are the best dogs. It also has to do with the handler and how clear she/he can be with their dog and how much respect the dog has for the handler. 

There are some dogs who are very easy to bring in drive but the helpers fail to recognize it. They train the dog to overload and then they ask the handler to deal with their mistake. It is in these situations where I hear people talking about teaching their dog to cap. Well, in that situation, trying to put a cap on it, will only make matters worse. The dog has already been taught to overload. When there is too much drive to channel or cap, you have a problem that is not usually posible to resolve. It is kind of like trying to flatten out a ballon. You may get part of it under control but another part will pop up in a different area. Once you teach a dog a behavior, you will be fighting it the rest of his life. People hear these terms and think it is for all dogs. Nothing in training is for all dogs. 

Then there is the other side of it. I have had people tell me they want to teach capping , (because they saw it at a seminar), but the dog was not enough in drive to be doing that. You have to have the right level of drive established where when the dog sees the helper, he loads to the correct drive level. Then you can move on to using some of these things but to cap a dog who is not in drive, is not capping. Mareg said it in the other thread. What Chris said is correct but people need to recognize when to do what in protection and also understand if that work is the right work for their dog. Then they have to work really hard on learning how it is done. Watching is a really great way to learn vs being told how to do everything in each session. If the later is going on, your dog will not be in drive, not for very long anyway. You have to be ready and able to train the dog in each session. That means the handler has to know the plan and be able to execute it.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Thanks, Anne, it is making more sense. I guess what is being described I thought was something that isn't overtly trained, if that makes sense? It seems like a phrase to describe what should happen overall, with a dog working in obedience or protection. I don't know if I'm making sense.... I guess the way I heard it talked about it sounded more like a more specific skill or behavior you take time to train but it sounds like the better the dog and the handling, the more it just happens on it's own without much effort...?


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

IMO, that is true. When you have a really good dog, you are not there trying to come up with ways to bring more of this and that. The dog brings it naturally. Of course, you have to have the right helper work etc, I am not saying that but you cannot put things that are not there, "into" you dog with training methods.. I will do some of this in certain aspects of the training but it is never a case where I walk out and think, "today I will teach my dog to cap". I think this is part of what is going wrong with SchH.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think that is why I struggle with the concept in protection. In obedience it is more clear, like Chris' example of the send out. I've done the same with my dog, set him up for it and he knows the reward is coming but instead he has to heel out, and not just the standard build up but sometimes we stop and sit, turn, etc. I've also been doing something similar with my puppy, kind of to feel out where he's at as far as whether he is really thinking and listening to me, so I get him excited for something, encourage him to bark, but then give a "platz" command and see if he can respond without hesitation or a lot of extra screaming. I have to learn how to work this dog because he has a lower threshold for prey than the other dog and I don't want him getting out of his mind in obedience or protection. Maybe a lot of the time someone says "we need to cap that" is really because the dog has already been overstimulated and is overloaded in the first place....


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

Yes! It is a huge problem in SchH where people are trying to train certain things at the WRONG time. Capping a puppy in protection is kind of a ridiculous concept if you ask me. 
Also, working pups in "protection" is not really protection. It is impossible for a puppy to protect, they are not mature enough. So, you have to start looking at your puppy and calling the shots. The pup will tell you when he is ready for certain kinds of work.

You will never see me working a pup as the helper. I see these videos with the helper there with a flirt pole or just "giving grips". You do not GIVE grips, the dog has to "earn it". If you teach a dog that he gets the bite for only bringing part of what "should" be necessary, you are teaching that behavior. The first behavior is what stays with the dog. With some dogs, it only takes a couple of sessions before the behavior is set. Then , there you are fighting with what the training created. Again, pups cannot bring all of what is necessary for protection because it has not yet developed!

We always have new dogs and young dogs in a dog run that is at the end of the training field. They are there watching. If they show an interest, I might have a helper walk over, challenge the dog from a distance and then run away when the dog barks. It becomes very clear , ( and yes it can be weeks or months), when the dog is ready for more. Some young dogs are ready sooner than others but this is about patience and not just patience for the five minutes you are training. It means waiting until your young dog is ready for the work. 
Mostly, SchH people are just in WAY too big of a hurry to get the dogs to bite. There is SO MUCH more the young dog needs to be doing before that happens but SchH people just love to try to do things in reverse. That doesn't work and then they are there frustrated and struggling with what might have been a very good dog.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

^ I like this concept of work (in the cage) b/c IMO there should be some element of defense and suspicion in protection work (obviously not working a dog that is immature for it or a dog that shows these behaviors out of fear). Winning is controlling the threat or "forcing" him back not gnawing on a piece of jute.


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

I will add one more comment based on what Art said in the other thread. He talked about how he doesn't like the running in circles stuff. Well, in some ways, I agree but it depends on the dog. Mostly, what I see in SchH training is people running in circles with a dog who was not loaded enough in the first place. Running in circles is not exactly what should be going on anyway. The idea of running with the dog was introduced when the dogs were much more serious in protection. It was a way to teach the dog to unload into the sleeve, where the aggression is channeled into the bite. Having said that, they should not unload completely, just enough where they learn there is calmness in the grip and only enough where it is easy for the helper to bring the dog back to the correct drive level after he outs. Again, there must be aggression in the work and in the dog for this method to be useful.

Nowadays, there is very little aggression in the dogs so, running with them is not appropriate. When there is aggression and when the dog needs that channeled into the sleeve, running PAST the helper, ( not dragged away in the other direction), and around in an arch, ( not ten circles), is appropriate. Running around and around or allowing a dog working solely in prey to carry the sleeve to the car, is not appropriate... at all. 

Nowadays, people are there running, ( with a dog not suited for it, after work that only raised prey instinct), and teaching the dog that he can unload completely while on the grip and on the training field. HUGE mistake for a number of different reasons. If the dog unloads on the field, the helper then must do more to bring the dog back up in drive. This results in a reactive dog who always needs to have the helper load him over and over in the same session. 

So, again, it depends on the dog, the work etc. It all must be considered.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I mainly just wanted to feel out whether the "let's whip this dog into a frenzy and then start screaming at him and yanking on his leash to 'cap' his drive" sounds as counterproductive to others as it does to me.


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

You mainly just wanted but it is ALL connected. What I just said, is part of what you are asking. The helper loads the dog to the right level, re-enforces it with the bite and then it is up to the handler to not dump all the good work by running around and around, allowing the dog to drop in drive, etc. 
What I just said, is very important and it is related to capping.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

I agree with Anne that it really all starts on the helper's end. The helper needs to know how to load the dog, when to load, when/how to let the dog unload, and when loading, how much to load. With some dogs it may be the right thing to push to the dog to the point where the dog becomes somewhat difficult for the handler to control and there even a little dog-handler conflict is a good thing under the right circumstance. Whereas with other dogs that approach is entirely inappropriate. The helper and the handler need to work together there.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Another thing that has been brought up quite a bit during our training is the helper needs to pay attention to the skill level of the handler. With a good, experienced handler, the helper might push it a little more and know the handler will be able to made adjustment on the fly. But when working with a newbie handler (like me), maybe the helper will play it a little safer in the beginning so things don't get out of control.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

Jason L said:


> Another thing that has been brought up quite a bit during our training is the helper needs to pay attention to the skill level of the handler. With a good, experienced handler, the helper might push it a little more and know the handler will be able to made adjustment on the fly. But when working with a newbie handler (like me), maybe the helper will play it a little safer in the beginning so things don't get out of control.


See myself (and my recent thread) for an example - just like another user posted the helper in my case seems to be making it easier or lowering the level because I'm a newbie and won't be able to make adjustments to how I handle him if the helper made some changes and upped the intensity or resistance. Hopefully as I learn and become a better handler he'll be able to match it with more challenges to the dog


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

I said that and I was actually being sarcastic. You asked that the helper comments be left out, so, I tried to do that, ( to the best of my ability....which is pretty low). lol. 
I agree with this thinking about as much as I agree with getting a "beginner dog". You create training problems that can be just as difficult for the handler to deal with later on. The handler is exceptionally important and they have to understand that from the get go. 

HAVING SAID THAT, I understand why people and clubs do this. 90% of clubs are made up of people who just do SchH for fun. So, they are not showing up ready to go through drills. They get sensitive and hurt and fail to understand that the person, who may be sounding a bit harsh at times, is simply trying to teach them, ( while doing six other things at the same time). 
You can't learn the right way to train if the work is not the right work or the dog is not the right dog. Sorry, that is just reality. There are times when SchH can be stressful for both the handler and dog. If it is all so easy, the training is not good training. I never meant to say the helper should load the dog to a point that makes it easy for the handler. The helper needs to load the dog to the right level for that dog. Then it is up to the handler to learn, ( very quickly), how to handle the dog. 

When you constantly lower your helper work to fit the people, it is easy to allow your skills to slip. I used to play highly competitive basketball. My friend and I would go to local college and play with the men. You have to play with your own skill level or better, to get really good at something and to remain sharp. I did not start in SchH with a beginner dog. I started with a really good one. Yes, at times he was more than I was capable of handling but I would have never learned as much with another dog. Nor would I have learned if someone was there treating me with kid gloves. That is where I am at. I used to think everyone wanted to be good at SchH but they don't. So, I have learned to not train with people who just want to kind of play in SChH or want it handed to them in a way that always makes 'them' feel good while their dog is there struggling. 

I enjoy working at a different level and although, ( due to the quality of helpers), it is rather difficult, I would rather not train than to work the dogs to fit a person's incompetence. They simply have to learn and push themselves or they will pay later and the dog will pay the entire time. This is not a knock at how a club choses to function. Like I said, can't blame them in some regards but it is not SchH when you are working the dogs that way.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Well, you definitely can't baby them the whole time and the handler, like the dog, needs to be challenged constantly so he or she can get better. And, yes, sometimes you do drop the handler off at the deep end of the pool and go "SWIM!" (god knows they have done that to me enough times LOL). I think it's like any other kind of training: sometimes you push, sometimes you let up a bit.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I can offer an example maybe? When we started Nikon's hold and bark, it was not on a back-tie. I can't remember the last time he's been on a back-tie or post. I controlled the line every time. First dog in SchH, first time really having to step it up with line handling. Yes, there were times when there was conflict b/c of my handling(I used a prong collar, live ring if that makes any difference), but in the end I'm glad we trained it that way. I learned a lot about line handling overall, I think, just from training that one dog to do that one behavior. Now often I'm asked to grab the line for someone else's dog. I don't think I would have learned as much about SchH training or how my dog works if I'd put him on a harness, clipped him to a back tie, and moved out of the picture.


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