# Threshold, high, low and why



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

On a couple threads lately threshold was brought up. One of the experienced members said that the dogs of today are a much lower threshold then the dogs of past (paraphrased). It was said that decoys today don't know how to work high threshold dogs (I had to go and pout after that). So I wanted to have a discussion about threshold and the purpose it serves. I know high or low is a perspective much like gauging drive. One persons high is another persons low. I hope this is making sense. It has taken a half hour to type this because I keep getting pulled away. My mind is everywhere hahaha.


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## Blitzkrieg1 (Jul 31, 2012)

Ill add to your question can exposure to the stimuli increase the threshold?


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

Blitzkrieg1 said:


> Ill add to your question can exposure to the stimuli increase the threshold?


I'll say, depending in how its done, the ability of the helper on reading the dog and acting accordingly to what he does and the length and frequency of the training sessions can act in both ways. Usually training lowers the threshold because the dog gets conditioned to the routine of protection training and the sole sight if the scratch pants can be enough for the dog without need of the helper to move a finger. You can even train pro-activity in which the dogs learns that is he the one who has to make the helper to move. On the other hand if the dog learns that no matter what he does the helper keeps on the same dancing he will frustrate and can feel from helplessness to boredom.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Interesting question. I don't think you can change a dogs threshold. I think you can train through it, but when it comes down to it the dogs genetics will win. 

I would consider Heidi a lower threshold. It doesn't take much for her to snap. Honestly I like that in a protection dog. She is stable out in public, but you wont see her playing with a group of kids like Hunterisgreat's dogs. 

On the other side, I have worked some high threshold dogs where short of beating them they never switch drives. I'm thinking of one in particular and I hate working him. Maybe I lack the skill (one of the reasons I started this thread was to gain knowledge and better myself as a decoy), but I have never seen anyone able to put this dog in defense and I have seen him worked by some great decoys. Everything he does seems lazy to me like he's going through the motions without a care in the world. Maybe he just lacks aggression and his threshold has nothing to do with it. I don't know.


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