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Follow on Google News | Kris Kotsopoulos' Views on Socialising Your Dog - Von Forell KennelsKris Kotsopoulos is a well-known breeder of working Dobermans and German Shepherds. Kris has been breeding and training dogs for the past 29 years beginning at the age of 16 and has been working with dogs ever since.
By: Sarah Healy The National Dog Trainers Federation (N.D.T.F): T.C.S.C / NDTF: Good morning Kris. Kris: Good morning. T.C.S.C / NDTF: Could you tell us your philosophy on working dogs? Kris: Certainly, but before I go on I would like to say that without question there will be those who will disagree in both my techniques and philosophy; yet no claim of finality is made, my belief does not pretend to be the bible but perhaps the beginning for new thought, theory and improvement. I also feel the need to state that although the information I’m imparting has been tested in the field and works better than any other system I’ve tried to date, it may not be the best system for you. Situations can change and my ideas may also change so I can only inform you of what is working in my current breeding and training program in 2003, which is providing me with decent working dogs. The first thing every-one must realise is that without the appropriate genetics the probability of producing a dog of an excellent standard in service work and/or Schutzhund is very low. In order for a dog to cope with the demands required to be a peak performer, he must have a strong nervous system that is able to cope with stress without any adverse psychological or physiological effects. Reaching agreement on what is truly a quality working dog, not because it is trained well, but because it is genetically equipped with all the traits one would need for reliable and consistent performance and breeding is difficult. Unless one has worked with a great number of different dogs, then we are left with a judgement based on limited experience. Knowledge on canine behaviour is evolutionary and not every one is on the same page at the same time. Acknowledging this, and then leaving the selection and breeding to people who truly understand canine behaviour, is a good start to breeding better quality dogs worldwide. My philosophy is quite simple: German shepherds and Dobermans are working dogs first and not show dogs first – period. My aim is to improve and create consistent working ability, coupled with functional conformation and superior health, for people who want a world championship level competition dog or working service dog. I believe there is very little difference between the two disciplines. T.S.S.C / NDTF: What do you mean by “improve…working ability”? Kris: There are many attributes that require improvement and I know in my heart that Australia has the bloodlines to make a huge impact on the international scene. One of the main areas requiring improvement is the ability for a dog to maintain a clear head during protection work. This is especially true in highly driven dogs where there is a problem with learning. I love intense dogs that aren’t conflicted. Although this conflicted state can be created through training, I believe that it is also a genetic problem. This type of dog lacks confidence-based aggression, which is one of the main problems worldwide. There is too much emphasis on breeding prey driven dogs and although this is very important, it is one aspect to a complete dog. To put it another way, most dogs that are being bred with all over the world don’t stay in a function zone (Dr Helmut Raiser) whilst working and are easterly rattled. For me this is a genetic component and one needs to learn how do identify it in order to breed a balanced dog. T.C.S.C / NDTF: Given the appropriate training and genetics…you believe there is very little difference in service dogs and Sporting dogs? Kris: You are going to regret asking that question! For the benefit of readers, who are new to dogs, I will do my best to keep it as simple as possible. Given the appropriate genetics and the right preparation, I believe there is very little difference between the service dog and sporting dog. For me, the training foundation is identical and once this is accomplished, it is purely training them for the required task. In my opinion, when preparing a working dog, the way in which puppy development and, the interaction with people is managed, is of vital importance. Socialisation and habituation is not merely the casual interaction with friends who come over for dinner now and then, but is the active interaction with as many strangers and changing environment as possible. This is especially important during the critical development period i.e. - (first sixteen weeks of life). If you are observant, you will notice that almost every time a human approaches a puppy, the puppy has an immediate desire to be subordinate eg. by placing its ears back, exaggerated tail wagging and/or lacking bladder control. In my opinion, it is important then that we do not let people fuss and play with our puppies as much as we tend to, as this can encourages social suppression. One can see that there is a complete change in the dog’s behaviour and sometimes it’s for the worst reasons. Some show it more than others because it’s directly proportional to the way the puppy perceives the stranger. This is based on its genetic expression of self-confidence, prior exposure and experience. It is important to allow your puppy to jump on people when it is calm and collected. Although the first few times your puppy meets multiple strangers allow the puppy to jump on people while it is in an excited state to establish that people are fine and that they cause no harm. This behaviour should not be acknowledged by strangers or reinforced at all. After some measured interaction you will soon realise that the puppy will try to approach strangers with an eager and excited attitude, however, only allow interaction when the puppy is calm. This takes time to teach and is very important. The puppy must realise that stimulation comes from you and that people are just people - nothing to be concerned or excited about. You will notice there is an invisible line (referred to as critical distance), which determines how each and every puppy will react to unfamiliar people. You must now keep the pup outside that critical distance in order to prevent subordinate behaviour. It is almost natural for puppies to act in this submissive manner to man as they have an inherited fear of man due to their wolf ancestors. But we don’t want our puppies to act subordinate to humans because of the type of dog we want in the end. I encourage all handlers to always have the end result in mind. Note: (I allow my dog to approach strangers and never allow strangers to approach my dog). For further reading of this article please go to www.vonforell.com or email info@vonforell.com Information, orders and Training Seminars: Telephone from Australia 03 5786 5388 Fax from Australia International Calls International Faxes Head Office PO Box 419 Greensborough 3088 Melbourne Australia Internet Personal Advice: By telephone, e-mail or at our facilities, our specialists will answer any questions what ever they may be, and guide you in your choice of products and services. # # # Global leaders in Working Dogs Genetics & K9 Handler Training Breeders of Dobermans & German Shepherds for Family, Competition & Police Suppliers of leading K9 training products Australia, Dubai, Greece, New Zealand, Belgium, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia End
Page Updated Last on: Dec 31, 2009
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