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Raising the Sport Dog Series
Within this series of articles I have been covering the beginning work relative to raising a competitive working dog. The goal of our foundation work is to raise a dog that is strong and confident, active in his drives and highly motivated.
-The Send Out-
In Schutzhund the send out is the last active exercise in the obedience routines for degrees 1 through 3. It remains essentially the same for all three degrees, only gaining slightly in length by SchH3. Correct execution of the send out exercise is the dog and handler heeling correctly for a build up of 10-15 paces, the handler tells the dog voraus or an equivalent command. The dog immediately goes in a straight path down the field, the handler then commands the dog to down 20-40 yards away. The dog should go out very fast, very straight and down immediately upon command. The send out is worth 10 points. Failure to correctly execute this exercise is detrimental to your overall score.
Schutzhund obedience is a series of individual exercises shown as a whole. Each exercise is made up of smaller segments. The most efficient and successful method to teach each exercise is by breaking it down to its smaller parts. We’ve illustrated that in previous issues and exercises. The correct send out is a balancing act between drive and control. Similar to the retrieves and the exercises in the protection phase. Without drive, there is nothing to control, thus teaching the send out begins with teaching drive.
Although dogs process visual information extremely well, they are colorblind. It can be difficult for a dog to see objects of similar shades. Good training should aim to teach the dog very specific concepts, broken into as simple a manner as possible. To teach the send out we will give the dog a mark, the mark will be used for every training send out the rest of the dog’s career. The mark will give us several advantages. It is a visual object for the dog to focus on, a distinct place to go to. The mark will give the handler a visual object to line up on. The handler will always send the dog in a straight line to the mark. The mark will give us a physical place to correct the dog to when necessary later on down the road. By using the mark every training session, the dog will come to trust that it is there. Because it is always there, because the handler will always send the dog in a straight line, the fact that the dog can’t see the mark when sent in trial makes no difference. The dog will have learned that by going straight ahead they will find it.
Most people use some kind of object for the send out. I’ve seen sleeves, food dishes, cones and toys. I have yet to change my preferred mark, a simple plastic tent stake. It is small unlike cones and sleeves. It can’t be scented like food. It is visible from down field by dog and handler unlike toys. It can be stuck into the ground high or low depending on the objective of the training session. My recommendation for teaching the send out is to use a tent stake as your mark. I competed in a trial once in which the judge used cones for the long down placements. Needless to say, several people lost their send outs as the dogs went to the cones on the side of the field. Choice of mark is important.
- Step One: Drive to the Mark -
Begin by placing the mark at the end of the field. Using your dog’s favorite tug toy, tease the dog up with the toy within 4 feet of the stake. Holding the dog by the collar or lead, toss the toy next to the mark. Immediately tell your dog voraus and release him. As soon as he gets the toy, get excited with him and play for a short time. Then repeat the process, at the same distance for several training sessions.
Progress in your training by moving backwards away from the mark. Sending him for slighter longer distances each time. Initially this is accomplished by tossing the toy next to the mark and dragging the dog back a little, keeping his interest and drive up with your voice and pats on the ribcage. Obviously you can only stay at this level for a short time. But this is the first step to help the dog associate the mark with the toy and the command.
Tease the dog up and holding his coller toss the toy next to the mark.
Tell him voraus and release him to the mark.
If your dog can hold a down position, you’ll be able to make the most progress. Once short drag back sessions are going well, tease the dog up with the toy and tell him platz. Be only a short distance from the mark, place the toy next to the mark. Return to your dog, maintain drive by holding his collar for a short moment, get him focused on the toy and mark and release him with the command. In this stage of teaching, you will be able to move a good ways down field from the mark. Take one step at a time, moving a little farther back each session.
Once you’ve reached 50 yards from the mark you can move to the next level. Set your mark and toy up before bringing your dog on the field. Bring him down very close to the mark so he can see it, once focused on the mark release him with the command. Again slowly move farther down the field each session. At this point you can and should introduce a cue to the dog. A cue lets the dog know what is coming next. Think well about your cue, it should be something you can use in trial.
In a trial you’ll complete the retrieves and then wait at the top of the field while the other handler picks up their dog from the long down. As that is occurring, move to the starting area on the field. Before the judge turns to watch your send out, cue your dog. A cue can be a phrase, a word, a hand gesture or a combination.
In teaching the send out, when you begin to send the dog without going to the mark first start using your cue. It will help in teaching the send out and it will help in the execution of the send out in trial.
Once you can send the dog 50 yards or farther to the mark without having gone to it first, begin to do other obedience work prior to the send out in training. Use the send out as the last exercise worked in training on a consistent basis.
Leaving the toy at the mark, drag the dog back farther and focus his attention.
And release with command.
- Step Two: Proofing The Mark -
Proofing the mark is variable to the dog, the level of training the dog knows and the manner the dog is taught. I do recommend teaching the dog to go to the mark and down. The dog is then released verbally back to the handler and toy. This is accomplished by being within feet of the mark with no toy next to it. Send the dog to the mark and give the platz command once he reaches it. This is of course a new concept to the dog so anticipate confusion and hesitation. It’s important that as soon as he downs, you release him with the toy. Be patient with your dog, help him understand what you’re asking. Very slowly move farther down field. When you send the dog to the mark, follow behind him. If the dog stops before the mark you are there to encourage him to continue. Expect the dog to go out slower than before, it’s okay. Once he learns the concept well, again around 50 yards back, put the toy back at the mark. Then alternate send out options. Normally a handler will use one down at the mark to every 8-10 toy at the mark send outs.
Down at the mark introduces the platz into the send out. It further teaches the concept of place so necessary to the exercise. And it shows that the mark has a purpose.
Going back to the toy next to the mark, begin using your cue then heeling a few steps before the send out. If the dog knows the cue well, if he has good drive to the mark, heeling after the cue will be a hindrance to the dog’s drive level. Normal and to be expected. So shorten the distance to the mark considerably and be patient. Ask for short heeling initially. Don’t demand full attention but do ask for correct position.
Finally you’re ready to down the dog in the send out before the mark. Put a long line on the collar and down the dog before the end of the line. Additionally you can follow behind the dog and give the down command. After a little work on the line, following along should suffice. Release the dog either to the toy next to the mark or back to you with the toy. Ideally you should mix those options up. Release the dog to the mark by telling him voraus again. Once you’ve set the down behavior use it very rarely. Command down only enough to ensure the dog will down. More time should be spent on maintaining drive to the mark.
Train the send out on different fields. Train it on football fields, soccer fields, open fields, etc. Additional proofing can be accomplished by putting blinds up, having other people and dogs in the area, and lowering the mark making it more difficult to see. Taking the time to teach the send out thoroughly will pay off in your obedience scores.
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