Our malinois. Defense training in Belgrade

          When we came to Serbia one of the priority issue we faced was to find a new instructor and decoy for our dogs. It’s not no easy task as mondioring is not very popular in Serbia. However we were lucky to meet a professional instructor and decoy, an owner of a sport dog center “Balkanika”  Dushko Jovanovich. We resumed our training and our mali made the next step in defense education – attack on the arm.

           Mondioring is a very dynamic and exciting kind of cynological sport, which develops many useful skills. Hope  it'll gain popularity in Serbia.

A radio collar: to use it or not to use?

My experience tells me that a rare dog-lover will support using of a radio-collar. The most popular argument: oh, no! It hurts the dog! Few years ago I was also strongly against this instrument of education. However, with my new dog – a strong Alpha Canaan male – I faced the big problem: he was too intolerant towards male dogs and – unfortunately – he picked from the ground. I met with a dilemma: either I had difficulties with other dog masters, or I found some method to make him more civilized. It also necessary to bear in mind that picking from the ground can be rather dangerous for dogs’ health. I bought a simple radio collar, got instructions from my trainer and took my dog for a walk. That collar had seven levels, I never used high ones, only up to the third level. I pushed the button twice to stop picking and three times to stop fights. It was enough!

The next step of my experience with the radio collar was during defense training. I would not say that it was always successful and produced the best results.

Indeed, the effect of training with radio collars can very good, however it depends upon too many factors. It was very effective for some training of my elder dog. As for my younger one – a malinois – it gives rather poor results, and I prefer to use usual collars.

Today I always put on my dogs radio collar while walking in the forest or in the mountains to have an additional instrument to keep them under control. Low levels do not hurt at all but it prevent a lot of troubles if you walk with your dogs in places where there many wild animals, foxes in particular. 

I'll appreciate your view on using radio collars. Please, share your experience.

Are all dogs good students?

     I believe ‘yes’! For many years I work with two-legged students and come to a conclusion that four-legged students are more attentive, have more zeal and, what is very important, follow each other’s better examples.

    This short video shows an element of obedience training (practically, two commands) with three dogs. One of them – a young herder girl – joined our team only recently. She is not good in focusing her attention. This is the reason why I decided to train her with my other dogs. You will see how her attention and interest in the training is growing an she starts to fulfill the command as her companions.

    In the beginning it’s better not to make such a training long and finish it with a pleasant game.

Would you like your dog to protect your bag?

      Protection of an object is an element of defense training, a mondioring exercise and a rather useful skill in  our everyday life. It’s not very difficult to teach your to protect a bag or other thing you left for a few minutes. The very beginning can be trained even with a puppy of, say, six months old, giving him tips. The second step is more  difficult and need special equipment as the dog should bite. The idea is that the dog should stand on the object and keep under control the circle with the radius of about 2 meters. The dog should bite  only when somebody tries to approach the object stepping in the circle and let him go when he goes away. In the video you can see the very process of teaching.  Make the training enjoyable like a game!

How to live with three dogs in harmony?

       When I have only one dog I, of course, enjoyed my life, it was superb. However, all my relatives and friends, who didn’t have pets, thought that I’m a little crazy: to have family, to work and to take care of a dog. It seemed too much for them. When, already having an Alpha Cannaan dog,  I got a malinois puppy I preferred not to discuss it with my aunts and cousins. As to my friends I found only a few of them who understood me: they had more than one pet themselves.  But it seems God had big plans for my “doggy” life. I couldn’t understand how it happened but now I have three dogs: a beautiful herder or Dutch shepherd dog joined us.

I love you, Gina.

I adore you, Jay.

Let's dance waltz!

      








        I’m often asked  how they treat each other? Do male dogs fight with each other for the girl’s attention? No, they do not fight. All our big two- and four- legged family live in harmony. The key to the success is very simple: to setting right from the beginning a proper hierarchy and maintain  it permanently and persistently.

          I'll appreciate your comments. Please tell your story about your life with pets.





       

Five in the Jeep including three dogs. Our travel to Serbia

September - a start of a new life

        September. The Autumn is felt. In a few hours we'll start moving to a new place of living. A homestead is waiting for us which we'll make a nice place full of flowers. We hope we and our dogs will enjoy the place. I'll put posts about our traveling and how we start our new life.