Dear Reader,
 

I would like to start my writing with a personal recognition,  that as the status and place of the dog has changed and changes in our society, with the passing of time, my own relationship still continues to form with these kind beings.

This is also represented in the training and other equipment used by me. As an example, I mentioned last time that instead of a pinch collar I use a “contact” leash, the name of which coming from the contact word required further explanation.  The more common form of “contact” between dogs and their owners is through play, being the basic of almost every modern training theory.

It is important however that it is “based on love”. Moreover, this could be the key for playing, as only fully engaged games played with devotion can be “real”, otherwise this term or at least calling it this would be unworthy for its apathetic or forced form. Education and training based on the principle of love however does not equal a lightweight approach, far from it. A trainer relating to tasks and students this way can achieve better results in the long run.

When I was a competitive sportsman I experienced for myself that performance oriented training may cross limits or norms on the part of the training experts, which often results in a loss of motivation or healthy competitive spirit in the students. It comforts me to remember back to those teachers, who did not make these errors.
If  you spend a few moments recalling from your life some of those kind faces, you will experience how long their teachings have matured in you.  It is not a coincidence either that from these joint events, the moments when our dogs showed their attachment to us, remains extraordinarily vivid in our memories.

Let’s start therefore from the premise that dogs can feel the absence or presence of love as well as needing this latter one, and they will never forget it. Yes! Let’s use great words worthy of the topic. Dogs will never forget it. This, however, must also be true for experiences unpleasant to them, which I will try to demonstrate with a story taking place in a dog training school in Vienna, where I was able to study between 1996 and 2001. My task in that instance under the strict supervision of the principal trainer was to train a dog for finding, guarding and accompanying a person. The dog  had to arrive at my “hide out” after searching a number of blinds set according to the examination regulations and “nail me to the wall” by barking. Unless I provoked it, no biting was allowed at the blind, at least in theory. Considering that during the exercise several objectives had to be achieved that  in many cases, are in complete conflict with the will and instinct of the dog, the differences of interest between the dog and the owner, as well as the dog and myself would soon rise to the surface.

Having the blinds searched seems like a simple task with the bypassing method but it is a relentless task for the dog, also requiring maximum focus from the dog trainer. During this time, as a so called “assistant” I did not have any other task than to wait patiently in the hiding place, wearing protective trousers, with a “protective sleeve” on my hand representing the prize, which the dog would get at the end of the exercise. There are infinite variations possible for the way the dog could find me. From the “Come on, I am here! Give it to me!” to the “Well, we shall carefully look in there” approach, everything of which has also occurred in my own practice. The assistant has to be able to achieve the animal guarding and barking without fear and hyperactive behaviour, and wait for the arrival of the owner.

As a matter of fact, I had other, undesirable problems with the hero of my story; a shaggy German Shepherd in a bombastic trim coupled with a dog trainer unable to adjust to and manage tempo and habit, can be a brutal joke of fate.

The use of pinch collars with a 10 m long leash was considered as daily practice in protecting work at that time. Now I can see that handling the leash and collar should have been left to expert hands, as our dog leader with his insecure corrections worked the dog up to the extreme.  As a catharsis, the dog to be trained unexpectedly lurched towards me. The dog leader gripping the long leash tried to apprehend the momentum of the dog once more, which resulted in an almost 2 m slide on his stomach, the commotion of which I could still hear as the pinch collar snapped with a ringing noise. And the dog came! As the dog arrived, my feeling was that now revenge will be taken on me for all the grudges suffered during training, and by pulling me out of my blind the dog would make an example of me.

All in all it was a magnificent animal. We should have used the potential and “raw force” within it in other ways. Despite taking control of the situation and despite the subsequent work that started almost from basics, we could no longer achieve a performance comparable with the potential of the dog.

During the training, tensions arose between the owner and the dog, which at puppy stage could have been managed effectively with play.
In my next writing I would like to share a beautiful story for this.

Gyula Sebő –K9

Collar or harness?

WITH MY SERIES OF ARTICLES ENTITLED “COLLAR OR HARNESS?”, IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO GIVE USEFUL ADVICE ON SELECTING THE MOST APPROPRIATE DOG EQUIPMENT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ILLUSTRATE A FEW CHANGES IN THE ATTITIUDES REGARDING DOG TRAINING AND KEEPING AS REGARDS EQUIPMENT.

The oldest preserved dog collar originates almost 200 years ago, which I was also able to see in the cellar museum of the Tihany Benedictine Abbey. At first I thought this object equipped with 7-8 cm long spikes to be a weapon or a tool for torture; this metal collar was meant to protect the sheepdogs from the bites of wolves. The chain links were identical in form with that of the pinch collar found nowadays, although the spikes reminded me more of the staples used by today’s construction industry. One can imagine what 'physical and spiritual closeness' the dogs wearing these had with their owners, who might have risked injury or even blood poisoning with the approach of an animal wearing such a collar. It is not known who the first person was to think of turning the collar inwards. We can only hope that the needle sharp edges of the pinch collar exhibited in Tihany were already somehow blunted on the very first occasion and already moving towards the model manufactured and used during training in many places today.

In the absence of wolves, trainers use these collars today is exclusively for obedience trainings, with the practice being carefully watched by animal rights protectors. In some countries, such as for example in Austria, pinch collars are prohibited. The main manufacturing companies, under increasing pressure, have had to further “refine” the product. Plastic blunting caps are available for the spikes, and protective covers which disguise the product as an average collar. Clever marketing: everybody got what they wanted, except the dogs.

With or without caps, I would not recommend the pinch collar for the hobby dog keepers at all, and even for trainers, only with certain reservations. Its inconsistent use may confuse the dog, and the physical-spiritual pain caused this way may permanently damage the relationship between dog and owner.

Some more on “contact”….. There is a more human alternative for training under this name, specifically the “contact’’ collar, which is normally sold together with a leash. Similarly to the pinch collar, it's based on the tightening of the dog’s neck, which symbolises biting; one of the ways of expressing dominant behaviour within a dog or wolf pack. The speed and vigour of the dog bite is regulated by a “computer” inconceivable to humans, the dog’s brain.

The user of the contact leash has to think with the mind of a dog or even a wolf wanting to express dominance with the others in the pack. Such “punishing” reactions of a wolf living in the wild or an appropriately kept dog are reinforced within boundaries created over millions of years.

In our case the thin and rigid material of the contact leash tightens with a punishing speed on the dog’s neck, however it immediately loosens following a further tug. In this way it tries to imitate the warning bite of a dog. In my opinion, its use compared with a pinch collar is less risky, but even in this case we should not step over any written and unwritten humane rules.

If we concentrate on the word “contact", which also appears in the name of the product, the following meanings are outlined for me: mutual, consistent, attentive, humble. This kind of relationship we should have with our partner, the dog, when we hook a 3 mm thin, non-tear string on their neck. Every correction should be followed by release or some treats and we should try to approach our dog’s personality with humbleness.

Our aim cannot be the unconditional breaking of the personality, but solving tasks with consideration to the abilities and characteristics of the dog. The contact leash is for finer hands. Its use is not based on physical strength, but rather on our swiftness and quick thinking.

Despite this, I do not want to wrap myself up in a philosophical fog or to run forward too much, so in the next issue I will tell two stories. One, in which perhaps (!) that pinch collar would have been necessary together with all my physical and spiritual strength for achieving a certain result, and another, where success was achievable without the need for any force.

I can already tell you that the second story is closer to my heart, although I was only a distant observer to those events.

Gyula Sebő – K9

The dog harness

Costumers of dog harnesses frequently ask me the following question:

1. If a dog is wearing a harness, will it pull less the leash during the walk?

Well, this question does still surprises me even today, as who has not seen sleigh-dogs pulling enormous weights. If nowhere else, this equipment with its considerable past appeared in our childhood novels of gold prospecting and adventure, and can be rightfully called the “king” of harnesses, with sleighing as the cradle of professional dog equipment.

Almost nowhere else are humans so dependent on their dogs and at the same time on the quality of the equipment during their everyday work, than in the empire of eternal snow. Dog harnesses at that time were indeed invented for pulling weights and the statement that the first pieces that were made after the harnesses of horses pulling carts or sleighs would be rash and premature. The majority of the harnesses of draft animals for a long time were fixed on their necks, which in the case of dogs would seriously limit the weight of the load to be pulled. So which was first? The harnesses made for draft animals, dogs or even for humans working on the construction of the great pyramids in ancient times? It would be difficult to say for sure. What is definite is that now dogs are only harnessed in front of carts and sleighs for sport or fun. The equipment used here has been developed specifically for this purpose, and thus are not really well-known amongst the wider circle of dog owners.

One uses a harness for example to protect a dog’s neck from the tightening or loss of fur on leash. More talented dogs are able to play the “death of the swan” scene even after a slight pull on the collar, no wonder that many owners look for alternatives.

Aesthetics is also an important aspect. The harnesses and dog clothing in a wide range of colours and forms provide unique opportunities for “optical tuning”. By my observations people pay more attention to dogs that are clothed. In addition, certain dog harnesses can message to our human world. The first harness made for this purpose in Europe was the “kenndecke”, which name is made up of “Kennen” - to know, to get to know - and “Decke” - blanket.

The recipe is simple: take two pieces of PVC cut in the shape of a trapeze, put them next to one another with their shortest sides touching and make the four more distant corners rounded. The cut out piece is laid on the back of the dog as a saddle, with the two trapezes hanging on each side of the dog. The product is a showy usually yellow or white colour, and the name of an association or even Polizei or Police is subscribed is on it. The harness, sometime between the ’70s and ’80s was already a sign of identify for working dogs worldwide, although the equipment had numerous shortcomings regarding practical and aesthetic aspects, strongly limiting its practicality. The design of the fixing strips on dog's chest and the metal buckles has ignored many ergonomically vital aspects. These have only started to become more refined in the past five years. The uncomfortably thick and unlined leather strips have been replaced by strips and plastic fasteners following the dog’s body-line, and the design also has improved.

The interest of the dog-owners elite of Europe, well-known trainers, armed and rescue troops, from the turn of the millennium were gradually turning towards a new product, a new dog harness, the cradle of which was Hungary and the news spread the across the world like wildfire. After three decades this was the first equipment in the “dog world”, which got users and manufacturers excited regarding both sport and fashion. When designing the product, the aim was to achieve complete harmony with nature and the movement of the dog. What else than a wolf could have served as the basis for selecting the best form? For simplicity, it is a dog identical in size with a European wolf and a rule of proportionality, which determines the structure and proportions of every living creature in nature: The Golden Ratio. The dimensions of the saddle part of the harness and the ratio of the side and middle section to each other determined in this way and from studying a dog running around in a harness has resulted in amazing findings. Despite its prominent size it fitted the body of the animal perfectly. The development of the numerous accessories followed this step: A comfortable chest strap equipped with Velcro fastening and without plastic or metal parts; a stiffened sealed holding handle; high visibility elements as well as lamp holder and a variable label that can be fixed to the side of the harness with a Velcro fastening. This together with developing an appropriate size scale for dogs that so vary in size, and with proportions often very different from nature was a challenge.

Although Hungarian experts had a considerable role in the testing and development of the product, it is not surprising, knowing the fate of several Hungarian inventions, that its marketability and practical advantages were not picked up by the elite of Hungarian dog sport. First the police dog training centre in Vienna (BPD Wien-Strebersdorf), the Austrian Ministry of Interior, the training centre in Bad Kreuzen (BAZ), as well as one of the most famous dog military training bases in Europe, the MilHuZ (Militärhundezentrum Kaisersteinbruch) recognised the product’s worth for their units. One European product presentation followed another, with the presentation held at the request of the Bavarian contingency commando providing a direct route to success in Germany. Thanks to the international meetings in the training centres, from 2003 the equipment that became known under the name K9-Powerharness has reached even the most distant points of the world. About the same time, the humorous Velcro replaceable labels appeared, launching an unmatched fashion wave. I myself like this harness for its practicality. It can be easily fitted over the dog’s head. By holding onto the handle I can support my old dog when moving around, but I must confess that it does feel good when carrying the harness they regularly believe my dog to be a rescue or police dog, or at least a war veteran. I think in the meantime my dog has also identified with this role. At least he is walking like someone who is very well aware of the additional rights that are due to an old veteran…

Gyula Sebő – K9

A STEP ABOVE OURSELVES

It was in picturesque surroundings, on the Tihany-peninsula where I visited GYULA SEBŐ, production manager for the JULIUS-K9 power harnesses, and his wife ANIKÓ BAKOS, who have increased the reputation of Hungary around the world amongst dog keepers with series of successful products.

When arriving at the gate, the “receiving committee", represented by an authoritative looking German Sheppard and a shaggy white mixed dog, greeted us eagerly even without ringing the bell. The latter one was wearing a dog harness with the label on the side saying — TODAY I AM FREE. Anikó led me through the garden resting under the blossoming mature trees; I was still under the effect of the blue Lake Balaton, scented flowers and bird songs, when Gyula Sebő arrived, with a wide smile known to me from the 2010 product catalogue, and balancing a large tray of cakes.

- Everything is so wonderful here! Now I understand why you insisted on this venue for our conversaton.

- You already said the key word. A busy office block is good for many things but to chat... In fact my first dog experience is also connected with Lake Balaton and I am happy to share it with you while you have your coffee. I was about five years old when a stray dog, looked like a Vizsla moved into our garden at the Balaton. She was very thin with a deep wound on her side. She won't let anybody to touch apart from me, but accepted food from anybody in the family, busily wagging her tail. She carefully buried any leftovers in different corners of the garden. My parents explained to me that she had done this to ensure food in tougher times. By the afternoon however, the dog had disappeared. I anxiously asked what would happen with the food that she had hid away. One day she would come back for it — was the not really comforting reply. That evening on the way to Budapest on the M7 motorway I saw a Vizsla looking dog from the car, as it hurtled along in the emergency lane. I looked back hoping she would notice me; I clearly saw the wound on her side. Of course, she never came back although I guarded the buried leftovers for quite some time. If it is possible to experience the feeling of commitment towards dogs in a split second, in my case it could have been that moment. Perhaps my enthusiasm originating from this experience helped in the building of our company, and now we provide many many people with work, security or even a sense of purpose in life.

- I hope though that there is also some time to relax.

- Well, there are some risks connected to being away for a longer period, but we are able to get away. We have been looking for the right people for the right positions for almost 20 years but it wasn't wasted time. It is important for us to be able to develop further together with proven colleagues and partners — whose abilities and desires are well known to us. This includes that we have to take, irrespective of any position held, the individual objectives and interests of our colleagues into consideration as well as to be on the same page with them. Of course, even a long-term cooperation is no guarantee for avoiding some disappointments.

- What happens if  that “individual interests" or feelings are too overpowering or malicious and the losses are huge?

- Well, I myself without clarifying the previous questions would not make any hurried decision in such a case either because that is not the way to perfect solutions. Experiences  in the case of JULIUS-K9 proved that if the problem is great “enough”, we'll step above ourselves soon. It is easier to perform a miracle from an already loosing situation. Last time for example, an Austrian trade partner of ours, who organised supplies to approximately 1,000 retailers and therefore was supported by us with a large trade loan for several years — was selling fake products with the JULIUS-K9 label all over Europe. We barely terminated our contract with this partner in the middle of 2009, when additional exact copies of some of our products had been put on the market, straight from the Far-East. If a contractor has to acquire their outstanding debts, its stolen brand name and a considerable section of the market... well, only an overall long-term concept can help there. Until we have sufficiently assessed the situation as well as the tactics and strength of the partner turned opposition, we are only shooting in the dark. We were aware that in addition to an annual hundred percent growth, we have some catching up to do in every other area, and in less than six months. As a first step, we have sought out lawyer’s offices to represent us in different countries, which could completely identify with our problems.

 - One only hears about such lawyers in fairy tales...

- They do exist. Our relationship with almost all of them is informal, more like in a family way. And the relationship with the majority of our current European trade partners is very similar too. We reorganised our prices and the general sales strategy, at the same time we improved approximately seventy percent of our assortment, as well as putting completely new, in fact revolutionary new products onto the market. We had the inventions patented in every possible way as well as signing our 2010 innovations with the Innova Dog Comfort (IDC) name. We really did our best.

- All  in six months?

- It seems to! I've just checked it. You know,  in this period I lost my sense of time a bit.

- Am I right that the negative experiences contributed to the success?

- No doubt.  Most of the time the key for our development is handed to us by our competitors. The rest can be only up to our own diligence.

Gyula Sebő – K9