Interview - Appendix 1

Personal Interview and Conversation with Rick Hubbard, Training Director/K-9 Behaviorist, Pacific Coast K-9 Academy, 10 November, 1996

The questions and answers have been paraphrased.

Ques.:

Rick, you stated earlier that the agitator or helper should pet the dog and renew or reinforce their friendship after both a prey drive and defensive drive encounter. I understand the need for it after a prey drive encounter, but some of my sources say the dog should never be friends with an agitator who brings out the defensive drive. I agree and feel no matter how obedient, the dog will be expecting the encounter to end with a friendly pet. In the real world, that won’t happen. The bad guy won’t make friends. Apparently you disagree. Please explain.

Ans.:

The properly trained dog will act instinctively and immediately to the handler’s commands. What difference does it make what the dog is expecting?

Ques.:

OK. Accepting that makes my question a “so what”. A moot point. But, I still feel that the underlying expectation of friendliness the dog has may prevent his 100% concentration in defensive drive. Isn’t there some inherent danger here?

Ans.:

No. Defensive drive is a 100% commitment in a dog that has the drive. Let me approach it from another angle. Suppose the dog never had a friendly pat from the agitator. Wouldn’t that create suspicion in the dog that every stranger it meets may be a potential for defensive drive?

Ques.:

Well, I throw your statement right back to you. If the dog does exactly as commanded - so what?

Ans.:

Exactly. But, if you’re right and what the dog expects may influence his actions, isn’t it better to err on the side where the dog is leaning toward friendliness rather than suspicion? But, Charlie, that’s not what happens. What does happen is that the dog does not go into defensive drive unless:
A) The handler commands it AND the dog perceives the situation to be life-threatening to itself or the handler.
or
B) The dog perceives the danger as life-threatening on its own. For instance, when the handler is unexpectedly attacked. But, if properly trained it will respond immediately to the handler’s commands, reducing or eliminating danger to an innocent person if the situation was not really life-threatening.
Again, I say what the dog expects is immaterial. If the dog has the proper drives and you carefully develop it and properly train it. Then, the dog will react instinctively and instantly to your commands.