After the fatal biting incident in Naarn (Upper Austria), the discussion about the so-called working dog sport has flared up again. “Elmo,” one of the American Staffordshire Terriers involved in the attack on a 60-year-old jogger, was also trained with a teething ring. While this kind of thing has been banned in Vienna for years, the other states are hesitant. And the Austrian Dog Association (ÖKV) also defends biting as part of working dog sport. However, they now want to focus on the trainers.
At first, people in Biedermannsdorf, the headquarters of the Austrian Association of Cynologists, or ÖKV for short, were quite resistant to the debate. In an initial statement they spoke about ‘misrepresentations’ in the media and stated that there was no question of ‘aggression-increasing training’ in the training clubs because they would reject them.
ÖKV takes “immediate measures”
Now, however, there is some movement in the case. As the ÖKV announced via a broadcast on Thursday, they “as representatives of all dog owners and renowned dog breeders” now want to “further increase the quality of working dog sports” with a number of immediate measures. To guarantee the quality of training, working dog sports should only be possible at the ÖKV or ÖHU dog parks in the future.
For dog owners wishing to train their dogs in this way, training in the form of a seminar followed by a test including animal welfare topics and the provision of a certificate of good character is required. The trainers, but also the helpers who wear the bite cover during training, must be certified. In the future they should be given clear guidelines for dog work. In the event of violations – such as aggression-promoting exercises – their permit will be revoked, according to the ÖKV.
“We ensure continuous training of the trainers, because the license is limited in time and this means that continuous and in-depth further training takes place,” says ÖKV board member and chairman of the FCI working dog committee, Robert Markschläger. dogs undergoing such training There is also a novelty: you must also pass a temperament test before starting working dog training.
“Highest possible suitability for daily use” despite bite sleeves?
The ÖKV still does not believe in banning such training, but rather emphasizes that working dog training would lead to “obedient, well-behaved dogs that guarantee the highest possible suitability for everyday use”: “In working dog sport it is determined whether a dog is suitable for use in stressful situations. He is exposed to impulses and yet must obey commands such as out, sit, or let go or let go loudly and immediately. When he does so, he is considered strong-willed, confident and obedient.”
The point of contention was not only the fatal biting incident in Upper Austria, but also a recently published video by Pfotenhilfe that is supposed to demonstrate training methods relevant to animal welfare in a dog park. The video also comes from Upper Austria, and State Councilor for Animal Protection Michael Lindner (SPÖ) then announced that he would consider banning the training.
Video is intended to demonstrate proper training
The ÖKV wants nothing to do with it and criticizes the “poor image quality” of the recordings. Instead, the “requirements of the Animal Welfare Act” are complied with and the dog is manageable. However, from the video you can clearly see that the dog handler must clearly pull on the leash and that the trainer or handler wearing the teething ring in any case makes sudden movements with his right hand.
However, it is not clear whether he also hits the dog with it. However, the question of whether it is necessary for a dog to learn to bite as a human companion, unless it is for work, remains open.
Source: Krone

I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.