Defense of Handler diagrams by FT Metcalf

The Mondioring Defense of handler exercise is very complicated to explain in the usual narrative fashion.  In order to help you understand how a Mondioring Defense is orchestrated I have developed the use of arial diagrams that show the decoy and handler as they progress through the scenario.  I have taken these Defense scenarios from actual trials. 

How to read the diagrams

Every time you see an arrow that implies movement.  Every time you see the arial view of a persons head and shoulders that implies that the subject has stopped to participate in some event such as: the Meeting, the aggression, sitting down, or distracting the dog in one place.  I have color coded the subjects in the diagrams.  Red is the color of the aggressive decoy.  Blue is the color of the handler.  Yellow is the second decoy that may agitate and distract the dog but will never aggress the handler.  Green is the color of civilians which in this case means anybody used in the Defense scenario who is not a decoy or handler.  I have represented  props as best a can in diagram form by limiting props to chairs and tables that can be communicated in the medium.   If the decoy(s) behave in a way that cannot be represented in the schematic I have used text to communicate the decoys actions to the viewer. 

Shortcomings

Defense diagrams do a good job illustrating the geography of the scenario.  However much of the difficulty of a particular Defense scenario is derived from the timing of certain events rather than where they take place on the field.  For instance the difficulty for the dog will be altered depending on whether two decoys appear simultaneously or separately.  My diagrams cannot show things like how violently a decoy behaves or the strength of the distraction. 

About Distraction

As a general rule you can see distractions as having four categories: sound, movement, proximity, and association.  These four categories will effect the dogs level of distraction.  The more distracted the becomes the less likely he is to defend his handler.  By arranging distractions one can make the same scenario easier or harder.  To determine which echelon the Defense scenario is appropriate for, one must take into account the level of distraction as well as the actual choreography of the scenario.  So these diagrams will only give a partial picture of the difficulty of the actual Defense.

Sound, is a mild distractor however it can effect the dog without visual contact. 

Movement effects the dog as long as he is watching, however once the dog becomes interested in something that is moving he tends to become transfixed by it and needs to be prompted to get back on task.  Remember any extra handler prompts besides the initial authorized command results in total point loss. 

Proximity.  Simply put, the closer a distraction is to the dog the more it will effect the animal. 

Association means any form of stimulation that has acquired meaning to the dog.  If the decoy rattles a stick that the dog associates with bite work the animal will be more effected than if the decoy makes another sound that the dog has not developed an association with.

Brevet Defense of Handler

1. Handler walks forward 5 meters and stops.

2.  Decoy circles around handler.  Then tells handler to move forward.

3.  Handler is asked to stop and decoy steps in front of handler for the meeting.

4.  Handler continues forward and decoy comes around in front of him and aggresses.

Mondioring One Defense of Handler

1.  Yellow and red decoys run forward and fight.

2.  Handler walks toward the fighting decoys.

3.  Red decoy tells yellow to go away and then steps toward handler for the meeting.

4.  Red decoy calmly walks away and hides behind a blind.

5.  Handler walks forward and sits in a chair.

6.  Yellow decoy calmly circles around the sitting handler and then stands 15 meters away.

7.  Handler walks forward and sits in the next chair.

8.  Red decoy comes from behind the dog and aggresses the handler.

Mondioring Two Defense of handler

1.  Yellow decoy starts walking in a circle using the 5 meter Object Guard circle as his guide.

2.  Handler starts walking the same path except on the inside track.

3.  Yellow decoy leads handler to the where the meeting will take place.

4.  As the red decoy approaches the yellow decoy runs away and starts shouting.

5.  Red decoy and handler have the meeting.

6.  The handler is asked to have a seat at the table.

7.  Yellow decoy continues to yell and agitate.

8. 8. Calmly the red decoy goes behind the handler and aggresses.
   

Mondioring Three Defense of Handler

1.   Red decoy and Handler approach table.  Red decoy slams his hands on the table, then calmly shakes the handlers hand (meeting.)

2.  Yellow decoy starts agitating with a baton.

3.  Handler and red decoy walk toward the yellow decoy.  Red decoy quietly slips away and sits in a chair.

4. Yellow decoy continues to agitate.

5.  Handler sits in a chair that is in-between two civilians.

6.  Red decoy walks toward yellow decoy and pushes him.  Yellow decoy moves backward still shaking the stick.

7.  Red decoy slips between two civilians.

8.  Both civilians sitting next to the handler suddenly stand up and move towards yellow decoy.

9.  Handler stands up and moves toward standing civilians.  Yellow decoy is still agitating.

10.  Red decoy quietly comes out of the group of civilians and aggresses the handler.

                                                    Mondioring Vocabulary

Theme:  In Mondioring the theme refers to the use of a topic that shapes the mondioring scenarios.  The theme brings continuity to environmental events that happen during the trial.  The theme can add realism to the trial so that the audience understands the context in which the dog is working.  Themes also are used as a way to give trainers preparing for a trial clues as to what they might need to prepare there dogs for.  Themes can realistic or fantastic however there purpose is to give context to the competition so that spectators understand the situations and environment in which the dog is working.  Some themes include:  Regional themes showcase the unique character of the location of the trial.  By using elements that are part of the local history  and environment the maundering trial manifests the difficulties a working dog might encounter while working in that location.  Other themes include: holidays, historical events, and activities such as camping or fishing.  When a club decides to have a trial they usually select a theme.  By announcing there theme they give the participating trainers ideas of what to train for.  For example if the theme was to be “the wild west” the trainer would naturally think to practice defense of handler scenarios that would take place in a western saloon, or the handler might think to make sure his dog is steady around livestock.  If the theme is “camping” the trainer would naturally want to work his dog around various types of camping equipment, for example one might want to practice a search and escort in a tent.  If the theme is a regionally based the trainer would brainstorm about what difficulties his dog might encounter in the particular region that the trial is taking place in.  For example if the theme is the “North East” you would want to proof your dog against possible scenarios and accessories that would take into account the local color, perhaps your dog should be prepared to defend you while your on a fishing boat.

Scenario:  Gives the outline of events that will guide the dog, handler and decoy.  The scenario usually is used when describing the Defense of Handler exercise.  As you progress in the levels Mondioring the scenarios get more and more complicated. 

Accessory:  Sometimes refereed to as an Artifice, the accessory is the Modioring decoys weaponry.  The club who is organizing the trial is responsible for supplying the Judge with six different accessories.  The judge will the accessories he wishes the decoys to test the dogs with.  Accessories can be as simple and realistic like a cut branch or bucket of water, or they can be a fantastical creation designed to test the dogs ability to face unknown threats.  Accessories must be safe for the dog and metal cannot be used in their construction.  Accessories are used in the face attacks and in the object guard.

Obstacles:  The Mondioring obstacle must be not more than 80 cm X 80 cm and 8 to 10 meters long.  The obstacle is used in the Face attack exercise.  The obstacle must be made out of material that is not harmful to the dog.  The obstacle can be a moat of water.  If a moat is used it cannot exceed 25 cm in depth.  Other props are utilized to make the obstacle more difficult to navigate these props are put in places that might distract the dog or cause him to hesitate while jumping over the obstacle.  Any hesitancy while navigating the obstacle will result in point loss.  Normally obstacle are constructed with 50 gallon plastic barrel or with  hay bales, however the obstacle can be constructed of any material that is not harmful to the dog and conforms to the size requirements.  The decoy must stand 3 to 5 meters behind the obstacle.  If the dog goes around the obstacle this will result in point loss.

Props:  Props are elements that add realism to the field layout.  Props are utilized by the decoy to confuse the dog and test his training during the Defense of Handler exercise.  Props are also used as obstacles to escape over during the escort.  The props used would be picked in relation to the theme.   Example of props might be plastic chairs, picnic tables, umbrellas, tarps, etc.

Baton:  The Baton is the same baton used in French Ring.  The baton is made of bamboo split 4 ways.  The baton must be between 60 and 80 cm.  The Mondioring decoy is not allowed to hit the dog with the baton, however all other forms of intimidation , barrage and menace are encouraged.

Barrage:  The barrage refers to a kinetic barrier created by vigorously shaking his baton or accessory in front of the dog.  The barrage is used to block the dogs target.  The point of the barrage is to test the dogs courage.  If the dog hesitates the decoy will continue to exploit the dogs hesitancy by  continuing his barrage, if the dog does not hesitate and instead punches through the barrage the decoy must lift the barrage and turn to testing the proficiency of the dogs bite.  If the dog is hesitant the points are deducted by how many seconds late to bite the dog is once within a meter from the decoy.

The Faces attack with obstacle and the face attack with accessory  are the two main courage tests in Mondioring.  On these two exercises the decoy is required to barrage the dog, not allowing the dog to bite until the dog has clearly begun to penetrate the barrage at which point the decoy must turn to testing the proficiency of the dogs bite by vigorously defending himself from the attacking dog.  At Mondioring 3 the Face Attack with obstacle is at 50 meters.  At this distance, and behind the obstacle the dog is cut off from the influence and support of his handler, and left alone to fight the decoy.

Surely Equive work and stick work are important disciplines available to test dogs.  I would highly recommend that any new maundering decoy study french ring esquives and stick work.  Even though these techniques are not a part of Mondioring Decoy work they are important to understanding targeting and conditioning the dog against stress ors.   However, there is allot more to decoy work than esquiving the dog and hitting with the stick.  The Mondioring decoy is empowered with the use of accessory.  What we call the accessory is anyone of a number of weapons carried by that decoy.  These weapons could be either realistic like a tarp or branch or fantastical like a Hula cube or strings of bottles.  Learning to effectively test dogs with the use of a great variety of everyday items is one of the unique aspects of Mondioring decoy work.  Just as French Ring decoys spend many hours practicing with the baton Mondioring decoy practice gracefully wielding an accessory.  The good Mondioring decoy can manipulate the accessory all around the animal with out ever touching the dog.  Proper use of the