Canine training apparatus

Abstract

Canine training apparatus comprises a protective sleeve to be worn by the agitator-trainer. The protective sleeve comprises a plurality of layers of ballistic type nylon and nylon mesh material respectively to provide protection from canine tooth penetration and consequent injury to the agitator trainer. Adjustable single-handed fastener means are also provided to facilitate mounting of the apparatus on the wearer's arm.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus for use in training dogs and more particularly to a protective device for use by the trainer in training attack dogs for security purposes.

In training attack dogs such as the German Shepherd, Doberman and the like, for police and general security purposes, it is customary for one trainer to serve as an agitator, i.e., to provoke the dog to attack him while a second trainer controls the dog's movements, allowing the dog to attack the agitator in a limited manner while the dog is restrained on a leash. It is desirable to train such dogs to attack intruders by biting the intruder's clothing, and for this purpose, in the training sessions the agitator-trainer presents his forearm as a target for the dog's bite. The dog is taught to attack the agitator-trainer's arm by biting into the clothing covering the agitator-trainer's forearm and consequently tearing the agitator-trainer's clothing. In such circumstances, the dog's teeth easily penetrates the clothing covering the agitator-trainer's clothing and presents a risk of serious injury to the agitator-trainer.

Heretofore, in such training sessions the agitator-trainer would wear discardable clothing, such as an old jacket whose destruction would be of no concern and the agitator-trainer would rely principally on the skill of the other trainer to restrain and withdraw the dog before the agitator-trainer suffer serious injury. Clearly, the foregoing arrangement for safeguarding the agitator-trainer does not eliminate risk of injury to the agitator-trainer and, therefore, tends to inhibit proper training of the attack dog.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide arm protective apparatus for use in training attack dogs.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide arm protective apparatus of the character described which is lightweight, flexible and protective of the wearer's arm against the bite of the attack dog being trained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the principles of the present invention there is provided a canine training apparatus comprising a sheet of protective material having opposite side portions adapted to be drawn together to form a tubular sleeve suitably shaped to conformably receive the wearer's arm. The sheet of protective material comprises a plurality of overlying layers of material with at least one of said layers comprising ballistic nylon type material and another of said layers comprising nylon mesh material.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial depiction of an attack dog being trained by an agitator-trainer wearing the protective apparatus of the present invention with the control-trainer maintaining the dog in limited restraint;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the protective apparatus of the present invention in the drawn condition with a portion thereof in partial section;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the protective apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus in FIG. 3 being rolled out generally flat;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of ballistics type nylon material employed as a constituent layer in the sheet of protective material forming the protective apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of mesh type nylon material employed as a constituent layer in the sheet of protective material forming the protective apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of a portion of the sheet of protective material of the protective apparatus of FIG. 2, with the constituent layers thereof separated to reveal the inner construction of the protective apparatus of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-section view taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 2 and 3 thereof, the protective apparatus of the present invention, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is in the form of a sleeve suitably shaped so as to conform, when in the applied condition of FIG. 2, with the arm extending from slightly above the wrist to the armpit. Accordingly, sleeve 10, in the applied condition of FIG. 2, is reduced in size at the lower end thereof and flares outwardly toward the upper portion thereof which receives the wearer's arm close to the shoulder and armpit.

Sleeve 10 may be formed of several layers 12 of protective fabric material bound together in place at the outer borders thereof by stitching 14 and a fabric binding 16 to form the unitary sleeve 10. As shown in FIG. 3, sleeve 10 comprises a pair of straight side portions 18 and 20 adapted to be drawn together and overlapped and curved end portions 24 and 26 forming the opposite end openings for sleeve 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Suitable adjustable fastener means 22 is provided along the edge length of overlying portion 20 and opposing underlying portion 18 to provide single-handed adjustable fastening of sleeve 10 by the wearer's free hand.

Fastener means 22 comprises a first fabric strip 28 continuously secured along the length of one of its sides to sleeve portion 18 by means of stitching 30. A row of spaced eyelet-reinforced apertures 32 are provided in strips 28 along the length thereof. Fastener means 22 further comprises a second fabric strip 34 secured along the length of one of its sides to sleeve portion 20 closely adjacent and parallel to border binding 16, as best shown in FIG. 3.

Another row of eyelet-reinforced apertures 36 are provided in strip 34 similarly spaced and positioned along the length of strip 34 so that each aperture aligns with the corresponding aperture 32 when sleeve side portions 20 and 18 are overlapped and drawn together as shown in FIG. 2.

Fastener means 22 further includes a plurality of single-handed lacings 38 spaced along the length of strips 30 and 34. Each lacing 38 comprises a plurality of closed looped cords 40 each of which is drawn over the top surface of strip 34 through two adjacent eyelets 36, from the underside of strip 30 through a corresponding pair of eyelets 32 and have their terminal ends fastened to one end of fastening strap 40. Strap 40 is provided with a fibrous surface for releasable adhesion to a matching fibrous surface on corresponding strip 42 stitched to end portion 20. Fastener strap 40 and strip 42 may be of the well known type marketed under the trademark "Velcro."

As previously indicated, sleeve 10 comprises a plurality of layers 12 of protective fabric material. I have found that in order to provide a light-weight flexible protective sleeve 10 with good resistance to puncture by canine teeth and the ability to limit in-depth penetration, fabric layers 12 may advantageously variously comprise ballistic type nylon material 44 and nylon mesh material 48. I have found to be particularly suitable for such purposes, nylon mesh sheet material of 840 Denier and ballistic type nylon sheet material having a weight of 11.9 ounces per square yard.

Ballistic type nylon sheet material shown in FIG. 4 is characterized by its closed weave, i.e., the absence of any gap between adjacent parallel strands 46 thereof, thus presenting a continuous sheet surface which is highly resistant to puncture by a sharp object such as canine teeth.

Nylon mesh sheet material shown in FIG. 5 is characterized by a close but not completely closed weave, so that there are small gaps 50 between parallel yarns 52. Because of the strength of the nylon yarns 52 and their weave, such nylon sheet material 48 resists forced enlargement of the gaps 50 or tearing when a wedge shaped element such as a canine tooth penetrates material 48.

I have found that in order to provide good protection for the wearer's arm from canine bites, it is advantageous that the outer layer 12a of sleeve 10 comprise ballistic type nylon sheet material 44 and that at least one interior layer comprise nylon mesh material 48. Thus, the outer ballistic nylon layer 12a tends to prevent initial penetration, i.e., puncture, of sleeve 10 by canine teeth. Should the dog being trained manage to effect initial penetration, i.e., through outer layer 12a, however, it becomes essential that further penetration through sleeve 10 be limited in order to avoid injury to the wearer. Since nylon mesh material 48 is particularly resistant to in depth wedge penetration by virtue of its yarn and weave strength, such material comprises at least one of the inner layers.

Should the canine teeth manage to penetrate both the outer ballistic nylon layer 12a and the inner nylon mesh layers it is important that such penetration not go beyond the innermost layer of sleeve 10 whereby the wearer's arm would be vulnerable to injury. Accordingly, the innermost layer 12e may advantageously comprise ballistic nylon material 44.

Obviously, resistance of sleeve 10 to penetration by canine teeth will increase with an increase in the number of layers of ballistic nylon and nylon mesh material. The number of such fabric layers must be limited, however, in order to preserve the required flexibility in the sleeve 10 for reasons of comfort and freedom of flexure of the wearer's arm. In this connection, I have found that optimum resistance to canine tooth penetration with adequate flexibility is obtained by having the outermost layer 12a comprises ballistic nylon material 44, the next two inner layers 12b and 12c comprise nylon mesh material 48, and the next to last and innermost layers 12d and 12e respectively comprising ballistic nylon material 44. It has also been found that the intermediate nylon mesh layers provide a protective cushioning, i.e., absorption of the pressure from the canine bite.

The protective sleeve 10 may advantageously be worn by the agitator-trainer under conventional outer clothing such as a jacket whereby the dog being trained will be unaware of the protective sleeve.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous ommissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Canine training apparatus comprising a sheet of protective material having opposite side portions adapted to be drawn together to form a tubular sleeve suitably shaped to conformably receive the wearer's arm, said sheet of protective material including a plurality of overlying layers of material, at least the outermost top layer of said sheet comprising ballistic type nylon material and at least one of the intermediate layers of said sheet of protective material comprising nylon mesh type material.

2. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least the innermost bottom layer of said sheet of protetive material comprises ballistic type nylon material.

3. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least the innermost bottom layer of said sheet of protective material comprises ballistic type nylon material and at least one of the intermediate layers thereof comprises nylon mesh material.

4. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein two of the intermediate layers of said sheet of protective material comprise nylon mesh material and one of the intermediate layers thereof comprises ballistic type nylon material.

5. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 3 including adjustable fastener means linking said opposite side portions to permit conformable adjustment of said apparatus on the wearer's arm.

6. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said adjustable fastener means comprises single-handed lacing means secured to said opposite side portions for drawing said opposite side portions together.

7. Canine training apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said lacing means extends substantially along the length of said opposite side portions.