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Previous Tips of the Month |
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August,
2003
What to do? What to do? If you're new at training and encounter a problem while
working a sequential program, the
best way to progress through it is to find
someone with experience willing to watch you
train your dog. If they are a good
teacher (and that is the key), their advice can
be like "gold". Knowing when and
who to ask for help is critical. It's usually
the "little things" which trip you up.
Obtaining specific and correct information is
much more likely to occur when the
training issue is seen in the proper
context.
September, 2003
Puppy! The very word conjures up all kinds of emotions. One very
important
thought should revolve around your future
expectations. An excellent goal is
to strive for a confident, learning mode pup that
understands the routine and
always seems prepared to accept whatever is
presented. This month's "Tip of
the Month " is to go to
Gun Club Labs
(link)
and check out their Sept/Oct "Tip
of the Month". The article is superb and your
puppy deserves it. Read and
apply the philosophy 24/7.
A finely trained, happy dog is a work of art. You are
the sculptor.
back to Home Page
Oct/Nov, 2003
So is your dog really in shape? Labs are special in that they like
to please, but going
that extra mile can quickly turn into disaster.
Two things which help to protect our
four legged hunters are correct
weight and physical conditioning. If the uplands are
a big time
issue, dogs are best able to run all day when you "see" some ribs. Taffey
is at 61 pounds now, and I thought she looked trim at 68.
What a difference in
performance 10% less fat makes!
Sprinting for marks does not condition a Lab for upland endurance. Taffey (and Lick)
spend about a month before upland hunting "roading".
For us, this means I ride a
mountain bike on dirt trails and the
dogs run several miles a day along with me. Dogs
deserve to be
prepared and handlers need exercise, too!
back to Home Page
Dec. 2003
Several years ago my grandsons started
piano lessons, and their music teacher taught
them (and reminded me) of a very important
concept. If you make a mistake, it takes
at least ten correct repetitions to remedy
the mistake. There appears to be a correlation
in dog training. So, if you “let” your dog
break, be prepared to spend quite a bit of time
(at least ten non-break/steady repeats) getting
back to the standard.
Is your dog steady to wing and shot? Does
your dog hold well on “whoa”? Will your
dog forge ahead on heel or occasionally
pre-cast? Maintaining standards should be a
way of life, and it’s kind of scary how
many things require constant maintenance! It's
hunting season and no one is around to
judge....................................except you!
Jan. 2004
Taffey and Kooly
are my last two pups. The
first four weeks have many similarities,
yet the pups are very different.
How does one deal with the unique makeup of each
pup?
One thing is critical...........…don’t compare.
Adjust and adapt to the immediate
needs.
Let them grow at their own rate and design
a “can do” schedule for the pup
at hand.
Predetermined expectations are a trap. It is
difficult at times to admit our
timeline is not
the same as the pup’s, but it is not about us.
We must nurture. What this means is let the pup be himself and
successful at it. The
pup's "boss" must be able to
realistically read the pup………not a timeline.
Decide what to do after
reading the pup.
March 2004
Learning how to train dogs is a long-term process. What you know
and can apply at
any one time is critical to the advancement of your
dogs. Dog training is somewhat
like chess "it depends a great
deal on how much you know. But, what you know
is really everything
you've learned, minus all you've forgotten.........and the
forgetting process is powerful."
Rolf Wetzell
Therefore, it would seem a daily record enhances “remembering” and
is a wise course
of action. It provides a reference with context.
This “paper trail” will provide quick
recollection and inhibit the
“forgetting process”. You will know more because you
have planned
to forget less.
June 2004
In watching Kooly's behavior (mental and
physical) it was apparent picking up bumpers by the
end ("cigaring")
is a habit created by either of two separate actions (avoidance
and/or discomfort).
In order to avoid starting this, a dummy
modification was created.
It eliminates one end and penalizes picking it up by the other plus
makes the dummy awkward to roll
and "mouth". The "Kwick
Bumper" is made using a regular 2" bumper and a 3" to 2" PVC
reducer.
Kooly quickly learned the "sweet spot" required for a
perfect pick-up and hold.
Here is a picture with Kooly and his "Kwick Bumper".
 May
25, 2004 |
July 2004
One thing I like to do with my sit
"imprinting" on young pups is to make it appropriate. What I mean by
that is don't have the pup sit as a meaningless exercise. I have my
pups sit before and after exiting a
crate, when putting on or taking
off a collar, before and after passing through any door, before
entering
my truck, on the tailgate of my truck when leaving (to make
them stop and to put on a collar), when
greeting someone and before
eating. If you add up the number of times these happen each day, it
is more
than enough and certainly sets the stage for solid, lasting
obedience. In those real life situations they
expect to sit and
actually start doing it even without a command. It becomes habitual
good manners.
August 2004
Avoidance is
something no one wants to see in a pup. However, when working with
a pup, avoiding
problems is an art. Keeping a pup from acquiring
bad habits is one of the easiest ways to have a really
well behaved
dog. Planning ahead and anticipating the issues that most pups will
“fall into” is what
experienced trainers do.
Crate training is one way of preventing a pup from getting into
trouble.
Supervision and
confinement
should be a puppy's way of life.
They grow up not knowing all the little “naughty” things that they
could be doing. You know…......all those things you want no part of?
-
back to Home Page
September 2004
Pressure is a
perceived force which effects the behavior of your dog by impacting
mental reactions and
physical performance. Fairly applied pressure
can create useful stress which in turn enhances growth.
It is
important to continually monitor how well your dog handles pressure.
As a relatively new trainer working on hunt test and field trial
skills, I must continually check my dogs'
progress plus my own. The
toughest call is to distinguish the difference between lack of
effort and
confusion. Dogs don't plan to make you look
bad or want to fail. The emotional make-up of a trainer
requires patience, compassion and understanding when "pressuring" a
dog. Keep it simple!
October 2004
I
have a pup that will be hunting for the first time. What does he need?
Well, we’ve done some “roading”
to improve
his conditioning for hunting in the uplands. Steady to wing and shot is
especially an important
focus and he
will be given a review of the proper handling of pheasants.
Kooly has seen single marks out of the boat into and beyond decoys
with a steady to release focus.
Training with the boat blind up
allows him see and hear a bit of what it will be like. He will know
how
to sit quietly. In addition, Kooly is learning how to exit the
boat and enter via the ramp. By the time a
real hunt occurs, he
will experience several trips in the boat. In the excitement of the
real thing, the
plan is to have him know the rules and be familiar
with what is expected.
back to Home Page
Nov-Dec 2004
How do you know
what to do when things just don’t seem to be going well? It is very
easy to drift into
doing too much of one thing. A simple approach
to identifying the problem is checking the balance
in a dog's
training. A journal can prove valuable by providing an inventory of
daily events. If
not, still
try to make an itemized list of the
frequency and duration of things like marks, blinds, maintenance
drills, bird exposure, obedience work and hunting trips. Review
your dog’s health status including any
vet checkups plus
realistically
appraise the
dog’s physical conditioning.
After analyzing the data to pinpoint areas that have been neglected,
a plan can be put in place to
correct apparent deficiencies. A
happy, well functioning hunting dog needs balance. Balance
enhances
the ability to maintain a high degree of personal
confidence
and maximize performance.
Doing this check-up may prove to be an
easy, quick, mechanical method of putting your dog back on
the right
track.
Jan - Feb 2005
First time
breeder? or thinking about it? When looking at the hypothetical litter, develop
a rationale.
Make a list
of why this breeding should take place by answering these questions.
1. Can the pups become AKC registered?
2. Have the parents been screened by OFA and CERF.
3. What is the primary reason for producing the litter?
4. How many people have seen your dog work in the field? that like her?
5. Has anyone remarked, "You know, if and when you breed her, I would like a
pup?
6. Have you discussed the breeding with prospective buyers (before breeding) ?
7. What is the primary reason the stud was selected? Which other studs were
looked at
and why were they passed over?
8. Where are you going to whelp the litter?
9. Do you have detailed plans on how the litter is going to be cared for?
socialization plan?
10. Is your vet aware of this breeding?
11. Do you have references in place?
12. How much money have you spent on caring for and training the dog in
question?
13. If your dog has titles, why? if not titled, why not?
14. Would you still breed the litter if you only break even? Why?
15. How many puppies do you think will have deposits before they are born?
16. Is there a plan in place to handle the paper work - health guarantees,
registration, vet
clearances (CERF'd pups, micro-chips, health) and shipping & pick-up
alternatives.
17. Are you keeping a pup? Why?
18. Are you screening potential buyers? Why? and How?
All these
questions should have answers. There will be a trend.
July - Aug 2005
Training issues happen....especially to new trainers. A good
way to get an overview of a difficult
problem is to access one or
more of
the training forums listed in the Favorites page and use the
search
function. Posting up a new topic will get a few replies, but
generally most issues have
already been covered many times before.
Read the feedback and learn the terminology. This will
give
you the foundation to ask better questions more specific to your
dog's needs.
Sept - October 2005
A training tab on a young
dog is a common technique used to maintain control. Teaching obedience
and line manners are simplified. It consists of a choke collar/pinch
collar and a 12” piece of poly-rope.
I prefer the
choke collar, but in some cases the pinch collar is more useful.
An older dog can benefit greatly by using it as a simple maintenance tool in the yard and with short
set-ups where potential “hang-ups” are non-existent. The week before a hunt test line manners can
be easily “refreshed” by using it in combination with “in-your-face” breaking birds and a high level
of training action at the line. Enhancing corrections with no retrieve and removal from the line will
cause most
dogs to respond in a positive manner to these specific reminders of what the standards
are supposed to be. Test results are usually determined by what happens at the line.
November - January 2005-6
One day this past summer
I went to see a pro trainer. He was preparing to do some OB yard work
with his
young dogs, so I pulled up a chair to observe. After watching the lessons for
about an hour,
my mind
finally realized what I saw. Basically, I'm thinking this is something that
should definitely
be added to
my "tool box". The check cord may end up in storage. He was using a Flexi-lead.
Pushing the
stop button and releasing it at the precise moment kept the dog under control
and in
position
while never being "in the way". With a little practice the Flexi-lead appears
to be a solid
innovation
for yard work. The whole gamut of remote sit, here, heel, front and side finish
was
covered.
De-bolting was done by using a remote sit with "here" past an open gate to an
airing yard.
The process
was slick..........quick and very efficient. Be flexible when teaching.
February - 2006
So just when do you start asking your pup to behave? Early expectations are a pup should be a
good citizen around the house – like not biting or jumping up on people, house broke and learning
a routine. Formal obedience is eventually going to begin, but when? The fear of “taking drive out”
too early may cause an inexperienced trainer to overcompensate and allow a pup to turn into an
unruly, difficult pup. There are markers for the beginning of official OB - 1) permanent teeth are in,
2) the pup is mature enough to handle pressure, 3) the pup is confident and brave, 4) the pup has a
great interest in birds, 5) the pup is enthusiastic about retrieving and 6) the pup understands basic
rules and a daily structure. If all of those are in place, “clamping down” (known as formal
obedience) is next. A good axiom to follow when working toward a high level of OB is to seek
perfection. If a concern for any OB issue occurs, a good rule to follow is to “never, ever let him
do that”................soon.
March - 2006
Here are some of ideas about "fun bumpers". 1) If Daisy just finished a good session where she
learned something, the last thing I want her to remember.......won't be "happy bumpers".
2) If
Daisy just had an issue that didn't go well and she's obviously "down", I'd rather the last thing she
remembers is....it wasn't all that bad. 3) If I have a soft dog that needs to be "hyped up" a bit (kind
of like an adrenalin rush) to do well in drill work, Kooly may get a "happy bumper". 4) If I have a dog
that is a "manic" trainer, Taffey doesn't need "happy bumpers".
So in summary, I use "happy bumpers" to get a dog excited so he will perform better or for the
opposite effect to make a dog forget. It seems contrary that if you can make a dog forget that you'd
want to do that after a good session. Attitude is a tough thing to develop, and
"fun bumpers" can
have a great impact if used wisely. As always........timing is everything.
April, May, June - 2006
What happens when a
dog starts relying on their nose so much that they get lazy about marking?
That's the central issue. It's all well and good that a dog will use its nose (though some of us would
rather most such weren't "down on the ground") to hunt up a missed mark, but developing a dog that
misses precious few marks in the first place should carry the most weight in the training balance. Even
for strictly field use, where marking accuracy isn't graded, per se, and marks very often swim or walk
away from where they fell, thus requiring a dog to use its nose, getting to where the bird fell and the
scent trail begins as promptly as possible is still central to efficiency.
As long as a dog is marking keenly, I'll throw some orange bumpers and high weeds in the marking
mix to put nose in play as well as sight, but when too much hunt starts to rear its head, we go back to
white bumpers, short grass and/or prominent landmarks to put Pup's focus back on sight............
.........by Rick Hall
July - September - 2006
Don't start
pups with the "here" command around the house or with a check cord. My
pups (early on) are
taken for daily "romps"
in isolated, safe areas. During these walks in exciting, new places, they
eventually
start to venture away. At
times, they will want to check back with you. Seeing this action, you kneel down
and say "here" a couple
of times (they are almost desperate in their returns). You get "happy" with them
and show (with animation)
how wonderful the "here" word is. Try to get two or three of these "situations"
to
occur every day (don't
wear it out). The pup will forever think "here" is a wonderful word, and recalls
will
be much easier to
formally teach and maintain.
Also, properly introduce
the use of a check cord (if you are going that route). This is done
gradually.......and
not suddenly when you are
frustrated with failing efforts to get a pup to come to you. After the pup has
gone
through early imprinting
of the "joy of here", then the check cord (properly introduced) can be used to
enforce
the command or the
alternative may be used (around four/five months old.....e-collar). My pups are
"here"
imprinted, leash broke,
graduate to a Flexi-lead and collar conditioned to "here" before formal OB (no
check
cords).
Note: A properly
imprinted "here" mode makes puppy retrieves much more fun for all.
"Here" first......"Retrieves" after.
October - December - 2006
The precocious pup
versus a slower developing pup present an interesting training choice -
how to deal with
maturity and skill building. A quick
puppy is able to do just
about anything that is asked. What's sometimes
ignored is how they
mentally cope with all the "stuff" thrown at them. The pressure to
assimilate is hidden
by their drive and joy to perform. So the trainer moves on without the pup actually knowing "what the heck
is going on". They
grow up without a solid, deep understanding of the basics which in the long run may
become a lifelong "ball and chain" so to speak.
The slower maturing dog has a built in filter that causes skill levels
to develop more evenly with the mental
ability to handle life's
lessons. In no uncertain terms, the pup truly tells you when he
is ready to move on.
This allows the trainer to fully develop
foundations that support advanced learning while the "early" pup
peaks
out "early".
What's the old training axiom? "Train a fast dog................slowly." The "fast" puppies need time to get their
"mental"
strength in tune with the pace of daily lessons. A to Z in dog
training is not a race and the front
runner does not always win.
January - February - 2007
The dog hates pressure. Yep, time to think
"outside of the box". Kooly was a bit like that......he needed
a reason
for it all. So we just went hunting. He began to think "Hey, this is fun
and you are not that bad
after all." The dog is only responding to what
was done to him and baggage is not easily displaced. You
have to
redefine each others' roles.
Sometimes in training you get to the point where judgments were wrong
and you end up at a "bridge too
far". You might have to carry pom-poms
and wear a cheering outfit, but get the dog into having fun again.
Work
at convincing the dog there is joy in what he is doing. Going back just
doesn't work very well. Move
into another totally different area. It
helps to be a clever con man.
Things that worked for Kooly were 1) hunting upland, 2) lots of birds
when marking, 3) sticking to drills that
were perceived as fun, 4)
cheering was good and nagging was not, 5) regular "roading", 6) being
more
predictable/consistent and 7) fun bumpers (lots of them). What
actually happens is the dog begins to
appreciate teaching and usually
learns how to respond properly to pressure.......which wasn't
happening
before.
I've been to the "bridge too far". The view is not pretty. Two
months for recovery is not nearly enough, so
accept it as a long-term
project.
March - June - 2007
In the past, every
once in awhile, I would write an evaluation of my dog's progress. This would result in
some training changes designed to work on problem areas.
The weather has been very cold lately, and time was abundant. So, I am into organizing an "inventory"
for each dog. To start with, each dog's strengths and weaknesses are listed. The plan is to take advantage
of what they do well and work at reducing "holes". By writing it down, a training program can be
developed to produce a better dog (in
theory).
Since, I have always kept training journals, the focus will not be lost. As the year "plays out", we will see
how this works. Here are the "inventories" for Daisy and Kooly.
July - December - 2007
The phrase "He never does this in training before.....so there is nothing to correct" comes up quite often
when discussing the “test wise” dog. How do you deal with it in training? I’ve had my share of working
on this issue. However, running this lament past by pro friend (again) brought on this comment. "If he isn't
doing it in training........you aren’t trying hard enough." This has determined the main theme in Kooly’s
recent training. Kooly is only vocal (barking) in hunt tests. He’d creep, and the judge would say, “Re-heel
your dog”. Kooly would then bark during a reluctant re-heeling process, but there are really two
problems – creeping and vocalization.
There are several possible solutions. Also, there are many that seem to think this is an extremely difficult
problem to solve...because it is. I accept the fact he may have gotten where he is now by mistakes I may
have made earlier, so it becomes a challenge to figure out how to correct this.
January - 2008
Every year about the same time (January 1st), resolutions and goals are stated and listed. My favorite
question has always been “What are your goals with the dogs for the year?” In the past, it seems listing
things like progressing to a higher level in training, participating in events, earning titles and finishing the
year with great hunting trips was the norm. In retrospect, it was more of a dream list. The philosophy
was to “aim high.............you might hit something".
To a certain extent good things did happen. However, aiming high presents an interesting challenge.
Consistently hitting lofty targets requires solid skill building. It is "all well and good” to identify the
destination, but what about the maps to get there?
Therefore, the 2008 New Year will start with a
"short Kwick list”. In theory, if the “Kwick” list
is satisfied.......anything else will be a bonus. The theme is “Better
Aiming & Less Wishing”.
"The List”
1. heel correctly..........in spite of high drive
2. sit quietly.....in spite of great temptations
3. balance.......keep it "tasting good", using
Julie’s list –
responsiveness, retrieving,
“birdiness”, focus & control
4. have fun..............no grinding
July - 2008
Kooly's Plan (the continuation Link)
Daisy's 2007 Inventory (link)
2008 ?
Kooly's 2007 Inventory (link)
2008 ?
Taffey's (coming soon)