Beginning Steps to Training Your Dog

Our training is always about how a dog thinks and how best to get the responses we‘re looking for. The following are descriptions of some of our procedures. This is only an overview of some of the early training sessions. Keep in mind, it can vary with individual dogs and many of the training steps overlap each other. In addition, each step of the training takes as long as it takes. Don’t get in a hurry. If you are having a hard time explaining to your dog what you want, back up and make sure your dog has an understanding of these basics.

 

First, a dog must know he has power over the bird. You must bring out his predator instincts. Before any training can start, get him into birds. Let him learn to hunt. How to find scent, use the wind, find, stalk and chase birds with no pressure. It’s also important at this stage that he be allowed to catch a bird or two.

 

At this early stage, while the dog is being allowed to find, bump and chase birds, it’s time to begin introducing the gun. Put out a quail with some wing feathers pulled or a small piece of cardboard tied to it’s leg. When the dog is chasing and just about to catch the bird, from a distance, fire the training pistol. Watch his response. If his focus stayed on the bird when the shot went off, he’s doing fine. Throughout this training, be sure that his desire for the bird is always greater than his concern about the gunshot. If he shows any nervousness about the shot, stop. Put him on more birds and let him chase. Keep him excited about birds. Soon you can repeat this procedure using a shotgun at a distance. You get the idea. If you take your time and introduce the gun slowly and gradually, the pup will have no problem with gun shyness. The sound of the gun going off means birds.

    

When he is fired up about birds and has been introduced to the gun, it’s time to get a handle on him. We are going to teach him two basic things with the pinch collar and check cord. The Stop/stand still command and the “here” command. 

 

 It's important to keep the lessons short and positive. For instance, in the Stop/stand still comand, I'll often reward and release him before he takes a step instead of always waiting for him to make a mistake and then correcting him. I want to thank him for doing as I ask,  not just correct him for making mistakes.

In teaching these commands, we don’t do any yardwork. That can get boring to a dog. Soon, they don’t enjoy it. All of these steps are taught in the training field. After a short training session, we’ll often take the dog out on the checkcord to work a bird. Keeps his interest up.

 

We begin teaching Stop/stand still in the field around birds but not when the dog is actually working a bird. We want him calm and focused, not pumped up with a nose full of scent. When we begin teaching this command, we stay close to the dog. I'm right next to him and I have a hold of the leather pinch collar. To teach the Stop/stand still command, I use a gentle, but quick,  jerk and release straight up. That's the cue. When he moves a foot, I give the jerk again. Soon I can begin taking a step or two away, always ready to jerk the collar if he moves a foot.  Timing is everything. I go easy. I don't want to confuse him or make him nervous. When he does what I ask, I always give him a couple of strokes for a job well done and give him a release command (I use a couple of quick pats on his shoulder). Once he begins to understand this, I'll condition him to the e-collar.

 

Here is how I condition him to the e-collar. I take him for a walk on the 12 foot checkcord. As we're walking, I'll begin tapping the momentary button on the e-collar starting on the lowest level and working up slowly. As soon as I see any reaction, (turn of the head, blink of the eyes, dog stops walking, closes his mouth, etc.) that's the level I'll start him at. If he shows any negative reaction or gets nervous, the level is too high.

 

Back to the Stop/stand still command. Once he is conditioned to the e-collar, I'll begin associating it to the Stop/stand still cue and the pinch collar. I keep the stimulation level very mild. Barely enough to feel. I want the dog to see the pinch collar cue and the tap with the e-collar as the same thing. With the dog standing next to me, I'll give him the Stop/stand still cue (tug on the pinch collar) and, at the same time, I'll tap with the e-collar. I don't want him to think the tap is a correction, I want him to see it the same way he sees the checkcord and pinch collar, it's a cue. I'm showing him what I want. I continue using the pinch collar and the e-collar at the same time until he understands they are the same thing. To test his understanding of the e-collar, while walking him, I’ll give a very gentle tug with the pinch collar (Stop/stand still). So light I hope he ignores it and keeps walking. On his next step, I’ll tap him with the e-collar alone. I may even tap him a couple of times. If he stops, he is showing me he understands the e-collar cue. Another way I test his understanding of the e-collar cue is to put him in a Stop/stand still command and walk away slowly, while facing him. If he moves a foot, I’ll tap with the e-collar. If he understands, he will stop moving. Soon, I can use the e-collar alone.

 

Now my checkcord (the e-collar) is 1/2 mile long.  When using the e-collar, I'll always tap two or three times on the lowest level he responds to before I consider turning up the power. I find that the dogs stay motivated and happy and understand it sooner when the e-collar is used this way. I'm nagging the dog, giving him the opportunity to learn and to comply. I'm using the e-collar just like a checkcord to show the dog what I want.

 

As the dogs begin to understand the Stop/stand still command, we associate it with the flush of a bird (more on this later). When this training is complete, the bird will be the one giving the Stop/stand still (whoa) command.

 

Brad Higgins

Higgins Gundogs

"where the BIRD says "whoa"