Retriever Training Tips
Training Tips for RetrieversPraise & Pressure
In the world of training retrievers, an owner will repeatedly hear the terms “praise” and “pressure”, and when utilized properly in training sessions, these terms serve as invaluable tools.
Praise is an easy to understand term. When a dog obeys a command or performs well, then you praise the dog by expressing approval of its behavior. This approval re-enforces the dog’s good behavior and encourages the dog to continue this behavior.
Praise ranges from verbally telling your dog that it has done a good job to physically petting your dog after it successfully completes its training task. Praise proves very effective in simple obedience exercises, such as the “here” command. As you teach your dog the “here” command, you place your dog at a distance from you, and then you give your dog the command. If your dog starts over towards you, but it moves slowly or acts apathetic, you must utilize praise, such as clapping and stating “good dog”. Most dogs will wag their tail and start running to you. This well placed word or act of praise re-enforces that when you command your dog to come “here”, then they will run to you and be rewarded with a complement. Thus, your dog responds to pleasing you as the trainer.
Trainers utilize pressure, a use of controlled force, when a dog’s behavior needs to be adjusted or modified. Utilizing pressure encourages corrective action and a change in your dog's behavior.
Like praise, pressure is also effective in obedience tasks, but it is best used when reviewing obedience commands in a trained dog. Returning to the “here” obedience command, if your dog needs reinforcements each time you exercise it, then pressure correction would prove effective. For example, if you give your dog a command to come “here” and the dog starts out running to you, but then decides to stop and sniff an interesting spot on the ground, you must utilize pressure in order to correct this behavior. At this point, a loud and firm “NO” voice command, a nick with an e-collar, followed by a firm “HERE” voice command will get your dog's attention. Once you have the dog’s attention, you immediately give another “here” command. Your dog should start running to you. Once the task is successfully completed, then you may add in praise to re-enforce your dog’s success. If you don't use an e-collar or your dog has not reached this level of training, then a loud and firm “NO” voice command or a firm tug on the leash along with a “NO” voice command will usually work.
As I stated in the beginning, when utilized properly in any training session, “praise” and “pressure” prove invaluable as training tools.
Timing
Over the years, I have learned a great deal about training retrievers and teaching these dogs to be excellent hunting companions. One difficult training technique that many new trainers or owners know little about involves timing, specifically when to and when not to give pressure. For the purpose of timing, pressure is an actual physical response to a dog’s performance during a training exercise. This pressure reinforcement consists of a number of methods, such as a tap with a healing stick, a nick or a continuous stimulation with an e-collar, or a good loud firm “NO”. The timing of these applications is important when instructing in force fetching, when teaching obedience commands or when working a marked or blind retrieve.
One truth about training retrievers is that dogs usually remember only the last task they complete. Retrievers are also very place oriented. For example, your dog runs a marked retrieve, and it goes into a holding blind in the field to hide. If your bird boy or you give the dog a big correction while in the blind, then your dog will more than likely not go into the holding blind again. The dog connects the correction, and negative response or pressure, to that specific place. An even more problematic result occurs if your dog then avoids holding blinds altogether and runs wide of them. This avoidance could be a problem for hunt test or field trial dogs where a mark or a blind retrieve will call for a dog to run close to a holding blind.
In order to avoid this type of incident, you must make sure that you time your corrections properly; you correct your dog when your dog makes the mistake. The mistake and the correction must be simultaneous. For example, when you work on obedience, specifically the “sit” command, if your dog truly understands what is expected after this verbal command, your dog should sit immediately after the command is verbalized. If your dog does not sit immediately, then you must give the dog a small bit of pressure (either a nick with an e-collar, a tap on the butt with a healing stick, or a tug on the collar with a leash) at the moment of noncompliance.
There are many more examples of timing corrections. If for any reason you think that you are not doing these adjustments correctly, you should consult a professional trainer. I can assist you through the timing process so that your dog will respond properly and positively to timed corrections. As a result, your dog will become a better listener, a motivated retriever and an excellent companion.
Training the Gun-shy Retriever
As a gun dog trainer for retrievers, one question that I am asked repeatedly concerns breaking a gun-shy dog. As a professional trainer, I prefer to train a dog from the beginning not to succumb to gun-shyness. But when a gun dog owner unknowingly trains his dog to be gun-shy or scared of gun shots, I can help
One may unknowingly train his dog to be gun-shy in many ways. An owner may surprise his puppy by firing a gunshot directly over the puppy’s head. Also, some owners beat pots and pans around a puppy, without realizing that the dog is too young to respond with anything but fear.
Young puppies around six to seven weeks old, usually when they are just separated from their mother and litter, are ready to start gun-shy training. I begin the process by raising the pup inside the home. This method places the puppy around people and noise on a regular basis. This training is based in good socialization of the puppy. While inside the home, I play the television and stereo at loud volumes. I accomplish this acclimation by adjusting the volume to higher levels, steadily each day. Also, I will clap my hands in front of the puppy, so they can see where the noise originates. Hopefully, the puppy will become curious and come over to see the source of the noise.
The most effective training technique to conquer gun-shyness involves associating the sound of a gunshot with a retrieve, and one can accomplish this goal by utilizing retrieving games and retriever training.
Once your puppy retrieves well, and it has reached around 5 to 6 months old, you should find a friend who will serve as your thrower. Your friend should take a starter or blank pistol out into the field, starting a good distance from the puppy’s location. The distance should not be so far out that the puppy will not make a retrieve. Your thrower will make a noise to get your puppy’s attention; I use a duck call. As soon as the puppy looks to your thrower, then have him throw the bumper and shoot the pistol. If you play this retrieving game correctly, the pup will not worry about the sound of the pistol. Your puppy will simply want to get the bumper. As your puppy gets acclimated to this training, you can increase the distance of the retrieves by guiding your puppy further away from your thrower.
If you use two people to assist this training, then one will serve as your thrower, and one will serve as your shooter. As your puppy develops proficiency in this training exercise, your shooter should move closer to your puppy as your thrower works with the bumpers. After a period of time and practice, you will reach a point where your shooter stands right beside you and your thrower stands out in the field. At this stage, your puppy usually will not flinch at the sound of the gun. The puppy will associate the discharge of the gun with a retrieve.
After this stage, you may utilize a shot gun while you are working your dog. I use HRC primer shells to shoot over the beginner dog’s head. These shells are not as loud a regular shotgun rounds. Once the dog becomes acclimated to the HRC primer shells, you then utilize field trial popper shells. These shells make a loud boom, similar to live ammo, but you will not have to worry about a shot falling onto your thrower.
Here comes Inch, bringing back one of his favorite items . . .