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Hunting & Saftey Tips
Hunting Dog Training
View hunting dog instruction and training techniques
on using training dog collars as well as basic safety tips.
Remember YOU are responsible for safety. What you read here are
guides only. Be Responsible
Collapse All / Expand All
YOU MUST BE SAFE 110% OF THE TIME A SPLIT SECOND MISTAKE
CAN CAUSE A LIFETIME OF REGRET AND SUFFERING
· Have you noticed that no one has ever been shot with a gun or rifle that was
unloaded? The only assumption is that every firearm is loaded.
· Every time you pick up a firearm, the first thing you should do is check to see if
it is loaded. Open the chamber. If you don’t know how ask.
· The muzzle should always be pointed in a safe direction. Control the direction
of the muzzle at all times.
· Do not accept a firearm until someone has safely shown you that it is not loaded.
· Always keep the safety on until ready to fire; however, the safety should never be
a substitute for safe firearm handling.
· Unload firearms when not in use. Leave actions open, and store firearms in their
cases when traveling.
· Know how your equipment operates. Store and transport firearms and ammunition
separately and under lock and key.
· Use gun or trigger locks and guards when not in use and keep out of the reach
of children.
· Everyone in the household needs to understand the consequences that can happen
if firearms are mis handled. They need to understand and be able to implement the
firearms safety guides. Safety needs to be reinforced continually so it becomes
a wayof life.
·
ALWAYS know your target and what’s beyond it before you pull the trigger.
Know what is in front of and behind your target.
· When out in the field be sure you know where your companions are at all times.
· Always carry handguns with hammers over an empty chamber or cylinder. If you fall,
be sure to disassemble the gun and check the barrel from the breech end
for any obstruction.
· Alcohol and firearms do not good mix. Drugs are out of the question. Horseplay is
prohibited.
· Control your emotions when it comes to safety. If you lose emotional control accidents
happen.
· Be aware of additional circumstances that may require additional caution or safety.
.
· Be alert at all times. REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST.
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How Do I Put On My Training Dog Collar
Place the training dog collar on the dog’s neck.
The collar should be at the high side of the dog’s neck, up close to his head.
The neck is thinner there, and the collar cannot slide down to the thick
portion of the neck. If you place the collar low on the neck, near the collarbone,
the collar may slide up and cause the censors to fail to make contact;
stimulation will thus be inconsistent. You should be able to slip two fingers
under the electronic collar to ensure a proper fit.
For the proper stimulation level see "How Do I Find The Right Level Of
Stimulation On My Training Dog Collar"
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How Do I Find The Right Level Of Stimulation On My Training Dog Collar
Here's how find the proper level of stimulation: We refer to it as "low
level stimulation":
If the stimulation is so low the dog cannot feel it, or if the stimulation
is so high that the dog is in pain, it,s at the wrong level. We don't ever
want to cause pain in our animals.
To find the proper level of stimulation, place the collar on the dog’s neck.
The collar should be at the high side of the dog’s neck, up close to his head.
The neck is thinner there, and the collar cannot slide down to the thick
portion of the neck. If you place the collar low on the neck, near the collarbone,
the collar may slide up and cause the censors to fail to make contact;
stimulation will thus be inconsistent. You should be able to slip two fingers
under the electronic collar to ensure a proper fit.
With the dog on a check-cord or lead, turn the continuous stimulation on
at the lowest level and look for a reaction from the dog. Maybe the dog
looks around curiously. Perhaps he was wagging his tail and stops
wagging, or an involuntary twitch occurs at the neck. You are trying to find
the lowest level that the dog feels. If the dog does not show any signs of feeling
the stimulation, move up one level and repeat. Once you have established
the lowest level of stimulus that the dog feels, that's the proper level to use when
training him.
Depending on a dog’s past history and temperament, you may have to use
higher levels during training, but always go with the lowest level of stimulus
that your dog responds to.
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Basic Obedience Training
A series of articles by George Hickox
For more than 30 years, George Hickox has been one of the world’s foremost dog trainers
and is known for his unparalleled relationship-centered electronic collar training. He has
trained numerous field champion dogs and National High Point Champions. His training videos
and schools have claimed top honors by the Outdoor Writers of America and Videographers A
association.
Introduction
Welcome to the world of electronic training. The focus of this primer on training with
low-level stimulation is to help dog owners better understand how dogs learn. As with any
dog-training method, there is a right way and a wrong way. Training with a program of low-level
stimulation develops happy and obedient dogs – dogs that respond to commands with excellence
and with tail-wagging enthusiasm.
Using low-level electronics in a consistent training program is easy for owners to do and
even easier for dogs to understand. Training with low-level stimulation is safe and humane. There
are many myths surrounding the electronic collar, but by taking the time to understand how your
dog learns and the basics of low-level-stimulation training, you can develop bold, confident, and
happy dogs that respond to commands with style.
Dogs learn by association, as Pavlov’s canine studies fully demonstrated. Pavlov rang a bell
and then offered food to the dog. He did this repeatedly until, after a number of consistent
repetitions of his ringing the bell and presenting food, the dogs began to salivate upon hearing
the bell alone, before the food was even offered.
Because the food presentation always followed the sound of the bell, the dogs anticipated and
expected that a snack was soon to come once they heard the ringing. In other words, the dogs
developed an association between the ringing of the bell and the presentation of food.
The pairing of bell ringing with food presentation was consistent. Pavlov always offered
the food immediately after ringing the bell. Consistent repetitions are the key to successful
dog training.
Another thing to keep in mind is that dogs are also highly motivated to act in their own best
interests. Successful trainers take advantage of this motivation along with the canine’s strong
powers of association.
In obedience training, as with more advanced training, we want to create a conditioned
response to a specific cue or command. In Pavlov’s experiments, he developed a dog that
automatically salivated when the bell rang. As trainers, we are striving instead to train a dog to
respond to commands such as “Kennel,” “Sit” or “Whoa,” “Here” or “Come,” and “Heel” the first
time we give the command. We want to develop a conditioned response. We want the dog to sit
every time we command “Sit” – not occasionally, but all of the time. It is not a democracy; the
commands are not subject to a vote. If a dog is chasing a cat, bird, or another dog that is running
out into the road, we want the dog to respond to the “stop” command (sit or whoa) immediately.
We do not want the dog to ignore the command because he would rather keep on chasing. We
love our dogs and want to keep them out of harm’s way. There is no better way to protect them
than through training. The goal in training is to teach dogs to comply to commands with a
conditioned response, a response that they don’t think about each time they hear a command.
This means we must be consistent.
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First Steps In Dog Training
The first steps in teaching any command are the more repetitions the better. Ideally, start as
soon as the new puppy joins the family. It is easier to put an eight to twelve-week-old puppy into
a kennel crate than a seventy-five pound two-year-old dog that insists on refusing entry. But even
for the two-year-old delinquent, the “Bed” command is the start of the first step towards becoming
an obedient and compliant dog.
When you first start hold the dog by the collar or physically pick up a puppy and place the
student into the crate while saying “bed, bed, bed” in a gentle, upbeat tone. Think of Pavlov’s bell
as “ding, ding, ding,” not “clang, clang, clang.” Praise the dog or give him a treat.
Do not take the approach of “Let’s see what happens if ….” Resist the urge to give the
“Bed" command without holding onto the dog to see what he will do. If the dog does not go in,
either you will be forced to let him get away with it, and thereby teach him that he has options,
or you will have to discipline him. Neither option is beneficial to your training program.
After numerous sessions with the “Bed” command, the dog will associate his going into his
bed with you saying “bed, bed, bed”. Be consistent; always repeat the “bed” command before
putting the dog into his crate.
The objective is to teach the dog what the command means. It is not to ensure that the dog
complies immediately upon hearing the command. Remember, we should never reward or correct
a dog if the dog cannot associate the reward or correction with a specific behavior. Think of this
analogy: If you adopted a child from a foreign country who does not speak English and you said
“go to bed” in English, the child would not know what “go to bed” means. If you disciplined the
child for failing to go to bed, it would not create trust. The child would not know why he was
disciplined. The same is true with dogs. We need to show first
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Get The Most Out Of Your Training Dog Collar
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Training dog collars are designed to assist your efforts in teaching your dog to easily comprehend and obey your commands, especially in the field. With a remote transmitter you can easily correct unwanted behaviors because you are able to give immediate feedback.
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Here are some tips on obtaining quick training results by using an electronic collar:
- Don’t just use your electronic collar only when training your dog. The first thing you need to do is to condition the dog to the collar by allowing him to wear it at all times instead of only putting it on directly before training. When you do this be sure that the transmitter is off so that there is no stimulation. This will cause confusion because your dog will try to associate the stimulation with an event going on at that time.
-Always use the proper amount of stimulation, which is the lowest level that your dog feels. When searching for the proper levels look for any change or response that your dog makes. Maybe he stops wagging his tail, or gives a slight twitch. That is the level you want. Because dogs learn by association he will associate the command you are giving him with the slight stimulation he receives from the collar.
-Train every day with short fifteen minute sessions. This will continue to build a bond with your dog and will give faster results during the training process.
-Remember training dog collars corrective pulse is non-directional; always use it away from people and other animals to avoid unnecessary signal interruptions.
-The first step in teaching a command is making sure that tour dog understand the command. Once this happens you can reinforce the teaching process in the field with an electronic collar. If your dog gets confused, and he will, give him gentle assistance and praise him for improvements. Positive correction and praises will improve your dog’s attitude towards training.
-As much as possible, keep the training session positive and short. Take note that certain breeds are always agitated particularly hunting dogs. Try to look for the positive changes and always end the training session on a high note. When your dog accomplishes a new command, stop training and play with him continuing to praise and reward him.
-Try to train your dog in a specific location like where you go hunting or a sport-related area so that your not distracted. Depending on the circumstances you might have to adjust the stimulation level up or down, depending on the exercise or distraction level.
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-Don’t depend on the electronic collar to eliminate any form of aggression or biting behavior. It’s better to contact a qualified professional dog trainer if your dog is exhibiting such aggressive behaviors.
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Teaching the Command “Bed, Crate, Kennel”
Use this command when you want your dog to enter their private area. You can
use any unique word but you must be consistent. This is the first command you need to teach
and of course the earlier the better. Because the dog is place oriented, it is easier for the canine
pupil to learn this command. For now let’s use the word "BED".
You should use this technique when teaching all future commands. So when teaching
the "bed"command, you must teach the dog to respond to the command the first time you
give it. The dog must learn that non-compliance will not work. A typical non compliance
action by your dog would be: running away, ignoring you, sulking or fighting. When this
happens and it will, be firm consistent but gentile. Remember you must be the leader.
This is an excellent opportunity to use "low level stimulation", because the dog will soon
learn that he can turn off low-level stimulation by himself and will therefore ultimately
learn that he can avoid the stimulation altogether by complying with the command the first time.
Your dog will also learn the concept of a “Safe Zone”. This concept can be
used in teaching other commands: “here,” “heel,” “sit,” or “whoa”.
Teaching the “Bed” command provides the foundation for all future electronic collar
training for basic obedience, as well as for more advanced training.
The reality is that the fewer inconsistent commands the dog has had in the past, the
easier it will be to teach the “Bed” command. The reason for this is that a dog that has had
inconsistent commands and enforcement of those commands develops a habit of non-compliance.
Although such a dog may like and trust his owner, he does not respect his owner. In other words,
he does not perceive the owner as the leader of the pack. Reprogramming the behavior of such a
dog may take a little longer (more repetitions) than it would in the case of a younger dog that has
not developed bad habits. However, all is not lost. The teaching of this first command will set the
stage for all future training efforts. Just be consistent and patient.
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Get The Most Out Of Your Training Dog Collars
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Training dog collars are designed to assist your efforts in teaching your dog to easily comprehend and obey your commands, especially in the field. With a remote transmitter you can easily correct unwanted behaviors because you are able to give immediate feedback.
|
|
Here are some tips on obtaining quick training results by using an electronic collar:
- Don’t just use your electronic collar only when training your dog. The first thing you need to do is to condition the dog to the collar by allowing him to wear it at all times instead of only putting it on directly before training. When you do this be sure that the transmitter is off so that there is no stimulation. This will cause confusion because your dog will try to associate the stimulation with an event going on at that time.
-Always use the proper amount of stimulation, which is the lowest level that your dog feels. When searching for the proper levels look for any change or response that your dog makes. Maybe he stops wagging his tail, or gives a slight twitch. That is the level you want. Because dogs learn by association he will associate the command you are giving him with the slight stimulation he receives from the collar.
-Train every day with short fifteen minute sessions. This will continue to build a bond with your dog and will give faster results during the training process.
-Remember training dog collars corrective pulse is non-directional; always use it away from people and other animals to avoid unnecessary signal interruptions.
-The first step in teaching a command is making sure that tour dog understand the command. Once this happens you can reinforce the teaching process in the field with an electronic collar. If your dog gets confused, and he will, give him gentle assistance and praise him for improvements. Positive correction and praises will improve your dog’s attitude towards training.
-As much as possible, keep the training session positive and short. Take note that certain breeds are always agitated particularly hunting dogs. Try to look for the positive changes and always end the training session on a high note. When your dog accomplishes a new command, stop training and play with him continuing to praise and reward him.
-Try to train your dog in a specific location like where you go hunting or a sport-related area so that your not distracted. Depending on the circumstances you might have to adjust the stimulation level up or down, depending on the exercise or distraction level.
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-Don’t depend on the electronic collar to eliminate any form of aggression or biting behavior. It’s better to contact a qualified professional dog trainer if your dog is exhibiting such aggressive behaviors.
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Dogs are Place Oriented
Because the dog has such a strong propensity to associate, he associates negatives
and positives with specific places. This means that as trainers we must reward or correct the
dog where the desired or undesired behavior occurred. If we command the dog to sit at
point A and the doginstead moves to point B, 20 yards away, it is a mistake to reprimand the
dog at point B. The dog Willl associate the correction with what he is doing at point B. As a
result, the dog will not associate the correction with the failure to comply with the “sit” command
at point A and will have no idea what is wrong with what he is doing at point B. This will lead
to apprehension, confusion, and lack of trust.
We can incorporate the dog’s natural inclination to be place oriented throughout our
training. Teaching a dog to stop and stay stopped, heel, respond to the recall command, or stay
out of the garbage all involve place orientation. As trainers, we can take advantage of the dog’s
characteristics and make them work for us, not against us. It is also important to understand that,
in addition to rewarding or correcting the dog at the place where the behavior occurred, the trainer
must respond quickly. For example, if we command, “Here,” and the dog runs away, correcting
the dog five minutes later or when we finally catch him at a different place will be counter productive.
The dog will not associate the correction with originally failing to abbey the “here” command.
Rewarding or correcting the dog at the place where the act occurred soon after its occurrence is
important for the dog to make the desire association.
In every pack there is a leader, and one leader only. Our dogs must perceive us as the
leader of the pack or they will do whatever they want whenever they want to do it.
This does not mean we should be harsh with our dogs. It does mean we must first
show our dogs what we want of them, incorporate consistent repetitions in all of our teachings,
and understand that dogs are place oriented. Good trainers are patient mentors who do not have
unrealistic expectations of theirdogs. We should think of ourselves as teachers, not hard
disciplinarians, while at the same time being fair and benevolent dictators.
If we are consistent, give a command only once, reward for success, and correct for
non-compliance at the proper place, the dog will perceive us as a trusted leader. It is a dog’s
nature to test, but there will be much less testing if we are consistent, understand how a dog
learns, what motivates him, and train him in a dog’s language. You and your dog will be
happier and more successful as a result.
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Dogs Don't Understand English
Unfortunately, far too many dog owners operate under the false perception that their
dog innately understands what they are saying. It is common to hear someone say, “My dog is
really smart”. The problem is that even really smart dogs need to be shown what a command
means numerous times before they get it. Attributing too many smarts to a dog may lead the
owner to thinking his dog will know what behavior is expected in response to a particular
command after being shown only a few times. The result is that the owner may correct the
dog for non-compliance when the dog does not understand why he is being corrected. The
dog, by his nature, will associate the correction with something. However, the association the
dog makes may well not be the association the owner was intending. It is important to
understand that a dog should never be corrected if he does not understand why the correction
is taking place.
The take-home point here is that, before correcting a dog, it is imperative to show
him what is expected -- numerous times. We call the first stage of learning. Our objective is
to show the dog the response we are looking for when we give the command. The goal is to help
the dog understand. Error on the side of caution. If you think
the dog has “got it,” do some more.
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How Soon Do I Have To Disapline My Dog
When training our dog and he doesn't obey my wife tells me that waiting
ten to even five minutes to discipline our dog is too long. Is that an
exaggeration?
Your wife has a valid point because dogs learn by
association in regards to place and time. Not the time of day but the
very moment something happens. So if you see your dog doing
something wrong and you wait for a more convenient time to correct
him it's too late. Even if only ten minutes goes by. He will associate
what he is doing at the time of correction with your discipline which
may not be what you intend. This will cause confusion for the dog and
may inhibit future training success.
That's why today's training dog collars with a remote is such a
useful tool, It enables you to give correction the moment your dog
disobeys a command reducing confusion for your dog and giving
better results in your training efforts..
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The Bed or Kennel Command - Step by Step Approach
Teaching of the “bed” command, correctly, will make all dogs better companions
and will facilitate all future training efforts. For puppies it is easier to use a
karate with a door, but a nice bed will do too. This is going to be your dogs'
safe zone. Your dog should always be safe when he is in his kennel or bed.
The First Step
The more repetitions the better. Ideally, start as soon as the new puppy joins the family.
It is easier to put an eight to twelve-week-old puppy into a kennel, crate than a seventy-five
pound-year-old dog that insists on refusing entry. But even for the two-year-old
delinquent, the “Bed”command is the first step toward his becoming an
obedient and compliant dog.
Initially hold the dog by the collar or physically pick up a puppy and place the dog into the
crate while saying “bed, bed,bed,” in a gentle, upbeat tone. Think of Pavlov’s bell as “ding,
ding, ding,” not “clang, clang, clang.” Praise him or give him a treat. Do not take the
approach of “Let’s see what happens if …. Resist the urge to give the “Bed” command without
holding onto the dog to see what he will do. If the dog does not go in, either you will be forced
to let him get away with it, and thereby teach him that he has options, or you will have to
discipline him. Neither option is beneficial to your training program.
After numerous sessions with the “Bed” command, the dog will associate his going into the
bed with you saying “bed,bed,bed”. Be consistent; always repeat the “bed” command before
putting the dog into his crate. You what to make sure that the dog complies immediately
upon hearing the command. Remember, we should never reward or correct a dog if the dog
cannot associate the reward or correction with a specific behavior. Think of this analogy: if you
adopted a child from a foreign country who does not speak English and you say “go to bed”
in English, the child would not know what “go to bed” means. If you disciplined the child for
failing to go to bed, you will not create trust. The child would not know why he was disciplined.
The same is true with dogs. We need to first. repeat the command and when you think they
have it repeat it again.
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Find the Proper Level of Stimulation
Once you are sure the dog knows what the command means, the next step is to find the
lowest level of stimulation the dog feels. If the stimulation is so low the dog cannot feel it, or
if the stimulation is so high that the dog is in pain, it is the wrong level. To find the proper level,
place the collar on the dog’s neck. The collar should be at the high side of the dog’s neck, up
close to his head. The neck is thinner there, and the collar cannot slide down to the thicker
portion of the neck. If you place the collar low on the neck, near the collarbone, the collar may
slide up and cause the prongs to fail to make contact; stimulation will thus be inconsistent.
You should be able to slip two fingers under the electronic collar to ensure a proper fit. With the
dog on a check-cord or lead, turn the continuous stimulation on at the lowest level and look for
a reaction from the dog. Maybe the dog looks around curiously. Perhaps he was wagging his
tail and stops wagging, or an involuntary twitch occurs at the neck. You are trying to find the
lowest level the dog feels. If the dog does not show any signs of feeling the stimulation, move
up one level and repeat. Once you have established the lowest level the dog feels, that is the
level you will use when training him. Depending on a dog’s past history and temperament, You
may have to use higher levels during training, but eventually the dog will respond to the lowest
level he can feel.
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Stimulation – Command – Response
Once the dog understands what the command “bed” means and once the lowest level of
stimulation has been determined, it is time to begin formal training. Formal training is the
process of developing a dog to be motivated to respond to a given command with
excellence the first time the command is given. Start the dog on a check-cord or a long
lead. With the dog facing the bed or crate from four to six feet away, Press continuous
stimulation on the electronic collar at the lowest level the dog feels and then command
“bed” in an upbeat tone one time. If the dog goes into the kennel, turn the stimulation off
as soon as the dog is all the way in. If the dog does not go into the crate, keep the
stimulation on and put him in. When the dog is all the way in the crate, turn the stimulation
off. Do not repeat the command if he does not go in the crate. You are teaching the dog to
respond to the command the first time. For safety reasons, the electronic collar turns off in
eight to ten seconds, even if you are depressing the continuous stimulation button.
Therefore, you should get the dog into the kennel before the stimulation goes off. Praise the
dog when he is in the crate. It most likely will not take very many sessions before the dog
goes in the bed or crate upon feeling the stimulation, before you give the command. This is
your benchmark. Once the dog will go into his bed when he feels the stimulation, he then
knows how to turn the stimulation off by himself. Consequently, when he feels the
stimulation, he goes into the his bed to solve his problem. Dogs do act in their own best
interest therefore he is doing this for himself, because it works for him.
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Command – Stimulation – Response
When the dog goes to bed upon feeling the stimulation, it is time to move on. He has
learned to turn the stimulation off, and it is now time to teach him to avoid the stimulation
altogether. A benchmark for proceeding is when you know that he knows how to turn off
the low-level stimulation. It does not matter if the dog learns to turn the stimulation off by
going his bed on the first session or the fifth session. Keep the sessions short. Two
short sessions of three to five minutes are much better than one long session of fifteen
minutes. Your dog may not exhibit confidence right away in the Stimulation –Command –
Response phase of training. This will happen later. In the Stimulation – Command –
Response phase, you are teaching the dog to turn stimulation off. Your objective is to
teach the dog to avoid the stimulation altogether by complying with the command the first
time it is given. It is easier for the dog to learn to avoid the stimulation if he first knows how
to turn off the low-level stimulation. Once the dog knows how to turn the stimulation off,
never again stimulate him prior to giving the “bed” command. He will not forget how to turn
the stimulation off by going into his bed.
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Once he knows how to turn the stimulation off, advance to the Command – Stimulation –
Response stage of training. Within six feet of the kennel, command “bed” one time, turn
on the low-level stimulation, and turn the stimulation off when the dog is in the bed. In the
beginning, the stimulation must follow the command. It is the only way that the dog can
associate the stimulation with the command. After a few consistent repetitions, the dog
will anticipate that the stimulation will follow the command. The dog has made an
association so that the command and the stimulation now elicit the same response: the
dog goes into the bed. This will bring you and your dog to the Command – Response
stage.
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Command – Response
In this phase, the dog goes into his bed on the command the first time with no stimulation.
Build confidence by being upbeat. Reward the dog’s success. You may initially have a
few set backs, but with enough consistent repetitions your dog will reliably go into his bed
the first time you give the command. If the dog tests you and he will, do not repeat the
command. Simply apply stimulation until the dog obeys the command and goes into
his bed.
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The Safe Zone
The bed or kennel training has taught the dog the following:
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He can turn stimulation off by entering his crate or going to his bed..
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He can avoid stimulation altogether by complying with the command.
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Escape hatches do not work.
Additionally, he now understands the concept of a “Safe Zone.” When the dog was in his
bed, there was never any stimulation. Because the dog learns by association and is
place oriented, it does not take very many sessions before the dog grasps the Safe Zone
concept. You will use the Safe Zone concept for teaching other commands as well.
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Overview
Once you have taught your dog to respond to the "bed" command reliably and
enthusiastically, you already have a better-trained dog. The key is to keep the training
sessions short, be consistent, and reward success. As a guideline, the "bed" process
normally takes one to two weeks. Daily exercise with numerous short sessions is the key.
Unlike shooting from a still position in shooting skeet you have to react quickly and
squeeze the trigger without delay at the proper moment. You don’t have time for
the slow squeeze like when you’re shooting at stationary targets. This will be your
biggest challenge, getting the timing right. Shooting skeet also requires follow
through so continue tracking your target even after the shot has been fired.
Always remember SAFETY FIRST so before you move on to the next station be
sure your chamber is cleared, better yet open the breach until you’re in the next
shooting position and you are sure that everyone is out of range.
As in most sports in shooting skeet you need to be relaxed in both body and spirit.
To start off with make sure you have ample room to swing your shotgun so you
can track the target in both directions, keeping both eyes open. The butt of your
shotgun should be lightly braced against your shoulder for support when aiming
and when your gun recoils. You need the flexibility to freely lead the barrel in front
of the target. Remember you’re in control and the shooting cycle begins only after
you give the command.
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The “Sit” or “Stop” Command
The “sit” or “stop” Command, you can also use the word “whoa” instead of
stop just be consistent. If you have a pointing breed, you should teach your
dog “stop” before teaching him to“sit”. “Stop” means stand still. If the dog
is taught “sit” before he is taught “stop,” he may have a tendency to sit when
you want him to stand.
The first stage of teaching “sit” or “stop” is to make sure he understands
what the command means. Because a dog is place oriented, use a board for
him to sit on. The goal is to have your dog sit exactly on that spot every time
the command is given and it should only be given once. If he sits any place
else he has to be corrected. The board is simply a raised wooden platform big
enough for the dog to sit or stand on. It is set on two-by-fours, and the flat
surface is four inches off the ground.
To teach the command “sit,” walk the dog onto the board and gently say “sit,
sit, sit,” while pushing the dog’s rear into position. When the dog is sitting,
reward him with a piece of biscuit. To teach the command “stop,” walk the
dog on the board, stop, and say “stop, stop, stop.” When the dog is standing
on the board, reward him. After numerous repetitions on the board, the dog
will think of the board as a good place where he will be rewarded for sitting
or stopping. Place the board by the back door and have the dog “sit” or “stop”
before going outside. When he comes in, put him on the board and reward him
if he complies. As with any training the more training repetitions the better.
Continue to train in short sessions.
Once the dog knows what the “sit” or “stop” means it is time to begin
formal training for this command by using a training dog collar. Here’s
how it’s done:
For “sit,” place the electronic collar around the dog’s mid-section
with the contact points on the dog’s back. For teaching “Stop,” place the
electronic collar around the dog’s mid-section with the contact points on the dog’s
belly. Because the dog is place oriented, he will interpret stimulation on his rear to
mean “sit,” and stimulation on his belly to mean stand. Only use the collar on the
back for “sit,” and only use the collar on the belly for “stop”. All other electronic
collar work is done with the collar on the dog’s neck. This way the dog does not
become confused when you teach him other commands.
After the dog responds reliably off the board showing that he understands the
command, walk the dog onto the board, command “sit” or “stop,” and walk away.
If the dog comes off the board, apply low-level stimulation and put him back on
the board. When he is back on the board, turn the stimulation off. The board is
a Safe Zone.
When the dog remains on the board until you release him, move to the ground.
command “sit” or “stop”. If the dog moves, turn the stimulation on and put him
back on the imaginary board. The imaginary board is wherever he was when you
commanded “sit” or “stop”.
Walk the dog in the yard, turn on the low-level stimulation, and command “sit”
or “stop”. When the dog stops or sits, turn the stimulation off. Because the dog
already learned that he could turn stimulation off himself in the bed/ kennel
exercise, the first command that he was taught, he will quickly learn that he could
turn stimulation off by stopping. The dog also learned the concept of a Safe Zone
in the bed/kennel training and will quickly understand that when he sits/stop in the
place where he heard the command that is a Safe Zone.
Once the dog stops upon feeling low-level stimulation, he then knows how to
turn stimulation off by stopping or sitting. When this is accomplished, never put
stimulation on before giving the “sit” or “stop command again.
In summary:
-As with the “bed/kennel” drill, say the command, immediately and follow it with
the low-level stimulation. Turn the stimulation off when the dog sits or stops.
-In the yard with the dog off a lead, command “sit” or “stop”. If the dog
sits or stops, reward him. If the dog fails to comply, stimulate until he obeys
the comand.
What you want to develop is a conditioned response. When the dog hears
the command sit or stop and he complies with the command, avoiding stimulation
altogether you have succeeded. He responds reliably because it works for him.
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My Dog Is Gun Shy What Should I Do?
A major part of your gun dog training is to make sure that your dog is
not gun shy. This can happen when you first get a dog and he is not
use to loud noises around the house. Not a good thing in a hunting
dog. This can be easy to fix if done right.
Your dog should not be afraid of your shotgun. On the contrary he
should get excited when you take out your hunting gear because he
should associate these items with going out in the field, a fun time
for any hunting dog. The first thing to do is have your dog get use
to being around your shotgun. Open the breach and have him get
use to the scent, you can do this around the house. Start your gun
dog training in the field by bringing a friend with you. Have him take
your dog on a leash and go about a hundred yards away from you.
Fire your shotgun in the air and have your friend release the dog
when you call him. When he comes to you have him sniff the
shotgun and give him a special treat. Repeat this a few times at a
closer distance until he associates the gunfire with the treat and
praise.
Next try a Dummy Launcher which is a great tool to get your dog use
to the sound of a shot going off as well as chasing and retrieving an
item. The dummy is launched with a blank .22 caliber shell. With the
proper praise this can be exciting and fun for the both of you. Try it.
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Tune Up Your Hunting Dog
Before you take your dog out hunting you need to be confident that he has been properly trained and that no bad habits have crept in during the off season. Unless your dog is a seasoned hunter a dress rehearsal is needed. If not, your hunting trip will turn into a training trip resulting in frustration for you and your dog. Preparation is the key. Many hunters think their dog is ready for hunting because he's doing a good job of retrieving or completing other routine tasks. Unless your dog is a seasoned veteran you need to conduct gun dog training sessions with realistic hunting conditions before you actually go out in the field. Your dog wants to please you and is happiest when you're proud of the way he performs. The best ways to proceed is to breakdown the hunting process into basic segments and get your dog exposed to and trained to each situation. If you are going to do something different that you dog is not use to a pre hunt rehearsal is recommended.
Your gundog should already be accustomed to an electronic collar so reinforcement of basic hunting techniques should be straight forward. Training dog collars, properly used really facilitate gun dog training because when he senses low level stimulation he will associate it with disobeying a command and with positive reinforcement correct behavior will soon follow.
Here are some basic situations that you need to reinforce before hunting. Use this as a guide and add other situations to the process as it relates to you and your dog's situation:
What may seem simple to us may be a challenge if your dog is being exposed to the situation for the first time. Even if he has gone through gun dog training for this event in the past sometimes a refresher course may be needed. For example:
Going To Use Decoys For The First Time?
If you are going to use decoys it's obvious that your dog needs to ignore them but, is your dog aware of that? Your dog needs to be trained to leave the decoys alone before you go hunting. Don’t take this for granted. Do a practice run, set up a small spread of decoys on the lawn and walk the dog through them. Let the dog know you don't want him to pick up these decoys. The decoys are to be ignored.
After making the dog comfortable around the decoys to the point that he's not picking them up, you can test him by throwing a training dummy in the middle of the decoys and have him retrieve the dummy until he's very comfortable with the concept. You want to make sure the dog is comfortable moving around amid the decoys and not trying to retrieve them for you.
Has Your Dog Been In A Boat With You Before?
If you’re taking your dog hunting in a boat he should be a seasoned sailor before you take him out in the wild. If you know you're going to use a particular boat, a dry run is needed in that boat. In any event a dry run is needed regardless. You should expose the dog to the boat and make him comfortable in it before hunting. Load the dog in and out of the boat a few times until he's comfortable, you’ll know when he is because he will make it obvious. If possible, bring the boat to a lake or pond and let the dog make some short retrieves just like you would do during the hunt so he knows where he is supposed to sit and where his entry and exit points are. After he understands and can perform his role spread out six or seven floating decoys and make sure the dog will retrieve through the decoys.
When you are using a decoy spread keep the anchor strings as short as possible so the dog doesn't get tangled in them. A dog can become skittish of floating decoys if he gets tangled in the anchor string and the decoys bumps him a few times. You don't want that.
Using a Predator Call
Again pre planning in gun dog training is important as many dogs haven't heard a duck or goose call until the first time they hunt. This is much too late, because when they do hear it for the first time; they can't identify the noise or associate its purpose. This will cause excitement and confusion. The answer? You need to condition your dog to the predator call first. Use the call as part of your gun dog training program.
Gun Proofing Your Dog:
If your dog isn't use to the sound of a shot gun going off and is not comfortable around firearms in general you can't wait until the day of the hunt to "gun proof" your dog. You have to train him to react positively to a shotgun going off over his head before the hunt. The sound of a shotgun going off should be an exciting moment for your dog because if properly trained he should associate the shotgun blast with tracking and retrieving game. If your dog is a stranger to your shotgun he must be trained before the hunt. Begin by allowing your dog to get use to the sight and scent of the shotgun and start out by taking him out in the field an shoot away from him. Slowly adjust the process until you are shooting right over the dog. The object is to have the dog remain perfectly still as the shotgun goes off. You want to assimilate reality so as part of the process shoot the gun and throw a dummy for him to retrieve. You can also accomplish this by purchasing a "dummy launcher kit" which launches a dummy by firing a.22 shot. Once the dog gets used to this scenario he'll become more efficient when hunting and not get surprised from the shotgun blast. When your dog hears the shotgun going off it will be an exciting time because he knows that he will be retrieving game. So if you don't want to get that disappointed look from your dog don't miss the target.
As with all training, reward your dog with a snack and a lot of praise when he passes the test. Never get too critical of your dog when he is exposed to a new situation, until he knows what is expected of them. Until then it's usually a matter of applying low level of stimulation from the electronic collarto bring him back on track.
Remember dogs learn by association; therefore, bad habits are reinforced every time you let a dog disobey a command more than once. If you let your dog leave the boat or leave the blind before you give the command, you are allowing a situation to develop that will be harder to break later. That's why you want to have all the training kinks worked out before you actually enter a hunting situation.
In summary, taking a casual attitude or a "wait and see" approach to your dog's hunting and retrieving skills can turn disastrous during an actual hunt. Assure yourself that your hunting expedition will be fun and not just a training exercise by breaking down the hunt into its basic elements. Satisfy yourself that your dog will react properly. You will be glad you did.
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Do you have a dog that is fearful? Here is what you do.
If you have a dog that is fearful an electronic collar will be a valuable aid to you during your training sessions. To me this is a heart retching situation because you can see the fear in the dog’s eyes, but all is not lost, with love patience and determination you can make great changes in your dog’s mannerisms. He will not be totally transformed but great improvements can be achieved and you will be rewarded with totally faithful pet which will bring you great satisfaction and fond memories for years to come.
It’s not in a dog’s nature to be fearful, he may have been mistreated by a previous owner, had a bad experience or may have been the runt of the litter and subservient to his sibling. Dogs are pack animals and this type of dog is looking for a leader of the pack in order to feel safe and comfortable. You have to become that leader. An electronic collar will help you get your dog’s attention and because they learn through association he will soon learn that he is disobeying a command which is very important because he can be in a dangerous situation. This type of dog has had negative experiences in the past so the last thing we want to do is cause any discomfort so the electronic collar should be set to the lowest setting that your dog senses. To achieve this start off at your electronic collar’s lowest setting and continue to increase the setting until you notice a reaction. This can be flick of the tail, a twitch of the ear or a sudden look. That’s all that’s needed because the stimulus level can always be increased if you dog gets into a dangerous situation.
In this situation an electronic collar is an ideal tool for correction, much better than yelling and scolding. The low level stimulus will signal to the dog that he has not obeyed a command and when he learns that he can turn off the stimulus by obeying the command you will be home free. Make sure that you teach only one command at a time, otherwise you will cause confusion and most importantly make sure your dog understands the command before you use your electronic collar. Give lots of praise and reward your dog when a command is properly accomplished.
Here are some other pointers that you should be aware of:
-Don't push your dog too fast or hard as it may cause additional issues.
-Keep training sessions short, but frequent, fifteen minutes at a time, always end on a positive note
-When strangers first come in contact with your dog, ask them to ignore him. When your dog is ready and comfortable he will approach them on his own.
- If your dog is agitated hold off on approaching him, wait until he is calm then gently call him.
- If your dog does not come when called, because he is too scared, leave him alone until he feels more confident.
The key to success with a fearful dog is to position yourself as the leader, a benevolent leader but a leader none the less, this is your first and most important step, and without it the problem may never be overcome.
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