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Training Tips |
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Whenever I give advice to someone about their dog’s behavior, the question that runs through my mind is: “Is my method going to work for this dog and handler?”
I have had the pleasure of working with many rescue dogs that I am able to handle that others aren’t, only because of my physical or mental attitudes toward this dog’s behavior. Sadly, there have been a few that I have not had the time to work with, or that my own experience was not enough to change this dogs behavior due to a previous owner’s neglect.
I think that when we bring a rescue dog into our group, we must remember that while some of these dogs have been abused or abandoned, the majority of the reasons that the dogs was given up was due to their behavior. This is not dogs fault, but the owner’s who did not realize the level of care, and discipline, necessary to handle their dog.
We all, my self included, feel in our hearts the plight that so many of these dogs have endured on their journey to our special, loving group. While we must have compassion, we all must be mentors to these dogs so that those we do not keep ourselves, and those we do, become well behaved members of someone’s family. We can never accept bad behavior, and we must correct it immediately, even if it means accepting assistance from a more experienced member of the group. Sometimes these methods seem extreme to us, and I have seen my share as well that I will not employ, but we always act in the best interest of the dog.
I had a great time last Sunday (7/29/07) working with a fantastic group of open minded individuals who gave me the opportunity to show them the use and effectiveness of an e- collar. When properly used the e-collar is an extremely effective, efficient tool in training a dog. While the initial use may seem a bit heavy-handed, with the continued use of this method of correction, the behaviors that we desire in our dogs come through quite quickly. The dog learns what our expectations are, so corrections become milder and fewer, or go away all together.
I had a big test on Sunday, trying to convince a very loving owner that my method was the one to use to keep his dogs safe. The question I ask myself ran through my mind a thousand times as I watched the look of despair on my new friend Bill’s face when I strapped the e-collars on his beloved Carleigh and Morgan. I also watched him hold his girls and apologize after what was probably their first “shock” during undesirable behavior. After the initial corrections, he was able to have his dog off leash, which he could never have done before with any security without an e-collar. He played ball with her in his own big, beautiful yard, secure in the fact that she would not be able to run off.
I also got to see that look on Bill’s face as well. Priceless.
Brian Hillshafer |
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For Chase – Unknown ~ September 2, 2007
I am lucky enough to have been given a forum, so I am going to take advantage of it for my own personal use. That said, I am going to relay some things from my experiences with my beloved Chase, who we recently lost so quickly and tragically on September 2nd.
By all accounts, Chase was a model dog. Now why he was abandoned by his previous owner(s) is beyond universal understanding. He was loving, obedient, loyal and fit into our family however he seemed needed. He would wait for his turn for attention, never being too pushy and probably being ignored somewhat for this trait more times than I care to admit. With the addition of our twin sons, I could see how he would step aside and be content to lie quietly on the couch until the hustle and bustle calmed down and he was invited to sit beside me or my wife. |
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When it came to hunting, he was sometimes tough to control, which may have been the reason he was lost, never sought after, or abandoned. His drive was unmatched and his full ability had yet to be seen. Even on a walk around the neighborhood, if there was a shrub, bush or tuft of grass, he wanted to examine it for possible prey. I pictured myself, and my family hunting with him for many years to come. I had to teach him some things for my own control’s sake, but the majority of things were of his own accord.
All of our dogs have the ability to become model dogs, but we must aspire to become model handlers. I am not saying that I am a model handler, but I do aspire to be. Chase was a good dog, and some seem to take less effort than others, but we all must rise to the level that our dog needs to become model dogs. The seemingly worse the dog, the more we have to better ourselves to help them. So, as good as Chase was, maybe I was just an idiot, unless you have met his little Wachtelhund brother Becker (who we lovingly call ”the Challenge”).
So where am I going with all this? I let Chase be a dog first and foremost. Sometimes he hunted a little to far from me, and I corrected him. Sometimes he jumped up on people; I mean all the time he jumped up on people! And, I tried to correct him, but it was hard for anyone to complain about Chase. He would eat a whole stick of butter off of the counter if it was accessible, and he was corrected. He doesn’t sound quite so good now does he? It is easy to dwell on the bad things, but how bad were they, really?
What we need to remember is that they are animals, but animals that have been bred to be cooperative if we make them so. If your dog is doing something that you don’t want him to do, MAKE him stop, if you don’t know how, ASK. Just don’t expect it to happen with the first correction. Just make an assessment of what is acceptable to you and act on it, but be reasonable. They are just dogs. We are supposed to be the smart ones. We are the ones that can make the difference in their lives.
I dedicate this to my friend Chase. I write with teary eyes and a broken heart for my big handsome boy who was taken from me too soon and so fast. I held him to his last breath and laid him down on his bed when his heart stopped. I regret missing any moment I could have had with him. Hunting season is coming up, and it will be so hard not having him in the field. I will miss his perfect points and uncanny tracking ability, but also his sloppy retrieves. I will miss his head on my pillow next to mine as he tried to shove me off the bed. I will miss the good and the bad, but none of it was ever really that bad.
There will never be another like him. |
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I’m new at this ‘writing’ business, so if you have more specific questions about your dog, please feel free to contact me directly: brian_gsprescuewi@yahoo.com
As you can see on the website, no matter how diligent or smart we are, dogs get loose, and can be gone for long periods of time.
As a rescue group, with years of experience under our belts, we try to pound recall training as being the most important aspect of adoption into all of our adopter’s heads. More than once I have run out of the house, in my skivvies (not a pretty sight, mind you) yelling for a dog, in the hopes that he WANTS to come back to me. Please notice my emphasis on the word “wants”. Our dogs have 100 years of hunting instinct, athleticism and powerful senses that drive them to seek out game, bred into them. Along with that is the domestic side of breeding which entails a cooperative mentality as well, so we need to take advantage of that. Recall training is extremely important, but with our newest charges, we have to give them a reason to want to come back! Affection, safety, and comfort are the reasons that a dog wants to be with his family. So our first priority is giving our dog an environment that entails all three. This runs parallel with our recall training. After a training session, it is good to get back to the house, have a treat and interact with your dog on non-obedience, comfort level.
Another good technique to use, along with check cord recall training, is to start getting your dog familiar with your neighborhood. When you walk them, take them along different routes up to a mile away, to get them familiar with their extended surroundings. This gives them a chance to get back home even if they do get away.
If you have adopted a known runner, no matter what age, you must be diligent at all times, because reliable recall training can take months. I advocate e-collars which when properly used, can shorten this training to hours, and many of the dogs we get have already been accustomed to being on an e-collar. If anyone is interested in an e-collar, I can help with choosing a brand and model. We can also set up a training session where I can show you how to use and train with your collar.
I remember when I was young, watching my mother walking through the neighborhood, in her bathrobe and slippers, waving a piece of bologna in the air, yelling “TREAT” to a running, young dog we had just gotten from the humane society. While not high on my recommendation list, still, a very effective tactic. That dog came running back to my mother, and never left her side again. Maybe, instead of supplying check cords with each adoptee, we should just make sure everyone all has bologna in the fridge?
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When training your dog, be nice. There is no reason to get frustrated with a being that doesn't understand what you are saying. Dogs learn behavior and language by rote so practice and repetition is the key. One key technique to use to quell undesirable behavior is the "HOLD". When dogs face off, their goal is to usually take the other dog off his feet, and grab him by the neck. This behavior is taught as a pup by the mother and teaches domination and submission. This behavior can range from harmless playing to vicious attacks, depending on the dog. With a rescue dog, you can't always be sure of their reaction, so you need to be alert. If you are going to use this technique, you have to commit. If you try this, get a negative reaction from the dog, and back off, you have lost. I'm going to use "counter surfing" (my biggest problem) as an example. Catching the dog in the act is tough, so we need to set them up. I will take a dog treat and put it on the edge of the counter, and call the dog in to the kitchen. He will no doubt catch a scent of that treat and go for it (my dogs will anyway). You have to be quick and catch them before they get it, or your training session is lost. Take them by the collar, hold them down in a standing or sitting position, using your fingertips firmly at the base of the neck. Using direct eye contact, I like to "bark" using "NO", this helps cement my domination and hold the dog for a count of five or ten. Then I will release the dog on his way. I will give the dog some time and repeat the sequence. If the dog does not go for the treat, and fixates on me, he will get the treat. Otherwise, I lather, rinse and repeat until he does. Remember, you can train a dog as much as you want to; you just can't do it forvery long. A 5 to 10 minute session for anything you want to do is sufficient, then, give the dog a break. I am currently working on this with all my dogs on counter surfing specifically, and it is working, but the HOLD works in any situation. Just use it when you have an undesirable behavior, using "NO" verbally. Eventually the "NO" will become the trigger for stopping most behavior. The "NO" should be paired with a known command, "HERE", "SIT", etc…..in order to give the opportunity for positive reinforcement. "NO" is not a command, it is a stopper for undesirable behavior. Use it wisely. Brian HillshaferVolunteer Trainer/Hunt EvaluatorWisconsin German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue, Inc.www.wgspr.com |
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Using an ecollar is more humane than scraping your dog off the street after being killed by a car, or putting him down because he wandered off and bit someone. Sorry to be so graphic, but I have a hard time swallowing the rhetoric of those who have no idea about ecollars. I use them on ALL my dogs and recommend them for everyone who has a dog who needs a lot of exercise. My sister uses one on her 14 lb Jack Russell Terrier with great results. When I pull the collars out, my guys go crazy because they know we are either going for a run or hunting. I can run my dogs at the local school while a soccer game is going on, and my dogs stay with me and never bother anyone. It is an absolutely humane and invaluable tool. Start with the check cord and pinch collar together. Make sure the pinch collar is snug, remove links if you have to. It has to be snug enough that when the link is pulled just a little, it pinches him. Get him in an open area, with as little distraction as possible, let him venture out to the end of the cord. He will figure out that the end of the cord "ends" and he will know what his boundaries are. When he seems to be at this point, give him a happy "here" command, be nice about it, nice commands get results. After the first "here" give a fairly firm tug on the check cord and give another "here" command. Make sure you reel him all the way in to a head touch (at least) better that he learns to go to heel from a "here" command. If he starts back but ventures off course, repeat the command, tug and command. This may be new to him, we don't know, but you'll probably figure it out in the first few tries what he knows. You can do this for about 15 minutes at a time, but after a training lesson, pull the pinch collar and hook to the regular collar and give him a reward of a good run or walk for a good session. This is the beginning of training for an e-collar. The ecollar recall, can be learned in less than an hour after a good base of pinch collar/check cord training is established. Once the dog is reliable on the pinch and check cord, you can substitute the ecollar for the pinch collar, it is the same stimulation. Let him venture out and give him a here command, nick him with the ecollar (start low, he may twitch, but you don't want him to yelp), and another here command (Here, Nick, Here) and reel him in if you have to. If he ventures off, repeat Here, Nick, Here until he comes straight to you. Give lots of praise. I will usually, after a half a dozen times of this technique, just drop the check cord and walk the other way. I let the dog venture off, but not too far, and give him a Here, Nick, Here, by this time he should come to you. If he doesn't, go up a notch on the power, and repeat. If he bolts, but by this time he shouldn't, go up on power and repeat Here, Nick, Here until he comes. He may be yelping by this time, but I can almost guarantee that he won't bolt with the collar on again. This is in extreme cases, and if you do your pre-collar training correctly, it won't come to this. You may find out that after this training, he may stick pretty close to you. It may take him a little bit to venture off and feel comfortable with the range you are willing to give him. Never nick the dog without using a command, they won't learn anything. If you chose an ecollar with a paging system, I use the tone setting for a here command instead of nicking the dog every time. To teach the dog to learn this, you must incorporate the tone with the nick. So your sequence would be Here, Nick, Tone, Here. It takes a little dexterity, but eventually, the dog will come when he hears the tone. I also like to mix up my sequence, Here, Tone, Nick, Here. If you get to the point where he will come to the tone, but starts to ignore it, take a step back and re-incorporate the Nick. Take your time, be systematic and your dog will come around quickly. Because my dogs are trained on the collar, they have a lot of freedom, have better manners, and they have a lot of fun that dogs on leashes just don't get. Good luck, have fun, and feel free to contact me with any more questions. |
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