Hi everyone,
I’m interested in hearing what methods work best for keeping gundogs focused during training sessions, especially when there are lots of distractions outdoors.
Do you prefer shorter, more frequent sessions or longer structured sessions? I’d also be interested to know how you balance exercise, rewards, rest, and consistency when working with younger dogs.
Would be great to hear what has worked well for experienced gundog owners and trainers.
How Do You Keep Gundogs Focused During Training?
Re: How Do You Keep Gundogs Focused During Training?
First off you don't train in an environment with distractions, you introduce distractions to your training in order to proof that training.
Second, you should structure your training around the individual dog and it's temperament, maturity and inherent traits and ability. You also should tailor your training method to one that suits you AND the dog, and not the latest trendy one.
Young dogs learn better ( Your basics ) from informal subliminal training using every day living and play/games. The step up to more formal training sessions requires the dog to be mentally ready to absorb that pressure and have a solid understanding of what your trying to communicate to them to do, otherwise you risk flattening the enthusiasm that you've been building through play and games.
A dog will focus on things it enjoys, understands and can achieve, if you train within that criteria you will have a focussed dog. The hard part is ensuring there is always a part of that focus on you when it needs to be.
Rules for getting a better focused dog:
1. Leave that bloody phone at home.
2. Don't train when your in a hurry to get it done.
3. Don't train when your not in the right frame of mind.
4. Leave that bloody phone at home.
5. Make the most of unexpected opportunities that come your way rather than stick to a schedule.
6. When something goes wrong it is not the dogs fault, its yours. Deal with it.
7. If your not totally focused on the dog, you can't then expect the dog to be focused on you. So leave that bloody phone at home.
( And No ladies you can't multitask when training a dog. The dog knows at a glance when your not focused )
Note: I'm half expecting the next post to contain a link to a training website or food additive, but I'm just an old sceptic
Second, you should structure your training around the individual dog and it's temperament, maturity and inherent traits and ability. You also should tailor your training method to one that suits you AND the dog, and not the latest trendy one.
Young dogs learn better ( Your basics ) from informal subliminal training using every day living and play/games. The step up to more formal training sessions requires the dog to be mentally ready to absorb that pressure and have a solid understanding of what your trying to communicate to them to do, otherwise you risk flattening the enthusiasm that you've been building through play and games.
A dog will focus on things it enjoys, understands and can achieve, if you train within that criteria you will have a focussed dog. The hard part is ensuring there is always a part of that focus on you when it needs to be.
Rules for getting a better focused dog:
1. Leave that bloody phone at home.
2. Don't train when your in a hurry to get it done.
3. Don't train when your not in the right frame of mind.
4. Leave that bloody phone at home.
5. Make the most of unexpected opportunities that come your way rather than stick to a schedule.
6. When something goes wrong it is not the dogs fault, its yours. Deal with it.
7. If your not totally focused on the dog, you can't then expect the dog to be focused on you. So leave that bloody phone at home.
( And No ladies you can't multitask when training a dog. The dog knows at a glance when your not focused )
Note: I'm half expecting the next post to contain a link to a training website or food additive, but I'm just an old sceptic
Re: How Do You Keep Gundogs Focused During Training?
Someone asked me the other day why my dogs pay attention to me, my response was simply because I pay attention to them and they know it! If they are trying to tell me something I am listening and it goes both ways!
Re: How Do You Keep Gundogs Focused During Training?
As with MunstyM and NickH 
These days I do just about all my ‘training’ in the field so the dog learns everything in context. So I don’t really do much in the way of formal training sessions, but prefer to develop routines and rituals around all the things I will be doing with my dogs in real life. So exercise and training morph into one, and on gamey ground so pup develops with game as a background noise to everything else we do. Mine are pointing breeds so this approach fits in well with their natural breed specific traits.
As MunstM says, game play is a great way to develop a keen and engaged dog. I also use edible rewards to good effect but under pressure of distraction tug or a ball can be a stronger reinforcer for many dogs, simply because they take advantage of the dogs natural prey drive . Acquiring engagement and maintaining it under distraction is so crucial that I’d suggest you work on this rather than training, per se, because once you have the ability to develop an engaged dog that actively desires to work with you then the training bit becomes easy.
These days I do just about all my ‘training’ in the field so the dog learns everything in context. So I don’t really do much in the way of formal training sessions, but prefer to develop routines and rituals around all the things I will be doing with my dogs in real life. So exercise and training morph into one, and on gamey ground so pup develops with game as a background noise to everything else we do. Mine are pointing breeds so this approach fits in well with their natural breed specific traits.
As MunstM says, game play is a great way to develop a keen and engaged dog. I also use edible rewards to good effect but under pressure of distraction tug or a ball can be a stronger reinforcer for many dogs, simply because they take advantage of the dogs natural prey drive . Acquiring engagement and maintaining it under distraction is so crucial that I’d suggest you work on this rather than training, per se, because once you have the ability to develop an engaged dog that actively desires to work with you then the training bit becomes easy.
what a world we live in... 
Re: How Do You Keep Gundogs Focused During Training?
Ya bunch of suspicious rotters you!
I think it was Phil Drabble who wrote something along the lines of he always knew who was a good dog owner because they could be deep in conversation with him and yet know exactly where their dogs was and what it was doing so could break off mid-sentence and engage with the dog.
I think it was Phil Drabble who wrote something along the lines of he always knew who was a good dog owner because they could be deep in conversation with him and yet know exactly where their dogs was and what it was doing so could break off mid-sentence and engage with the dog.
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.