Gundog Training Forum

Sorry, was particularly interested in what Tangaroa now thought, seeing that he posed the original question, but happy to hear others views on it. As a matter of interest you can't train any dog/animal with positive reinforcement alone, just as you can't train one by positive punishment on its own.

Naj

Jelinga wrote:Yes, corrected in a way that can then show it what is required, not just chastised and leaving the dog to wonder why it got beaten or yanked.

I refer to my original post!

Jelinga wrote:Yes, corrected in a way that can then show it what is required, not just chastised and leaving the dog to wonder why it got beaten or yanked.

No apologies for only ever having had one dog. I have never 'beat or yanked' her. If that's what's thought necessary in the 'gundog world' then I'm not interested.

There are some wonderful responses on here, from the more experienced! For those who reward with kisses, and ignore unacceptable behaviour, you have a bit to learn!

That said, 'The Field' and on a shoot day, is not the time to be squaring-up a dog. The dog which is in need of having its breaks adjusted, should have that done within the confines of its in-hand training regime, and not at the point where it's expected to 'work'. Horses and stable doors seems to fit.

Megsdad wrote:

Jelinga wrote:Yes, corrected in a way that can then show it what is required, not just chastised and leaving the dog to wonder why it got beaten or yanked.

No apologies for only ever having had one dog. I have never 'beat or yanked' her. If that's what's thought necessary in the 'gundog world' then I'm not interested.

No-one's saying that's necessary. Jelinga is saying there's no point giving a dog a bollocking if it doesn't know why (if I'm undetstanding her right).

Yes, Alice you are right! I also don't believe you can train a dog with kisses and cuddles, but you can train in a calm sense of mind so that the dog is able to learn. I cannot learn when agitated and not understanding what my gundog trainer is trying to teach me and I can speak English!

Churchbrake wrote: That said, 'The Field' and on a shoot day, is not the time to be squaring-up a dog. .

I beg to differ, with a trained dog if it’s going pear shaped on a shoot then that is the time to correct it but it depends how you do that? Beating a dog with a stick has no place anywhere full stop.

How many dogs push the boundaries mainly by anticipating or ignoring previously taught commands, if it can be corrected where the problem arises in a fair and timely manner then you can stop the problem getting bigger.
Take running in for example, one of mine did it last Saturday she got whistle stopped, recalled and another dog sent. No – one got hurt but she didn’t get rewarded for it, she waited the next time and looked at me, so was rewarded with her name being called and the subsequent retrieve, she understood..

Dogs don’t stay trained………….. And the best place to untrain them is on a shoot, so that’s the best place to deal with it fairly, trying to replicate a shoot scenario in training is virtually impossible.

Rascal

There seems a common misconception that when problems arise in the shooting field you can leave them to be sorted out at a later date, or even after the season has finished, by which time you have a serious problem on your hands which is likely to recur immediately you take the dog out shooting again.

Naj

Rascal wrote:

Churchbrake wrote: That said, 'The Field' and on a shoot day, is not the time to be squaring-up a dog. .

I beg to differ, with a trained dog if it’s going pear shaped on a shoot then that is the time to correct it but it depends how you do that? Beating a dog with a stick has no place anywhere full stop.

How many dogs push the boundaries mainly by anticipating or ignoring previously taught commands, if it can be corrected where the problem arises in a fair and timely manner then you can stop the problem getting bigger.
Take running in for example, one of mine did it last Saturday she got whistle stopped, recalled and another dog sent. No – one got hurt but she didn’t get rewarded for it, she waited the next time and looked at me, so was rewarded with her name being called and the subsequent retrieve, she understood..

Dogs don’t stay trained………….. And the best place to untrain them is on a shoot, so that’s the best place to deal with it fairly, trying to replicate a shoot scenario in training is virtually impossible.

Rascal

Quite right. Dogs need constant work to keep sharp, most problems at only evident in the field and should be dealt with as they present themselves... how else is the dog supposed to understand?

Nice reply Rascal