Tonight, I had a great call from someone who was getting frustrated with how their dog is learning. He was having an issue of the dog not learning as fast as he thinks it should. This kind of ties back to my last blog of taking it slow. Dogs all learn at different levels and speeds. Just because your dog isn’t learning as fast has their classmates doesn’t mean to give up. Some dogs learn very fast and some dogs you need to take it slower and in small chunks.
My mom was an amazing dog trainer and she taught me what you tolerate is what you teach. Always keep in mind all the good things your dog does and stop all the bad habits right away. It is easier to teach your dog good habits but takes twice as long to un-train bad habits. Also make sure if training your dog is going to be a family event then everyone needs to be on the same page and follow the same commands. Dogs know who they need to listen too and who they don’t need to listen too!
So when you start doing your obedience with your puppy try not to cover all of the steps at once. Usually my first few days are just working on heeling next to me. Most of the time that this is a big change for the dogs and if you try to teach sit, stay, and here all at once it becomes too much for them. After your dog finally can heel on the leash next to you without pulling or walking you then start with another command. I usually go to sit and then onto here and stay.
Remember to train as fast as your dog learns. If they are struggling, then take it slower and you can take it slower. There are no set times on how fast you need to teach your dog. I always tell everyone that if you can spend 6 days a week 15 minutes a day training your dog you will have a rock star. For me I train 3 times a day and on Sunday is the fun day. Take your dog for a walk and just spend some quality time. This helps your dog rest for the week.
I hope this helps!
Keep asking great questions!!
julie@goldmeadows.com
My mom was an amazing dog trainer and she taught me what you tolerate is what you teach. Always keep in mind all the good things your dog does and stop all the bad habits right away. It is easier to teach your dog good habits but takes twice as long to un-train bad habits. Also make sure if training your dog is going to be a family event then everyone needs to be on the same page and follow the same commands. Dogs know who they need to listen too and who they don’t need to listen too!
So when you start doing your obedience with your puppy try not to cover all of the steps at once. Usually my first few days are just working on heeling next to me. Most of the time that this is a big change for the dogs and if you try to teach sit, stay, and here all at once it becomes too much for them. After your dog finally can heel on the leash next to you without pulling or walking you then start with another command. I usually go to sit and then onto here and stay.
Remember to train as fast as your dog learns. If they are struggling, then take it slower and you can take it slower. There are no set times on how fast you need to teach your dog. I always tell everyone that if you can spend 6 days a week 15 minutes a day training your dog you will have a rock star. For me I train 3 times a day and on Sunday is the fun day. Take your dog for a walk and just spend some quality time. This helps your dog rest for the week.
I hope this helps!
Keep asking great questions!!
julie@goldmeadows.com
Taking It Slow!
Its always great to remember that we need to take our time to train our dogs. We always want them to learn fast, but if you introduce to many new things all at once to your puppy it can over load them and your training will actually go backwards. Its always important to set up a training plan. Try to work on obedience at one part of the day and then come back and work on birds later. If you don't have all day to train your dog then try to split the time between obedience and bird work. Each one of these areas are just as important as the other.
The most important thing to remember when you are training your dog is to have patience. If you don't have that then your dog will not learn. Some dogs are fast learners and some are slow. Its important that you read your dog and understand how they learn. If the dog is having a bad day or if you are then maybe take a break. It does no good if you get mad at your dog and start screaming at them. Sometimes your dog will just need a break.
The goal of training your dog is to have an awesome family pet and a Rockstar hunting dog. Like I said before start your puppy off early and don't wait until they are 6 months old before starting. I always use real birds with my dogs. The reason I use them is because dogs need to get the feel of the feathers in their mouth and the real taste of the oils. Please remember that you need to use a bird that is the right size of your puppy. If you have a 10 week old puppy your not going to use a goose to train with. I love using pigeons, chukars and quail for my young puppies. As the puppy grows then you can increase in size of birds.
If you have any questions, please email me at Julie@goldmeadows.com and I will gladly answer them. Or if you have a topic that you want covered please let me know.
Next: Pattern work in the field
The most important thing to remember when you are training your dog is to have patience. If you don't have that then your dog will not learn. Some dogs are fast learners and some are slow. Its important that you read your dog and understand how they learn. If the dog is having a bad day or if you are then maybe take a break. It does no good if you get mad at your dog and start screaming at them. Sometimes your dog will just need a break.
The goal of training your dog is to have an awesome family pet and a Rockstar hunting dog. Like I said before start your puppy off early and don't wait until they are 6 months old before starting. I always use real birds with my dogs. The reason I use them is because dogs need to get the feel of the feathers in their mouth and the real taste of the oils. Please remember that you need to use a bird that is the right size of your puppy. If you have a 10 week old puppy your not going to use a goose to train with. I love using pigeons, chukars and quail for my young puppies. As the puppy grows then you can increase in size of birds.
If you have any questions, please email me at Julie@goldmeadows.com and I will gladly answer them. Or if you have a topic that you want covered please let me know.
Next: Pattern work in the field
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December 2013
Introducing Your Puppy to Birds and Guns
I always start my puppies young with birds. Before I send any puppies home, I introduce them to feathers at 5 weeks old. You can get a puppy from great hunting lines, but if you don't show your little one what feathers are about they might be lost. I never use any type of bird or feathers that are to big for the puppy. I want them to be able to pick it up and retrieve it. If I use a bird that is too big for them to pick it up then they want to start chewing on it or pulling out feathers. By letting your puppy do this it creates bad habits .
When the puppy gets to be about 10 weeks old I like to introduce them to a live pigeon, chucker, or quail. Again I want to use something small. I will clip the feathers off one wing. If I clip the feathers off both wings then the bird can fly. I want the bird to jump and run around. I will also at this time put a 20 foot leash on my puppy. I make sure I hold my puppy and let them see the bird. I hold the bird so it can't hit the puppy in the face for the first time. Once the puppy shows some interest in it, I toss it a little ways out and encourage the puppy to get it. When your puppy grabs the bird tell them that they are a good dog and encourage them to come back to you. When your puppy picks up the bird give a tug on the leash and say here. You want to encourage your puppy to get the bird and bring it back to you. Not to run around for an hour or chew on it. If I form this habit now then I won't have a problem of them not coming back to me later.
At this time I still have not introduced the gun noise. I want to get my puppy so fired up on birds that noise will not be a problem. The first step I take to introduce my puppy to gun is to get a cap gun. The cheapest kids toy out there. Then I will ask someone to go out about 20 feet away and first throw the live bird again without shooting. I want the puppy to get fired up. Once the puppy brings the bird back to you, do it again. This time have someone throw the bird and shoot the cap gun. Watch your puppy at this time. If your puppy wants to go then let him go and get it. If your puppy crouches down and acts scared then stop. If that happens I go back to getting my puppy fired up on birds. I will spend the next few days just playing with the puppy and a live bird. Usually a few more days of this and then try to shoot again. Most of the time they get over the noise. If your puppy is doing good with the noise switch over to a shot gun. Make sure to have someone shoot about 30 feet away and throw a bird. I'm teaching the dog the gun means bird. Remember this can not be done in one day! Take your time. I usually take a few weeks before using the shot gun.
The worst thing you can do to your dog is to take it to a gun range. The constant noise bothers dogs and this is how you get a gun shy dog. No dog is ever born gun shy. Something happened during its life that scared him. I want my dog to learn that when they hear a gun shot that they need to look in the sky and look for a bird to fall. This is how your dog learns how to mark. It is important to have someone go out and throw birds for you. A dog needs to learn how to judge depth of field. A lot of dogs I get in for training start their hunt way too short and that is because a dog gets used to how far you can throw something and that's were they just start their hunt. It is nothing for us to teach our dogs to go for 100 yards. This does take time to teach your dog. Gradually increase the distance of the mark.
Remember this takes time. This does not happen in one training session. Take your time. Keep your training sessions to about 15 minutes. If you see your young dog getting tired stop. We want this to be fun and if they get tired then it becomes work and the dog gets board. I also don't throw more than 3 marks at a time. If I do more than that I usually get a dog that decides to go smell the roses. I always try to end my training session on a good note. I want the dog wanting more so that when I cone out the next day they are excited to go to work.
***Next week we are heading into the field!
If you have any questions, please let me know!
When the puppy gets to be about 10 weeks old I like to introduce them to a live pigeon, chucker, or quail. Again I want to use something small. I will clip the feathers off one wing. If I clip the feathers off both wings then the bird can fly. I want the bird to jump and run around. I will also at this time put a 20 foot leash on my puppy. I make sure I hold my puppy and let them see the bird. I hold the bird so it can't hit the puppy in the face for the first time. Once the puppy shows some interest in it, I toss it a little ways out and encourage the puppy to get it. When your puppy grabs the bird tell them that they are a good dog and encourage them to come back to you. When your puppy picks up the bird give a tug on the leash and say here. You want to encourage your puppy to get the bird and bring it back to you. Not to run around for an hour or chew on it. If I form this habit now then I won't have a problem of them not coming back to me later.
At this time I still have not introduced the gun noise. I want to get my puppy so fired up on birds that noise will not be a problem. The first step I take to introduce my puppy to gun is to get a cap gun. The cheapest kids toy out there. Then I will ask someone to go out about 20 feet away and first throw the live bird again without shooting. I want the puppy to get fired up. Once the puppy brings the bird back to you, do it again. This time have someone throw the bird and shoot the cap gun. Watch your puppy at this time. If your puppy wants to go then let him go and get it. If your puppy crouches down and acts scared then stop. If that happens I go back to getting my puppy fired up on birds. I will spend the next few days just playing with the puppy and a live bird. Usually a few more days of this and then try to shoot again. Most of the time they get over the noise. If your puppy is doing good with the noise switch over to a shot gun. Make sure to have someone shoot about 30 feet away and throw a bird. I'm teaching the dog the gun means bird. Remember this can not be done in one day! Take your time. I usually take a few weeks before using the shot gun.
The worst thing you can do to your dog is to take it to a gun range. The constant noise bothers dogs and this is how you get a gun shy dog. No dog is ever born gun shy. Something happened during its life that scared him. I want my dog to learn that when they hear a gun shot that they need to look in the sky and look for a bird to fall. This is how your dog learns how to mark. It is important to have someone go out and throw birds for you. A dog needs to learn how to judge depth of field. A lot of dogs I get in for training start their hunt way too short and that is because a dog gets used to how far you can throw something and that's were they just start their hunt. It is nothing for us to teach our dogs to go for 100 yards. This does take time to teach your dog. Gradually increase the distance of the mark.
Remember this takes time. This does not happen in one training session. Take your time. Keep your training sessions to about 15 minutes. If you see your young dog getting tired stop. We want this to be fun and if they get tired then it becomes work and the dog gets board. I also don't throw more than 3 marks at a time. If I do more than that I usually get a dog that decides to go smell the roses. I always try to end my training session on a good note. I want the dog wanting more so that when I cone out the next day they are excited to go to work.
***Next week we are heading into the field!
If you have any questions, please let me know!
