Training
First of all, Dean and I enjoy our amateur status, so we do not train dogs for other people. We know of a number of capable spaniel trainers, so we would be happy to supply some referrals if you're in need of professional assistance with your dog.
We enjoy the company on a regular basis of a terrific group of people who share our interest in dog training. We view this group as one of, if not our most valuable training resource. Seminars, books, and videos are all helpful, but oftentimes there's just no substitute for an extra pair of hands, or a good gun or two. You will find a listing of ESS clubs at http://www.essfta.org/ESS_Field_Trial_Clubs.htm. If you do not presently have an acquaintance with a local training group, I hope that this resource will help put you in touch with one.
In one of my favorite movies, Hope Floats, Harry Connick, Jr. tells Sandra Bullock "dancing is like a conversation between two people. Talk to me." I think of training my dog in much the same way. Training is the process of establishing a common language with my dog, and it's a two way exchange. As with people, building such a relationship differs with each individual, so I have found it invaluable to build an arsenal of methods to employ, and in fact, that's a never ending quest. Here's where the training group helps out again. Conversations over lunch afterward produce the benefit of multiple observations of a given training situation, along with a number of ideas of how to address it.
I support my dog habit as an accountant, so I find I'm most comfortable in teaching/learning situations where I have a framework to build from. I have been incredibly fortunate to have made the acquaintance of Jim & Phyllis Dobbs of Dobbs Training Center in Marysville, CA who have provided me with much of that framework. Jim & Phyllis have conducted seminars here annually for the past three years, a tradition we plan to continue for 2003. While Jim & Phyllis are most notable for their pioneering training with electronic training collars, more accurately they are exceptional dog trainers with a tremendous wealth of experience to draw on. Their book Retriever Training is a classic, and the numerous articles in the Library at http://www.dobbsdogs.com update and add to the information in that book. We keep pestering them to update their book, or even better to write a spaniel training book, but they stay so busy training and developing new techniques that they don't have time to write! All the more important to get the benefit of their firsthand advice (and take good notes!), so their annual visits here have been the highlight of my dog-training year. Contact us for information on 2004 seminar opportunities.
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Phyllis Dobbs photo, 2002 |
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Eager pupils: Cathy with "Flick" |
With the benefit of Jim & Phyllis' instruction I have gained comfort with the use of an electronic collar as a training tool. Many people do a perfectly wonderful job of training without a collar, and without a doubt a collar used improperly does more harm to a training relationship than good, but I find that the collar provides me a number of benefits. First of all, the collar delivers a consistent stimulus (or correction) without the emotional overtones that often accompany a voice or leash correction. To return to my language analogy, if I've done a good job of teaching the basics, I think the collar gives the dog a much clearer message than a verbal or physical reaction. Secondly, it offers the benefit of immediate feedback, even when the dog is working at a distance. Timing is such a critical element in training, and better timing of communication can accelerate the learning process tremendously. We are Dobbs dealers, so feel free to contact us for further information if you're considering adding a collar to your training toolbox.
It's unfair and unproductive to use the collar to correct behavior that you have not previously taught the dog, just as it is to otherwise physically punish where the dog has no understanding of what you're asking him or her to do. The articles in the Dobbs' library provide training techniques to establish a training foundation with your dog, whether you plan to use a collar or not. As I read through these articles I think one of the most important things I've gained is a better grasp of breaking a given behavior down into finite, manageable teaching steps. I think this is extremely helpful to both me and the dog. I also try to keep the habit of maintaining a training diary. Especially as I attempt to teach an exercise for the first time, it helps me think through what seems to be working and what isn't, and hopefully helps me adjust my methods more quickly. This log also proves beneficial when I begin that process with my next dog.
I would be remiss in writing this article were I not to acknowledge the support and knowledge that my husband Dean has shared with me. We sometimes approach training from somewhat different viewpoints, but he has been amazingly patient with my maturation process. Thanks, my dear :-).
