She does well with a sit whistle during regular obedience training, but I have yet to get her to sit while in persuit of an actual duck. I suppose its time to put the dreaded shock collar on her, I'm just hesitant to zap her while she is in persuit of a downed bird (out of fear that I may damage her drive.....). Any recommendations?
Not with the shock collar, I've never used one. In that book I suggested he teaches that "pressure is turned off" when they obey. If you remember, the ear pinch until the dog picks up dummy then pressure is released. I have no idea how a shock collar is used. For my situation I hunted a rice field so I didn't expect the dog to "sit" while in pursuit- simply STOP and look back until I sent him in whichever direction. When I blew the whistle i was ready to give a quick hand signal as soon as he looked back. I didn't know how long he'd look at me, initially. Once they learn looking back helps them get that bird in their mouth, they'll look FOR your signal and you'll have a bigger window. Someone may have a better suggestion but just taking a shot here. You said she does it in "obedience training". That's essential cause is she doesn't do it there you can't expect her to do it in the field. Why not phase it in while you're working with bumpers. Whistle to sit then throw your bumper. After she gets this, try it during work sessions with bumpers but while you and her are just walking around between throws. Act like you're hunting as you walk and let her get a little space 10-15 ft and have her sit on whistle. Use a leash with a choke collar. If that b1tch doesn't respond you have a shorter time between her not sitting on the whistle and you getting your hand on that leash. :hihi: I would never "train" where I didn't have control of a dog because if you can't stop an undesirable behavior to correct it, it reinforces it. As she improves, I would work on "blind retrieves". Throw a bumper, have it mark then fetch it up (whatever command you use). After the dog comes back have it sit and then send it back out. The bumper you hid should be placed WIDE enough away from the first line that the dog won't accidentally wind it- ensuring she will need your assistance. Once it looks like it's sinking in, bring home a couple of ducks to use. You can stick them back in the freezer and take out later. They last surprisingly long and it's more fun for them than those bumpers. Again, I am just taking a shot here. I do know this, start short and don't try to teach her to do it while actually out hunting with no control mechanism and your patience at an all time low (if you're like me during a hunt). :lol:
Very much appreciated! I will definitely try this out when I'm working with her. On a side note our 2nd split opens up tomorrow, so I hope to have some more pics to throw on here soon.
Sit command should always be towards you, i.e. looking back. Don't teach sit at heal teach it with the dog facing you always. That way when you give the sit whistle they should stop and look at you out in the field, then you can handle them. While you teach sit replace the sit verbal command with the whistle. Start with a sit then a whistle, then slowly mix them up whistle then sit. Soon you should be able to just do a whistle. I use a single long blast for sit, and a double or triple short blast for come. Teaching them to take commands while worked up is something you have to work at constantly. What we do is get the dogged riled up, then randomly make them follow a command. I will wrestle with her then give her a place or sit command, I also trained a "calm down" command with this method. At first I would have to hold her down, but now she calms down on her own. The pressure on and off thing is basically the first thing you train as a puppy, I used calm down, sit, stay, down, and heal for this. Its training them to learn. As they get older you can decide if you want to use shock collars to do pressure on and off. Also you should put the shock collar on them early during play sessions and then later training sessions, but turned off. That way they associate it to something good, I found that if you didn't do this sometimes the shock collar can have adverse affects on the dog. Never seen an old dog take to a shock collar if not trained from a pup with it.
That's interesting. How do you make them sit if they don't? And how do you get them in position for the reps needed? What I mean is when you're walking a dog on a leash and at your heel, you have total control. You can get in so many reps though I know you don't want training sessions to be lengthy. I don't understand how you set up the dog to face you and accomplish the same.
I start as a pup with treats. I face them with leash and offer treat. I pull up on leash at same time, you can bend over and push their but down to show them what you want. Once she sits I give her the treat with her facing me. Pulling up on leash reinforces pressure on. After a few days I stopped with the treats and just say good girl. At first always on leash. If she ever sits weird I move to be in front of her and then reward. Now when I tell her sit she always turns to me. Repeat repeat.... Also at the same time I work at stay and come. Once they are sitting pretty well you slowly back away saying stay. As soon as they break say come and reward. The backing away reinforces the looking at you. Now I can walk out of sight and she stays.
Oh also I play a game with her and always make her sit before she comes in. She has to look at me because she wants to come in.
Dam. So easy and I could not imagine how it could be done. :lol: Thanks. Definitely important to make if fun- or at least a postive experience.
