Words of Wisdom

[AceofSpades41]

Thor,

Thanks, that is very good advice

[cusedell]

A dog is only as good as is handler. No one every screwed up a dog by asking for advice from more experienced handlers/trainers.

[nj gsp]

A tail is not a handle to be used to pick up the dog. Never lift or drag a dog by the tail.

[Ryan29]

I think I am going to disagree with the not being able to give the dog gas. My dog has terrible gas! what's worse is she has actually come over to me, gassed, and then high tailed it out of the room!! It was absolutely hilarious! Then she sits in the other room and wags her tail when you are making gross faces.


Ryan

[jayhawks25]

never give up no matter how hard it is, if you use perserverance you will see it pay off in your dogs skills and you will see it in your hunting

[nj gsp]

I think I am going to disagree with the not being able to give the dog gas. My dog has terrible gas! what's worse is she has actually come over to me, gassed, and then high tailed it out of the room!! It was absolutely hilarious! Then she sits in the other room and wags her tail when you are making gross faces.


Ryan

Whenever I pick the dog up to re-position her, I put one hand under her chest and the other under her haunches, and when I lift up there is always a "Pffthhhhh"

Man, can that dog whiff one out!

[Don]

Since following these dog forums I've notice a particularly distrubing trait. Far to many people are getting caught up in the latest training gadget's and techniques and forgetting to teach.

You train a dog to whoa and it does because it must.
You teach a dog to whoa and it know's why it is.

[bird]

.

[Bear]

Be consistant, be fair, and allways have funif your attitude is happy so will your dogs.

[Hotpepper]

Be willing to listen to new ideas and suggestions. A smart man knows that there is always something more he can learn !

That is the absolute truth and gospel. Do you have to get old to learn that?

Pepper

[Kiki's Mom]

To make a bird dog you just gotta put em in birds!!!

[Va. Duckin]

"There are no bad dogs, only bad trainers." Bill Tarrant in the forward of his book. Problem Gun Dogs.

[Buckeyeshorthairs]

When training a dog make certain the comand is understood and followed in 3 different locations before he goes to the field ie...(back yard, park, and school yard). If the dog can work through many different distractions and do what you ask in the 3 different enviornments, then you can darn well expect him to do the same in the field.

[Kingsnake]

A friend told me all you truly need to train a gun dog is a 50' rope, access to birds, and patience. Every thing else is just a distraction or convenience.


Kingsnake

[Equismith]

I'm still green as can be to this, but so far I have learned to listen to the dog. Whether vocal or through his/her actions. She'll tell you what she's about to do. Respond when she does tell you. They can allow you to somewhat predict the future.

Basically, be willing to learn from your dog.

Example;

Watch'em constantly when they're young and in the house. CONSTANTLY! Printer cables are easy to replace. Power cords can kill. She doesn't know the difference. Lesson learned for me for sure. Glad it was a printer cable and not the power cord.

If your dog will be an in-home dog, the whole family has to be on board to training and watching. Consistency is key.

[TGCGSPS]

the key for perfection is setting your dog up for failure and then correcting him.
T.Smith
TopGunCopper JH NA1

[WiskeyJaR]

Listen to everyone, but do what works for you.

[Trekmoor]

Anything you let a dog do, you are training it to do.


Always remember which of you is out there with a nose in front of its face- do NOT overhandle!

Bill

--- "One toot and yer oot !!!" ---

[slistoe]

Trekmoor, do you know of a fellow named Greg V from any other forum?

[Trekmoor]

Sorry , I don't recognise the name GregV.

Bill

--- "One toot and yer oot !!!" ---

[Don]

Thats a shock. I thought everybody knew him. Can't spell his last name something like Vis-ta-cock-kus. I knew the guy from my NSTRA days.

[Trekmoor]

I just can't find that name, I've checked through one of the U.K. forums, no Greg V. Maybe he uses a different name over here?

Bill T.

--- "One toot and yer oot !!!" ---

[1vizsla]

Someone once told me...

Dogs don't speak human...you need to learn to speak dog.

Carla

[Breton13]

All the great training books in the world aren't going to completely prepare you, or replase what you and your pup can learn from each other (as I've found out, your dog didn't read the book and never follows the recepie )

[3 Joes]

Don't always think your smarter than your dog!

[AZ Brittany Guy]

I have no word's of wisdom. I'd have to credit other's for what ever it is I think I know. But one of my favorite's I read in Amer field and is a quote of Dr. Alvin Nitchman.

He was watching a handler (?) screaming whoa at his dog that was busy running off. He turned to the guy next to him and said"

"I wonder what he tell's that dog when he want's it to stop and stand still"? Think about it.

A hint from Delmar: "pay attention to what your training".

It takes as long as it takes - Rick Smith

You can't go too slow - Rick Smith

[monksmom]

Might be cool if everyone shared a few words of wisdom in regards to training your dog. We all might pickup a few good hints????

Obedience is the foundation to good bird work. If the dog can stand still, comes when called, and heels, you are ahead of the game.

[Meller]

Repetition! Repetition! Repetition!

[Hilgendorf]

Have fun?

[angmazz78]

Surprised no one mentioned training in several different areas. Once a dog will respond to a command given in 4 or 5 different locations you know your on the right track

[Ryan Baumann]

The bigger the run the funner the fun!

Ryan.

[CapWPG]

Always make sure you set your dog up to succeed at the task presented him.

Janet

This has changed my perspective on training.
Thanks Janet

[BluffCountryOutdoors]

After a day of training.. Don't forget to let your dog... be a dog!

[LarryLowell]

When you get a new puppy DONT play the Wing on a String game, all your teaching your dog to do is sight point, and not use his nose. Also DONT teach your pointing dogs to sit until after they are patient on point. It doenst always happen, but it could cause your dog to sit on point when your teaching patience on point.

Larry Lowell
www.PointingDogTrainer.com

[oakcreek]

Just something that I see. A dog's tail will tell you everything

[GUNDOGSRUS]

Stay humble enough to learn from everyone..."A wiseman will learn from anyone, even the fool. The fool will learn from no one, not even the wiseman"!

[Retired007]

Boy,I have been on both ends of the wiseman and fool post.

[Scott Linden]

We learn as much from our dogs as we teach them, if only we'll open our eyes and our minds. My next book will be about all the things my dogs have taught ME!

Samples of what I'm talking about at: www.scottlindenoutdoors.com.

[mikebill11]

Repetition. puppies need alot of repetitions. Also keep the training fun for the dog and for yourself.

[jackmcmanus21]

patience, dedication, compassion and an even temper go a long way

[Petra]

I have been working on getting my ACL dog back to steady all the way through to the shot, my preference, usually by the end of the season this can get sloppy, but will stay to the flush or wing, late in the season, but with the surgery wasn't able to work on her during the summer, with the others. did the three locations with success, ( dogs remember everything at alltimes ). so to the ultimate pressure went to the field with a gunner to make sure I could control the situation, and more important the bird would be hit and she would see the whole picture ( dogs think in pictures-movies , they are not people in fur coates) so she stays steady the bird is hit,folds, praise my dog and send her for the fetch,reward, and she goes 45% to the spot the gunner and I had marked the fall, there I stood with my mouth open the gunner looking at me, and I'm wondering what am I going to do now that my dog who I force fetched trained just blew off a retrieve (you can't fix a fault without creating a fault, so decide what can be lived with) the gunner said your dog is way over there in those bushes what are you going to do? Well here comes my dog with the bird, to hand, now the gunner has his mouth open because he bragged about his shooting ability before we started,( patience, keep your cool, always trust your dog, if using an e-collar in the field be very carefull with it's use, know what your dog is doing or not doing be fore using it and know the setting.) My dogs all learn to track early due to my shooting ability. It looks like there are a lot of good trainers on this forum who are passionate about their dogs and hunting thanks for letting me be part of it.

[CZShooter]

Hire Brenda Roe.

[markerdown]

Be careful grabbing your keys out of your pocket at 0-dark thirty on opening day of bird season or deer season. Especially if you have a remote with a panic button. Once it goes off, ya may as well go hunt in the next county!. .......markerdown

[subatomicstang]

Great stuff here guys !!!!! Im understanding alot more just reading some of these things!

-Randy B

[rich]

REPITITION , LOTS OF BIRDS AND MAKE IT FUN
LIMIT YOUR SESSION TO 15 MIN

[CP shorthairs]

Dont to ashamed to ask for help for other people and trainers. Training with other people can be one of your best training days.

[h.q.s]

"Be consistantley inconsistant"
Meaning: don't do teh same thing over and over with your dog. Keep things fresh, always have them learning new things.

" Spend 15 minutes a day with your dog, and you'll get the dog you deserve
Don't spend 15 minutes a day with your dog, and you'll get the dog you deserve

I'd say 15 minutes is enough for obedience, not exercise, bird work, etc. So atleast 15 minutes of the mental stimulation (obedience to be specific) !

My all time favorite:

" You get what you put into the dog!"

Don't expect a dog to learn how to hunt and point birds by sititng in a kennel all day!

[Merle]

You can always work on something everyday.

[GrayDawg]

With regards to getting the right dog...........

"You can't make chicken salad out of chicken $h!t" :roll:

[mageecreek]

Expect regression in a dog's training at some point and have the patience to work him/her through it.