NZ Hunter – August 2019

WRITTEN BY ~ TOM CLIFFE (12)

Last issue I gave some background on my

current journey and some thoughts on picking

a pup

I want to emphasise again that your success and fun will depend

significantly on the raw material of the dog you are working with. If

you have a calm-natured, intelligent, biddable dog, you will enjoy

your journey so much more and vastly increase your chance of

success, so choose carefully.

My ideal is a dog with hunt drive, but

also a temperament that means it really

wants to please you, ensuring that when

it’s tracking an animal, it also remains

naturally aware of not getting too far in

front.

If you are picking a pup, be very

careful about the breeding, choose

from a proven line. If you are looking at

a rehomed dog, look carefully at its nature

in relation to the way it has been raised.

Getting a rehomed dog at say, twelve

months old can help you see exactly what

its temperament is like as opposed to a

young pup, which in my opinion is a lot

harder to read, unless you have spent a

huge amount of time around it. Rehomed

dogs can come with their own issues, of

course.

So, once I had my pup Sami, what did I

do next? Before talking about commands,

I want to briefly mention mindset. I

believe that we need to stop thinking

like people when we train dogs and

look at everything we do as part of the

training process through our dog’s eyes to

ensure the messages are clear, simple and

consistent.

How do I apply this philosophy? Our

dogs need commands they understand

and clear boundaries with a line in the

sand that we consistently and fairly bring

them back to when they stick a toenail

over – without being nasty about it. We

need to learn to read the signs and be

ready to correct behaviours immediately,

and most importantly, we need to set

our pup up for success. Don’t expect too

much of your dog. Teach one command

at a time.

Friends and family reckon I am too hard

on my dog. I am not hard, I am consistent.

When she takes liberties, I bring her back

into line. Cutting someone a bit of slack

is a human trait. In the dog world it just

creates a feeling of insecurity and serves

as a platform to take it one step further

next time.

My philosophy is that specific

training sessions are good to teach

a command initially, but once that is

learned by the dog, incorporating your

training into your daily routine makes it

easier for you, and also ensures that the

dog’s world remains consistent. The traits

and commands you want your dog to

learn and comply with become part of

its daily routine and therefore mean it is

more likely to succeed in all situations.

Consistency is one part, the other is

repetition. How do you achieve that? Try

and make as many of the commands

and things you need for hunting mesh

with what you do from day-to-day with

your dog. Win-win! So, let’s call this

Sami

A Change of Pace

Part 2 - Indicating Dogs

WRITTEN BY ~ JOHNNY BISSELL

36 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019

How

To

WRITTEN BY ~ TOM CLIFFE (12)

LastissueI gave somebackground onmy

currentjourneyandsome thoughts onpicking

a pup

I wanttoemphasiseagainthatyoursuccessandfunwilldepend

significantlyontherawmaterialofthedogyouareworkingwith.If

youhavea calm-natured,intelligent,biddabledog,youwillenjoy

yourjourneysomuchmoreandvastlyincreaseyourchanceof

success,sochoosecarefully.

Myidealis a dogwithhuntdrive,but

alsoa temperamentthatmeansit really

wantstopleaseyou,ensuringthatwhen

it’strackingananimal,it alsoremains

naturallyawareofnotgettingtoofarin

front.

If youarepickinga pup,bevery

carefulaboutthebreeding,choose

froma provenline. If youarelookingat

a rehomeddog,lookcarefullyatitsnature

inrelationtothewayit hasbeenraised.

Gettinga rehomeddogatsay,twelve

monthsoldcanhelpyouseeexactlywhat

itstemperamentis likeasopposedtoa

youngpup,whichinmyopinionis a lot

hardertoread,unlessyouhavespenta

hugeamountoftimearoundit.Rehomed

dogscancomewiththeirownissues,of

course.

So,onceI hadmypupSami,whatdidI

donext?Beforetalkingaboutcommands,

I wanttobrieflymentionmindset.I

believethatweneedtostopthinking

likepeoplewhenwetraindogsand

lookateverythingwedoaspartofthe

trainingprocessthroughourdog’seyesto

ensurethemessagesareclear,simpleand

consistent.

HowdoI applythisphilosophy?Our

dogsneedcommandstheyunderstand

andclearboundarieswitha lineinthe

sandthatweconsistentlyandfairlybring

thembacktowhentheysticka toenail

over– withoutbeingnastyaboutit. We

needtolearntoreadthesignsandbe

ready to correct behaviours immediately,

and most importantly, we need to set

our pup up for success. Don’t expect too

much of your dog. Teach one command

at a time.

Friends and family reckon I am too hard

on my dog. I am not hard, I am consistent.

When she takes liberties, I bring her back

into line. Cutting someone a bit of slack

is a human trait. In the dog world it just

creates a feeling of insecurity and serves

as a platform to take it one step further

next time.

My philosophy is that specific

training sessions are good to teach

a command initially, but once that is

learned by the dog, incorporating your

training into your daily routine makes it

easier for you, and also ensures that the

dog’s world remains consistent. The traits

and commands you want your dog to

learn and comply with become part of

its daily routine and therefore mean it is

more likely to succeed in all situations.

Consistency is one part, the other is

repetition. How do you achieve that? Try

and make as many of the commands

and things you need for hunting mesh

with what you do from day-to-day with

your dog. Win-win! So, let’s call this

Sami

A Change of Pace

Part 2 - Indicating Dogs

WRITTEN BY ~ JOHNNY BISSELL

36 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019

How

To