training for the every-day busy person.
In my opinion, many dog training
videos and prescriptions place too
much emphasis on specific training
sessions and not enough on daily
life. I have seen dogs trained like this
that were then taken back into an
environment of inconsistency or were so
trained that the hunt and independence
of thought was almost wrung out of
them.
Remember that your dog is a pack animal
and most often you and your family are
the pack. It is not just about commands
and training for a specific role, it is also
about how they fit in with the pack and
comply with the pack’s social boundaries.
I call this ‘manners’. I see some dogs
that will comply with specific commands
who are also a pain in the butt in
everyday situations.
So what are the verbal and non-verbal
commands I use with Sami? I will give you
a couple of options on several in case you
recognise other words for this. I also use
whistles and hand signals for several of
them.- Stay/stop
- Here/come
- In/on (walk in front)
- Leave it/no
- Steady/slow
- OK (release word)
- On your mat
- Get up/in the box
These eight commands form the
foundation for just about everything
I do with Sami. And the funny thing is
that of these eight, the only ones I have
specifically trained her in are the first
three. The next three in have been mostly
through her learning the body languageand voice tone associated with the word.
Numbers 7 & 8 were picked up by saying
the command when she was doing the
action and so she simply and quickly
associated the two.
The rest of what she has learned
is day-to-day manners. Some
examples are:- Leave strange dogs alone
unless I say it is OK to go and say
hello. - Don’t jump up on or lick
people. - Treat small children with the
greatest of care. - Don’t approach strangers
unless I say it is OK. - Don’t bark or whine in your
kennel or box. - Don’t eat unattended food.
- There is only one place in the
house if you are allowed in and that
is on the mat. - You are not allowed inside
unless invited. - Don’t chase other animals/
leave them alone. - Kiwis and other birds are
strictly off-limits (aversion training
and certification). - Don’t sniff or eat the trap
bait in the bucket beside you on the
quad when we are working.
Any deer that were brought home were shown to Sami and she was
allowed to inspect them and figure things out in her own way. She
reckoned they smelt great!A basket with sides gave her clearly defined and
easily understood boundaries as to what was and
was not her 'mat'.Play time. Who needs fancy toys when
there is a deer hock available?Once the walking in front bit was
mastered we upped the anti and went
and played stalking goats without a
rifle. She is locked on here at 15 metres
with the long lead on constantly for
insurance. To start with my whole focus
was on her this way and there was not
the complication of gunfire thrown in.
She loved it!August / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 37training for the every-day busy person.
In my opinion, many dog training
videos and prescriptions place too
much emphasis on specific training
sessions and not enough on daily
life. I have seen dogs trained like this
that were then taken back into an
environment of inconsistency or were so
trained that the hunt and independence
of thought was almost wrung out of
them.
Remember that your dog is a pack animal
and most often you and your family are
the pack. It is not just about commands
and training for a specific role, it is also
about how they fit in with the pack and
comply with the pack’s social boundaries.
I call this ‘manners’. I see some dogs
that will comply with specific commands
who are also a pain in the butt in
everyday situations.
So what are the verbal and non-verbal
commands I use with Sami? I will give you
a couple of options on several in case you
recognise other words for this. I also use
whistlesandhandsignalsforseveralof
them.- Stay/stop
- Here/come
- In/on(walkinfront)
- Leaveit/no
- Steady/slow
- OK(releaseword)
- Onyourmat
- Getup/inthebox
Theseeightcommandsformthe
foundationforjustabouteverything
I dowithSami.Andthefunnythingis
thatoftheseeight,theonlyonesI have
specificallytrainedherinarethefirst
three.Thenextthreeinhavebeenmostly
throughherlearningthebodylanguageand voice tone associated with the word.
Numbers 7 & 8 were picked up by saying
the command when she was doing the
action and so she simply and quickly
associated the two.
The rest of what she has learned
is day-to-day manners. Some
examples are:- Leave strange dogs alone
unless I say it is OK to go and say
hello. - Don’t jump up on or lick
people. - Treat small children with the
greatest of care. - Don’t approach strangers
unless I say it is OK. - Don’tbarkorwhineinyour
kennelorbox. - Don’teatunattendedfood.
- Thereis onlyoneplaceinthe
houseif youareallowedinandthat
is onthemat. - Youarenotallowedinside
unlessinvited. - Don’tchaseotheranimals/
leavethemalone.
10.Kiwisandotherbirdsare
strictlyoff-limits(aversiontraining
andcertification).- Don’tsnifforeatthetrap
baitinthebucketbesideyouonthe
quadwhenweareworking.
Any deer that were brought home were shown to Sami and she was
allowed to inspect them and figure things out in her own way. She
reckoned they smelt great!A basket with sides gave her clearly defined and
easily understood boundaries as to what was and
was not her 'mat'.
Play time. Who needs fancy toys when
there is a deer hock available?Once the walking in front bit was
mastered we upped the anti and went
and played stalking goats without a
rifle. She is locked on here at 15 metres
with the long lead on constantly for
insurance. To start with my whole focus
was on her this way and there was not
the complication of gunfire thrown in.
She loved it!August / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 37