There are two basic ways to correct your dog during formal training.
One way is with stimulation from the e-collar and the other is using physical correction. Physical
correction was the primary form of correction to teach the steadying process
until the late 1980s when Tri-tronics came out with a variable intensity
e-collar. Unlike the “hot” single button e-collars that were the norm, this new
e-collar had low, medium, and high buttons and five intensity levels. For the
first time, you could adjust the intensity level of the e-collar to fit the
situation and use it around birds without causing blinking problems.
As trainers experimented with these new e-collars,
articles began appearing in some of the sporting magazines on how to use them
in formal training. I really liked the idea of using a variable intensity
e-collar and decided to buy one. At first, it was almost too easy to teach a
dog to stand birds and not chase. After I’d taught a couple of dogs to be
steady with the e-collar, I realized something was missing in their training
and that something was respect. My
dogs didn’t respect me. By relying solely on the e-collar and foregoing any
type of physical correction, my dogs had learned to respect the birds but not
me.
If you think about it, physical correction is
fundamental to how dogs learn. I was watching a momma dog with her pups
recently and one of the pups began pulling on her ear. She gave a warning
growl, and when he didn’t quit the behavior, she gave him an immediate bite
that sent him howling and running away. She showed no concern or remorse and
continued about her business as if nothing had happened. Eventually, the pup
returned, but this time he was much more respectful. His approach was low and
crouching, and he rolled onto his back and tried to lick her lips. The momma
dog corrected the pup swiftly and without emotion to teach him that his
behavior was unacceptable. At the same time, she earned his respect, and as a
result, the pup would think twice before trying the same thing again.
I decided to incorporate some of the physical
corrections used in the Bill West method along with the e-collar corrections I
was already using. Over the next several years, I saw a big difference in my
dogs. Instead of standing broke from e-collar pressure, my dogs were standing
broke for me. They weren’t competing with me to flush the bird and seemed more
obedient to my commands. In other words, respected me and wanted to work for
me.
In the Bill
West method, trainers use the pinch-collar and check-cord and their hands to
correct a dog and earn his respect. Pro trainer Maurice Lindley explains, “A
dog learns to respect me when I get my hands on him. I begin training with
physical pressure and mold the dog with my hands as I teach him to stand still.
Once the dog is comfortable with physical pressure, I’m ready to introduce
physical correction.” Two examples of physical corrections Maurice uses are setting a dog back and spinning a dog (see Training with Mo: How Maurice Lindley Trains Pointing Dogs by
Martha Greenlee). These corrections aren’t meant to hurt a dog and are done
swiftly and without anger to let him know his behavior is unacceptable.
If you have been depending on the e-collar for most of
your corrections, you might consider adding some physical corrections to your
training program. Be sure to use one type of correction or the other, not both
together, so as not to overwhelm your dog. As training progresses, be careful
and try to match the severity of the correction to the situation. Just as
e-collar corrections have different intensity levels, physical corrections have
different intensity levels too. Some physical corrections are given gently and
resemble nagging while others are given more forcefully in order to get your
dog’s attention.
The timing of a physical correction is the same as an
e-collar correction and must be delivered quickly before your dog’s brain has
time to move on. If you have to wait to correct your dog, it is best to skip
the correction so you don’t confuse him. If it’s hard for you to get physical
with your dog, realize that you are communicating to him in a language he
already understands. And any time you feel yourself becoming angry, remember to
stop training. Getting physical with your dog isn’t about hurting him. It’s
about getting down on his level and teaching him the same way his momma taught
him.
You can gain a dog’s trust by being nice to him, but
you won’t earn his respect. If you can find the right balance between physical
corrections and e-collar corrections in the training field, your dog will learn
to respect both you and the bird, and once you have his respect, you will have
a dog that wants to work for you and is a brag dog to train.