Why train your dog?

This post comes on the heels of today's activities. I spent the day at an upland test and had a great time with good company. I've been asked by many people why I train my dogs. This hobby of mine has me outside in all kinds of weather conditions doing what could be seen by an outsider as weird training drills. I've stood in the rain for hours watching dog and handler teams compete. I've also hidden in the bushes with a bucket of birds, I've paddled circles around ponds going nowhere, I've waded to my waist in swamp to help a young dog understand a concept.. Again, to an outsider, these actions would be seen as odd.

So why do I train my dogs? For a number of reasons. To have a dog pick up birds when I go hunting, sure. I also enjoy the companionship and the bond that is built between myself and my dog when we're working. I also do it to help the dog get exercise for both her mind and her body. Overall, I find it rewarding. So why does anyone else on here train their dog? What do you enjoy about it?

You said it so well! My reasons are the same ; I also like to get my way 50% of the time. :)

There is a difference between the dog people who end up sunk into dog sports and those people who just like to hunt with dogs. The latter group gets the dog trained at age 2 and then sits back to enjoy years of hunting with the dog. The dog people get the dog trained at age 2 and then think, "Darn, now I need another dog."

Well, not quite, but the training is its own reward: seeing the dog develop over time, put the pieces together, etc. And I'd much rather train my own dog than send her to a trainer for that same reason: it's the journey & not the destination.

And also, it's a problem solving exercise. There is always something to work on, something to fix or improve.

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Originally Posted by welsh

There is a difference between the dog people who end up sunk into dog sports and those people who just like to hunt with dogs. The latter group gets the dog trained at age 2 and then sits back to enjoy years of hunting with the dog. The dog people get the dog trained at age 2 and then think, "Darn, now I need another dog."

Well, not quite, but the training is its own reward: seeing the dog develop over time, put the pieces together, etc. And I'd much rather train my own dog than send her to a trainer for that same reason: it's the journey & not the destination.

And also, it's a problem solving exercise. There is always something to work on, something to fix or improve.

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I'm happy to see anyone train their dog to do anything, even if it is simply to be a good companion (IE. Come when called, walk nicely on leash, don't jump up or steal things off the counter, etc). When people complain about their dogs but never put any work into them, they reap what they sow. Everyone I know from school, be it friends or acquaintances, apparently consider me knowledgeable with dogs. The joke among my friends is that my dogs are the measuring stick to which they compare all dogs lol my dogs are not super stars by any means, but I take them with me everywhere and I expect them to be welcome everywhere. I don't expect the world to cater to my dogs, I train my dogs to behave themselves so that I give no one an excuse to complain about their presence. The training itself, as you mentioned, is rewarding. I remember the first upland hunt test that I took Jada to three years ago. I had my old girl entered and Jada was literally there for the truck ride. She was birdy as anything but wasn't sit-to-flush ready. This past weekend, I again had her with me (not entered) and when they needed a by dog at the end, I got her out. On the way to line, she flushed a pheasant that had been hiding by the trailer. She gave me a lovely example of steady to flush - she hammered on the breaks as soon as he went up. It was marvelous to see all my 'sit sit sit' work come to fruition when she didn't let her prey drive kick in and she didn't chase the bird. I find dog training very rewarding when you see the small things come together.