Gsp Puppy Help

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sharon

I use clicker training for a new dog in the house.... basic obedience .Once it's in the field , I don't use clicker training, although it is useful for a new pup in the field who isn't isn't moving away from the sound of a clicker yet .
It has to be connected pretty soon though to the "come now" command/ e collar use. The dog won't here a clicker 300 yards out there. :)

---

True story, I love my e-collar... partially because it also has gps on it lol

A couple of suggestions:
I would not wait a year before introducing the e collar and I certainly would not use clicker training with the view of transitioning to the collar. Using the collar only for recall is such a waste of a useful tool.

Teach basics...that's a given.

Collar condition the dog around the 6 month mark. There is ample written material on how to collar condition. Try Mike Lardy's sequence and instruction as per his web site just as an example. Start with sit, whistle sit, here, heel etc.

Once collar conditioned you will have a tool to use reinforcing field training, especially with lack of effort on dog's part. Doing it this way is much cleaner and more effective than clickering first and then looking at transitioning to the collar.

Use an e collar and forget all the other stuff. Trust me. My dogs (GWP and a DD) run on electricity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by welsh

As an aside, I was just reading about a new study which showed no difference between clicker training, use of a verbal marker ("Bravo") with a food treat, and use of a food treat with no marker in training a simple task.

A lot of claims are made that clicker training is magic, but they don't hold up.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

---

Very true. It is fun and useful with a new puppy though IN THE HOUSE.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gemini898

What happened when you tried to do clicker training with your hunting dog(breed?)? What issues/problems did you run into? I'd like to know if I will have some future problems.

---

Oh I didn't mean to sidetrack this thread :(
Nothing to worry about. Clicker is for training dolphins. Dogs adapted to be trained by humans over thousands of years w/o a bloody clicker ;) Dogs are amazingly receptive to tone of voice and body language.
In fact I always tell new trainers - your voice is your most powerful training tool, you should be able to go from sounding angry to happy in half a second (and never get angry for real! if you do, wrap the training for the day).

Anyone using clicker is simply delaying development of the 'bond', i.e. better understanding between the handler and the dog. JMO. One must be consistent, of course, but bad trainers are going to be bad no matter what tool they use (until they improve :) )

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dilly

Use an e collar and forget all the other stuff. Trust me. My dogs (GWP and a DD) run on electricity.

---

put a smiley face there or something, some newbie will read it and start pushing the button like there's no tomorrow, you think I exaggerate? it happens.

Learn to collar condition properly to support basics.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz

put a smiley face there or something, some newbie will read it and start pushing the button like there's no tomorrow, you think I exaggerate? it happens.

---

We have seen this happen while fishing up at Southampton, a woman was training her Black Lab. dog along the Saugeen River, all we heard was the poor dog yelping every two to three minutes, this kept up for about 3/4 of an hour till I couldn't stand it anymore.
I pulled our boat close to shore and hollered at her that if I hear one more yelp from that dog, I would come ashore and wrap that collar around her neck and keep giving her jolts till she smartened up.
She then quit and left the area without even answering.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz

put a smiley face there or something, some newbie will read it and start pushing the button like there's no tomorrow, you think I exaggerate? it happens.

---

Agreed. My point was if you have a driven and hard headed breed, Like a shorthair, you better have a firm hand and a method of following up on your "angry tone of voice". Proper application of consistent ecollar training sets an early tone. My oldest dog almost never needs a nick any more but he also knows when he isn't wearing his ecollar. The pup needs lots of reminders.

I am not sure where the term high strung, hard headed interrupts to a GSP. Any sporting breed is high strung / hard headed if it is of any use as a hunting dog. I was with field trial labs today and they admitted that these dogs were not dogs for first time owner/handlers. There are distinct levels in these breeds and all hunting breeds. The sporting breeds that are in the show ring are usually not as active as those that are in the competitive hunt trials and may be better for a first time handler. When you enter the world of hunting dogs they all require a certain amount of attention with exercise and or training. When they get bored they can get destructive, and be a nuisance.

Buyers should do their home work when looking for a dog, know that their commitment could be for up to 15 years +/-, join a group that trains dogs to get instruction on training. Not all GSPs are high strung, and not all labs are passive, but the all require exercise and training.

Dick