George Hickox

Right Time, Right Place, Right Start

The most frequently asked question regarding dog training is undoubtedly, "When should I start training my pup?" The easy response-and correct answer-is from the first day the new dog is acquired. More difficult questions concern when particular commands/abilities should be taught/trained for and what levels of performance should be expected?

My training philosophy is not based on getting the youngest dog ever to be shot over, hunting in control, retrieving to hand, holding point or being steady to wing & shot. I preach a building block program-one that produces a happy, confident dog that responds with enthusiasm and style.

It’s imperative to understand that it is impossible for a dog to achieve excellence without correcting it for non-compliance. The danger of disciplining incorrectly, inconsistently or excessively is that it may result in irreparable damage to the dog’s attitude. A bold and confident dog will respond to proper correction with an attitude that says, OK, I get it. I screwed up. Let’s shake hands and go have a beer. A youngster lacking confidence may sulk, fight or try to avoid training altogether. Trying to get the unconfident dog to hold point, for example, actually may lead to blinking (purposefully avoiding) game. Once the trainer recognizes the advantages of having a bold and confident pup, answers to the aforementioned question will be more apparent.

In other words, the trainer’s job during the pup’s first six months is not to line-steady the dog or teach it to back another’s point. The task is to create a dog that will be a good student-one that will respond enthusiastically and successfully to proper training methods- when the time comes for it to go to school. Keep in mind that the right time is not the same for all dogs. It is determined by the maturity level of the particular dog.

As I’ve espoused in the past, the key to getting a bold, confident, trainable pup is genetics. Genetics is the mortar that cements the building blocks together. A prospective dog owner should never skimp when it comes to selecting a future gunning companion. A pup should come from proven ancestors, with the abilities of the dam and sire being more important than lineage four or five generations back. Genetics plus training plus nutrition, in that order, are the keys to producing a successful bird dog.

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As far as training goes, the first six months of the dog’s life are the most critical. This is when its personality is formed. A dog can be taught "Here," "Sit," "Whoa," "Heel" and so on at any age, but training will progress more quickly--and with fewer problems---if the pup’s formative months are spent developing boldness and confidence rather than having to comply with commands. Over-training early is a temptation far too many owners succumb to in their rush to see results. Giving the pup its first year simply to be a pup will yield greater rewards in the years that follow.

So what are some dos and don’ts of working with young pups? Anyone who’s spent time with me knows the importance I place on birds. As long as the pup has inherited strong genetics, nothing will create a bold, happy and confident bird dog more effectively than exposure to the feathered critters it will spend the rest of its life chasing. Don’t wait for the pup to be "old enough to train" before introducing it to birds; such exposure helps build enthusiasm and fine-tune hunting instincts. Of course, this does not mean shooting over a very young dog, but merely letting it learn to use its nose. A pup will never acquire hunting savvy by learning to "Sit" or by curling up at your feet in front of the TV.

Take the pup to the woods and fields. Expose it to water. The pup needs to experience a variety of new grounds and situations outside its backyard. Not doing so risks creating a ill dog that lacks confidence in strange surroundings.

	Exposing young dogs to different situations will help make them bold and confident.

Trainers who don’t live in areas rich in wild birds should seed their grounds with enough pigeons, chukar or quail to ensure sufficient bird contact. (Be careful about using pheasants at the outset, as a bad experience with a tough rooster can frighten a young dog.) Also remember that these are not sessions for teaching the pup to come or hunt close. The pup should be allowed to run and chase to its heart’s content-without being hacked on. (Believe me, both you and the dog will have more fun.)

This early period is also the time to begin socializing the pup. Make sure the youngster is comfortable around other dogs and other people. Take it on a (leashed) walk through town or to the supermarket and let strangers reach down and pet it. Exposure to different situations can only strengthen the dog’s confidence and make it bolder and if you ever plan to hunt with friends who have dogs, it will make things a lot easier.

When the time does come to begin formal training, two cardinal rules apply: 1) The dog must understand the command absolutely, and 2) the dog must be corrected at the place of the infraction soon after it occurred. I have heard dog owners say, "My dog knew he did bad. When I got home he had that look on his face. He knew he wasn’t supposed to piddle on the floor, so I stuck his nose in it and said, ’Bad, bad boy."

Thinking the dog "knew" it was doing wrong is a misperception. Prior to the owner arriving home, the dog was probably curled up snoozing. When the owner put his key in the front door, the dog’s apprehension and stress levels were triggered. Why? Because dogs associate! In the past when the dog heard the door unlocking, it was sometimes greeted with petting and other times by having its nose stuck in pee. The dog now associates the sound of the lock with possible correction. Because the corrections have not taken place at the time of the infractions, the dog has not made the connection between urinating on the floor and the discipline. For the correction to be meaningful, it has to take place at the time of or shortly after the act. Disciplining a few hours later results in nothing more than distrust and uncertainty in the dog.

As for teaching commands, the first six months is the ideal time to start "show-pup" training- without correction for non-compliance. Here the command is repeated over and over while the pup is shown what is expected of it. For example, when I show a pup what "Here" means, I snap a check cord to its collar and gently pull it to me while repeating, "Here, here, here." Only after hundreds of show-pups will I start demanding the pup comply the first time I give the command. The more show-pups, however, the less discipline will be necessary. And the less discipline used, the more stylish the dog will be.

It is also important to be consistent. Dogs understandably get confused when trainers sometimes command "Here," other times "Come," and still other times "Come on over here." Choose one command and stick with it. Also keep training sessions short and frequent. Ten minutes every day is more effective than three hours on Saturday.

And finally, don’t expect a young dog to comply with excellence to commands. Remember that a pup’s attention and maturity levels are limited. Just show the pup and keep playing. There will be plenty of time for advanced training later on.