What kind of hunting do you have in mind? Upland game? Waterfowl?
i would like my new dog to be more disciplined
Personally, I believe the 'come' command is the foundation for all other training. If the pup learns to come to you on command, when commanded, and every time commanded, all things are possible. If not, you've got nothing and will never have a well trained dog. Of course, when teaching this command, you have to be smart (smarter than the pup) and
NEVER give the command when you believe it might be ignored, like when the pup is intent in investigating something that smells 'oh so good'...Also, my belief is, once you know the pup KNOWS the command, you only give the command ONCE. If I'm ignored (it happens), I go get the pup, pick it up, and bring it to where I was when I gave the command. I don't rough the dog up, yell at it, or abuse it in any way. One way or the other, I make sure the pup is where I want it to be, period. I'm in charge, end of discussion.
Speaking of the come command, here's something that drives me crazy about dog handlers. During hunting season I see guys out in the field trying to call their dog in. They are whistling at fido to come, yelling to come, cursing, their dog running all over the damn place, ignoring their owner. If, and when the owner finally corrals his dog, he verbally and/or physically abuses the dog. When I see this,
it's no mystery why the dog won't come on command.
Idiots.
Be smarter than the dog, and understand Alpha dog behavior. That's my second piece of advice. You are the alpha dog. Now I NEVER lay a hand on my dogs in anger. NEVER. I seldom even scold them. I seldom need to. But there is no question, who the alpha dog is in my pack. That's ME. I'll roll them on their back and lay across their throat until they stop struggling. Dosen't hurt them, but that's what an alpha dog would do to show his dominance. I occasionally pick them up and carry them. Even my older dogs. I also control when they eat. I take away their food, give it back, put my hands in their food while they're eating. All acts to reinforce my dominance.
I also have a new pup, a brittany. I now have two brittany's, my first one is 7 years old now. My new pup has his own kennel crate, that's where he sleeps at night. It's also the one place he can go and have 'sanctuary' no matter what he does. But he is only in the crate at night. When I put him in his crate, I say the word 'kennel'. Every night, and every time I put him in the kennel crate day or night. When he's in the crate, I say 'good boy' with much enthusiasm.
I did this with my first dog from day one. He kennels on command, every time, no questions asked. I say kennel, boom, he's in the kennel crate. Every time. Course, my older dog also knows, going in the kennel crate, also means hittin the road baby...and havin FUN. I watch guys trying to cram their dogs into a kennel crate. That's if they can catch their dog cause their dog won't come on command...too bad for them, but good for me. It's good entertainment....
Good luck with the training. I would also like to recommend a book. I have Gun Dog myself.
But another book I think every hunting dog owner/trainer would benefit from reading, is Bird Dog by Ben O Williams. Ben is a Brittany man, but not to worry, his book is about training upland hunting dogs in general. It's the best training book in my library, and I have many. I just finished reading it again myself. This makes about the 4th time I've read it cover to cover now. I can't remember the last time I read a different book on training. No need....
Best of luck, let me know how the training goes...Jeff
