rience teaches. You've tried to keep things positive and fun for your pup.
Now, after his first season, you'll step back and re-evaluate him. Is he bold and enthusiastic on birds? Does he pay no heed to the gun ­ better yet, does he get excited at the sight of one? Does he relentlessly search for a downed bird, or chase a flyaway bird joyfully? Do these things intensify his drive to find the next bird? Does he show interest in the bird as it hits the ground, maybe even retrieving on his own? If your pup does all these things, you're to be congratulated ­ you've done a great job with a minimum of pressure on your young pup. He's on his way to becoming a great bird dog.
You may also notice, upon re-evaluation, little signs of possible problems. Maybe pup is starting to range farther out ­ even beginning to self-hunt ­ not responding as well to your whistle command. Perhaps she is picking up a bird and running off with it. You may be getting the distinct impression that though she knows what you want, she is ignoring you.
The time may come when proper use of the e-collar will be warranted with handling problems such as these. The e-collar is also used in the trained retrieve program and in steadying your dog to wing and shot. Age and temperament are key factors in determining the right time, if necessary, to introduce the collar into your training program.
It is a logical transition to use the e-collar as reinforcement of what your dog has already learned. This transition requires thoughtful and knowledgeable determination of what you want to accomplish and how you want to do it. It's a good idea to enlist the aid of a professional trainer when you've had no experience in using the collar. With that in mind, we'll be helping you ­ step by step ­ in upcoming columns where we address use of the e-collar in handling problems and more advanced training.

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