only when released from his stand by the
hunter's command. Putting these manners on a dog in the traditional
way requires not only restraint but considerable stroking and
rubbing to reassure, praise and style up a dog "holding"
his birds and displaying intense interest while pointing properly.)
As they should, many dog owners want to do a bit of preliminary
work themselves. This socializing and starting a pup on some
of his basics may help them decide whether or not to send a youngster
out for some professional training. If there is a pro in your
pup's future, definitely skip the sit business. That will save
you money when the trainer doesn't have to fiddle with the dog
to overcome a learned response ("put my butt on the ground")
when touched on the hindquarter or back.
No one wants birds "pointed" by a dog with his butt
stuck to the ground, tail swishing happily because he's interpreted
a touch as a reminder to sit and thinks he'll be praised for
complying. A lot of time that could be better used otherwise
has to be spent re-standing such a dog, something the dog would
just as soon do without. There's always risk when disciplining
a dog around birds that he'll associate unpleasantness with game
and become a subtle or blatant blinker (avoiding birds he knows
are there.)
Should your bird dog's role in life be strictly hunting or field
trialing, there's no cogent reason for even bothering to teach
him to sit. "Whoa!" will anchor him, standing up, any
time, any place. But if your pointing dog is to be a companion
as well, eliciting a sit response is a useful accomplishment.
But wait until you have him "broke" on birds or get
him back after his stint with the pro.
However, within the pointing dog category are the "versatile"
gun dogs from the European continent, |
originally and to some extent still bred as multipurpose
hunters and companions. Among other things, the Continental pointing
breeds may be expected to do non-slip waterfowl or dove retrieving,
which mandates a staidly seated fetcher of birds, along with
the finding and pointing of upland game. Owners and trainers
of pointer/retrievers utilized to "hunt everything",
may by choice or necessity start their sit training for earlier.
But less devoted, more casual hunters usually are better off
if they opt for a delay until other, more vital, responses are
instilled.
No pup will hold forever and the time
varies slightly
Returning to the simple mechanics,
once you've held him steady with your hand on his chest and press
down on his hips with the other hand so he assumes the sitting
position, tell him he's a good boy, pet him if you like and when
you remove your hands when he remains plunked in place, tell
him what a grand dog he is. When he starts to get up (and he
will), repeat the procedure of pushing the pup packed into a
sit as you command, "Sit!" Repeat and repeat until
you could take your hand off him and step away and he'll remain
put.
No pup will hold forever and the time varies slightly with most
before they will try to come to you or do something on their
own within a few seconds. When yours does, put him back in position
repeatedly until he'll hold for the release command, something
like "all right" or "okay". Don't stretch
out this interval at first. But over a week's time gradually
extended time between "Sit" and "All right"
and he'll catch on that he's to stay put until released or called
by you.
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How quickly he catches on will depend upon
how often you do this. There are some "training opportunities"
you might not have thought of that cost very little in time or
effort. Some informal practice "drills" are suggested
further on.
Sharp pups, exposed to a half-dozen, two or three minute sessions
may grasp the elements of this in a day. Done a couple times
a day over a week's time will get the job well started. No matter
how uncooperative or dull the pup, if you just do it every time
you get the opportunity, whenever you are fooling with the pup,
he'll come around. Formal trading sessions are great. But they
aren't necessary. That's what makes "play training"
and the osmosis-like absorption of "lessons" a way
to get training jobs done by people who can't or won't set aside
time for serious education. Just devoted a few minutes of unfettered
attention to the dog while you have at him out playing, exercising
or in the house.
Each time a pup comes to you for attention or petting, tell him
to "Sit!" and then use praise he craves as a reward
for his behavior, not just because he's cute and you think he
warrants it. You command, "Sit!" He does it? Great!
Praise him. He didn't? Plunk him down. Repeat, repeat, and repeat.
Eventually expect most dogs when called to you to come in and,
without being told, will set before you as a matter of memorized
the routine.
Once the pup starts to respond to the verbal command, you take
a big step toward developing a fine field dog that you can also
show off in the house when you have company by adding an obedient
sit to a single whistle beep and a hand signal. Simultaneously
beep your whistle and raise your arm, just cautioning index finger
gesture when he's in front of you, a fully extended halt gesture
when he's some this distance from you, followed by |
