Do It Right
By Dave Duffey

Timing and judgment are key factors in doing any thing right. Poor training and bad judgment often can be corrected when dealing with inanimate and abstract subjects.
But training a gun dog involves a living creature as a central subject, along with other unpredictable critter plus concrete realities rather theories. The results of bad guesses may be difficult to irradiate. Bad timing, in many cases will cause problems impossible to erase.
Successful dog trainers are careful and skillful. A few might be artists. A finished gun dog is certainly a work of art. In every trade there are rough carpenters and cabinet makers.
In no phase of dog training is doing it right more important than when utilizing one of the better training aids the mind of man has so far devised the electronic shock collar. Mechanical operation of this sophisticated training aid is available in instructional pamphlets.
What is most important is that any trainer who uses one should know what it isn't and what it is. Then with proper thinking and good judgment both pro and amateur can substantially reduce the time it takes to instill a desired response.
The electronic shock collar is not a trainer despite what is inferred and promoted in advertisements. The human being operating it is the trainer. The timing and the judgment calls, as well as the transmitter which sends an electric shock to a wired collar around a dog' neck or waist are in the trainer's hands.
For whatever reason elements in our society have decreed that calling a spade a spade is insensitive and politically incorrect. You are free to choose use and abuse words as you will. But you should understand that "stimulation" and "buzz" are euphemisms for "shock" and "jolt." But blunt or graphic terms do not imply that this training instrument is inhumane or risky.
Except for equal rights for animals terrorists who shudder at the thought of man imposing his will on the lower animals and would prefer that dogs be permitted to run amok and all domesticated animals revert to the wild most of us a agree that pups and dogs should be trained and disciplined. Teaching and controlling are achieved by combining praise and punishment. Thus do children become responsible, reasonable adults and puppies cooperative, useful gun dogs, happy and productive in their respective human and canine roles.
The shock collar is a humane, safe, disciplinary instrument that is used to discourage nasty behavior and to reinforce response and reaction to commands already learned (in situations where it is impossible to administer either a "reminder" or physical punishment) which the trainer considers necessary in order to prevent "back sliding" or avert a minor, even a major disaster.
Trained dogs don't mess up shooting opportunities, destroy wildlife, harass live-stock, kill chickens, knock down children, or the postmen. But forget social order, responsibility and financial repercussions. Consider the dog only. The dog that is trained, regardless of the procedure used, will live longer than the car-chaser which commit suicide and can cause human fatalities in auto accidents
Training a dog properly is the only way to go. Training is in the end humane even if harsh measures must occasionally be reported to in individual circumstances to achieve that end When one that considers that it is difficult or impossible to teach a child proper behavior by rewarding only the right response or to persuade an adult by logic and reason alone despite our communications skills how can a dog trainer be expected to "get through" to a "language-challenged" animal without teaching it to avoid punishment.... Just as humans learn proper behavior to avoid retaliation for misdeeds.
To anyone besides the kooks determined to change the world in their image, humane training of a