Settling down enough to work....

[steelheadfred]

Looking for a few suggestions, its been 7 years since I trained a really hot dog.

My current charge is 9 months old, and I love the drive, I love the fire, I love the brains. What I dont love is that even after a nice free run, even after spending some time on the chain gang (he accepts and settles right in), it takes us a little time for him to settle down to work. Once he does, we really make progress.

What I have been doing is the following, it is trial and error but it seems to be getting better.

I let him out of kennel (make him sit and stay before he comes out on command), give him 5-10 minute free run out back. I then put him on the chain gang and either work another dog, or I do some basic chores around the kennel, yard, ect...

First thing I do is put him on a lead and heel him around the yard. If he starts to act crazy and such, I dont say anything, just let him spin around on the slip lead till he settles down, after he realizes he cant escape, he normally sits down and looks at me. I dont say a word while he is "freaking out." At first I would do this three or four times in the first 5 minutes, only giving praise after he sat and looked at me, I would go to pet him adn he would start to get all excited, I would not touch him or say anything till he settled in again.

It gets better every day, yesterday, he only "freaked out" once.

I am wondering if anyone else has any suggestions. When he settles in to work, he has major potential to be everything I would want in a gun dog.


(as a side note, the dog has been with me for two weeks, my brother is a fishing guide in Alaska and I get this dog for the summer). He is solid on basic commands, SIT (stay), Come, Kennel, Heel.

[Juli H]

have you thought of using a pinch collar?

Also - it does sound like you are being calm when you are walking him...what about the petting/praise? just a small stroke on the head? calm 'good boy'? he souds like the kind of dog that you can't go overboard with on the praise....

Juli

[steelheadfred]

have you thought of using a pinch collar?

Also - it does sound like you are being calm when you are walking him...what about the petting/praise? just a small stroke on the head? calm 'good boy'? he souds like the kind of dog that you can't go overboard with on the praise....

Juli

Juli,

Thanks for the help. I heap the praise on him when he does right, a pinch collar is a good thought.

I dont want praise when he is being a wild man....I praise consistent soft voice when he settles in.

Like I said it is getting better every day.

Fritz

[Bud]

You are right to not reward him when he is crazy. Sounds like he's excited about going to work, which is great. But it's time to formalize obedience and get it across that there is time for work and a time for play. Try a choke/pinch collar and get him under control.