If you take a simplistic view of training, it becomes apparent that pointing dogs really need to be taught three rudimentary principles that can be applied throughout all levels of their training. Those three principles are to stand still, to go with you, and to come to you. The nuances used in training those three behaviors will help you develop a confident and mannerly bird dog.

STAND STILL

One of the hardest things for an athlete, or a bird dog, to do is to stand still. Bird dogs are best viewed as canine athletes; they are built for movement and action. That said, it is imperative that pointing dogs develop the skill of standing still. This becomes very apparent when they need to undergo veterinary services; have collars, vests, and boots put on; or while waiting their turn to go to the field. Additionally, a point is just the act of a dog standing statuesque and completely still in a moment of high excitement!

Standing still is one of the first skills that we work to instill in dogs at Ronnie Smith Kennels. We begin by simply requiring dogs to stand still and composed by our side when we go to them. This can be done at a door, a tie-out, or simply on a lead. When we approach a dog, we always require that the dog becomes still and calm before we release him to move on to the next activity. It is a basic pre-requisite. Dogs realize that by self-composing and being still, they can trigger the action or reward they are waiting for.

This can also be taught during feeding by setting a dog up to get his feed once he has stood calmly for a short period of time. As the dog’s capability to stand increases, we slowly increase the length of time that we ask him to stand calmly before getting the reward. Every dog is different, and we always make sure not to ask a dog to stand longer than is reasonable for that individual. This simple concept is helpful in building a dog’s ability to problem-solve; as he learns to wait, we will develop a sense of self-awareness, and will be more adept at being composed in moments of excitement.

From that simple beginning, we move on to teach them a physical cue for him to stand still through the use of the Whoa Post. This training tool helps the dog to be successful standing on their own (at a short distance from their handler) in a controlled environment.

The design of this tool and its mechanism were not conceived by chance. In using the Whoa Post, we use a half-hitch on the flank as the point of contact. In our format, the only cue ever taught on the flank is to stop. This helps to eliminate any confusion for the dog.

When on the Whoa Post we use a soft, fat rope looped around the flank as a physical cue for the dog to stand still. We do three sessions of this drill per day for a couple of weeks. The drill on the Whoa Post is to cue the dog to stand still, wait a period of time for the dog’s acknowledgment, and then cue the dog to move on. To put it plainly, the purpose of the Whoa Post is to develop a conditioned response to stand still when cued on the flank.

Once a dog has developed a solid association to stand still when cued on the flank then we can transition to a low-level remote cue of a collar to stop them at farther distances and in increasingly less controlled environments (moving from a sterile mowed grass area to a tall grass field with game). Once we have this behavior established, we can take the dogs safely to the field knowing without a doubt that we can stop them should we encounter any type of unpredictable or dangerous situation. At this point we can begin working on handling and steadying dogs on game, stopping chase, etc. Farther along in the dog’s education we can easily transition that remote cue to the neck and be able to stop our dogs at almost any distance for any reason.

GO WITH YOU

We begin imprinting our litters with the concept of “going with you” during their first outings in the field. At six to eight weeks old, puppies feel the most comfortable with their pack. When we go for walks in short grass, we lead the pack where we want them to go. We hardly ever follow a curious puppy that wanders off-track to catch it and get it back in the pack. If (or when) we have an errant pup, we give it a verbal locator to ensure it can tell where we are (often a call of “pup-pup-pup”) and we continue to move in the direction we want it to go. The pup’s instinct to stay with the pack invariably kicks in, and it will follow enthusiastically. Before too many outings, the pups all pay attention to where their leader is, and they will stay with us of their own accord. Very little is required to get them to stay in a cohesive pack.

As pups mature, their confidence increases, and they become more comfortable ranging out farther on their own. Some dogs may wander too far. This is when formal training is required to help keep the dogs joined up and going with us.

The first steps of teaching dogs to go with you in the formal training incorporates the mechanical tools of a rope. A check cord is the first tool we use in formal training. While working in the field, we work a zigzag line, changing directions left and right. As we do so, we cue our dogs on the neck to mirror our movement.

The next step is developing a good heel with a Command Lead. A dog is most comfortable when heeling on a loose lead, and a Command Lead works very well in heel training because it automatically loosens on the dog’s neck when there is no tension on the rope. Heeling drills are very similar to the check cord quartering exercises: incorporating direction changes that shape where a dog naturally wants to be. Within a few workouts our dogs are not relying on the rope, but are joined up with us and watching our movements to determine where to go. This exercise results in a behavioral change similar to when the pups naturally follow us in the field early in life. Within a few workouts, dogs are confidently walking on a loose lead beside us.

As we get to the stage in training where we are able to safely turn a dog loose in the field and stop him when necessary, we are able to shape the dog’s pattern again. As we move and change direction, we can now keep the dog going with us from a distance to the front. This again is an extension of the check cord and heeling drills. We use direction changes to keep dogs thinking about where we are. For example, if we are working with a dog that has a collar on the flank and he takes off without any regard to where we are, we can simply stop him. Once his feet stop moving, there is a predictable mental process that takes place: the dog will look where he wants to go then turn to locate the people that he is supposed to be hunting with. At that point he has a decision to make, and we allow him the time to work through the decision-making process. He can join up with his crew or take off hunting on his own again. We release the dog with a whistle and let him make his own decision. If he continues moving the direction he intended, we simply stop him again and repeat. If we release the dog when he is looking at his handler, i.e. ensuring that he is joined up with his pack leader, it is canine nature to make what we view as a good decision: the dog will almost always turn back to hunt with the handler.

COME TO YOU

For a bird dog, the recall has particular significance because a retrieve is a recall overlayed with a bird. A dog that has a poor recall will never have a good retrieve. Development of the recall starts in puppyhood and continues through their life. A true recall is one where a dog will not just come in your general vicinity, but will come directly to you and calmly stand by your side awaiting further direction. Just like the other disciplines we discussed in detail, we start teaching this skill in the most controlled environment on a rope or a lead, build proficiency, then add more distractions in less controlled environments.

Always set your young dog up for success by asking for a recall when you know you can enforce it. A food reward is a great way to introduce the concept, and you can move on to refining the recall on a lead/rope, cueing on the neck. We find that changing our body language by bending over or kneeling when we call our dogs works wonders in encouraging a great recall.

A trainer that teaches a dog to happily perform these three basic behaviors in any environment has a great start in development of a pointing dog. This baseline allows trainers to confidently move forward in the process of polishing their bird dog’s manners.