Training tension headaches

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5
Mar
2010

The group worked very hard this week

Howard Kirby is the proprietor of Lains Shooting School and Mullenscote Gundogs, where he specialises in training a variety of dogs (and handlers!) from companions to specialist gundogs. In his weekly blog, Howard shares his experience of the dogs and people that pass through his school and his top tips to train your dog.

"Our latest Gundog Club Course came to its finale and assessment day this week, we had more ‘tension in the air’ in our little training field than you would feel on FA Cup final day in Wembley stadium.

No group of dog trainers in the history of dog training have put more effort, blood, sweat and tears into learning to train their dogs. At times this focus has worked against the handlers, their desperation to achieve (which of course is both normal and to be recommended) has of course shown its self as frustration, self doubt and on a couple of occasions near nervous breakdown. These emotional states of mind are not always conducive to good dog training but are of course a necessary part of the learning curve for dog trainers.

Learning to recognise how you, the teacher, come across to your pupil is just as important as all of the other skills that we need to acquire to be able to train a dog. Without exception the trainers on this particular course have worked through and beyond the highs and lows and have succeeded in training their dogs to the next level.

The training group was a mixture of Labradors, Spaniels and HPR’s; this mixture of breed type, handler experience and expectations made for near perfect group dynamics. The discussion, debate, support, camaraderie and competitive spirit (yes we are old fashioned here we do still believe in competition) made me feel like we could give up holding dog training groups and start holding AA meetings. Although I have made light of this, in fact it worked brilliantly.

Attending a dog training class as part of a group can be extremely beneficial, but it can also have its pitfalls. In fact almost all of the best bits of training in a group when put into a negative state of mind can turn a group session into quite a negative experience for a trainer.

Attend as many dog training courses and groups as you can, if possible check them out before you go with your dog. Ask yourself: Do you like what you see? Will you and your dog enjoy this environment? Sometimes attending a dog training course without your dog, just as an observer, can be hugely beneficial.

However you decide to improve your personal dog training skills, make sure that you keep it all in perspective and that both you and your dog enjoy the experience!"