obedience
Belief and Behavior A belief can be taught by the
handler through training and can also be self-taught by the dog (via self- correction) when the dog experi- ences the consequences of his actions. Repeated beliefs become the occur- rences.With consistency in the train- ing process, the dog repeatedly and consistently realizes the desired behaviors that result in positive out-
comes.The dog becomes conditioned to make these right choices (what the handler wants and trains for). If the dog believes the desired behaviors will get him a reward (whether it be a click for those of you familiar with clicker training, a kind word from the handler or, out in the field, the bird not flying away) he will repeat the behaviors. Repeated good behaviors become good habits and these good habits become lifestyles. The principles of Lonnie’s belief
and behavior philosophy are easily extended beyond the field, and applied to other performance venues. One of the foremost principles form- ing the basis of success in training is that the dog needs to view its handler as the pack leader. This relationship needs to be established in order for
From the Soft Dog. positive training
Coaxing the Best –by Pam Stuart M
uch like with the power of positive thinking, there is power with positive training. The results will be a motivated and enthusiastic dog who wants to perform for the handler.
Members of the Tampa Bay Vizsla Club had the pleas-
ure of seeing positive training techniques applied to field training during Lonnie Spell’s Belief and Behavior Seminar held at the Valley Hunter farm in Alachua, Florida. Lonnie, who hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, is the pro-
prietor of Limited Edition Gun Dogs, and has been training dogs for 26 years. His grandfather was a dog trainer, and his father is still an avid bird hunter. He has been around bird dogs as long as he can remember including Pointers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers,Water Spaniels and a particular Llewellin Setter, one of the greatest dogs he has owned. His focus is on training the big running horseback handled field dog.
100 THE NEW BARKER
the dog to hear, listen and obey commands, whether in the field, the agility ring or walking on leash in the neigh- borhood. As much as we love our dogs,we must remember they
are not little people in fur suits. They are dogs. They are pack animals and they think like pack
animals.That is what they understand, and leadership is what they
need.The han- dler, as pack leader, will command the respect and obedi- ence of the pack member.
“We ‘mark behavior’ when we reward a dog for compliance. But, that can be a problem when we mark a dog’s sulking, scared or retreating behavior by comforting him. If we mark good behavior with praise, the dog will repeat that. If we mark unwanted behav- ior with praise (comforting the soft dog when he is sulking, scared or retreating), the dog will repeat that, too.” – Lonnie Spell (left with Limited Edition Super Joe.)
www.TheNewBarker.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124