Obedience Training With Collars

I can tell you from experience that anybody who preaches there is only one way to train dogs cannot be a very successful trainer for the masses. They probably do well with a certain type of temperament and proper drives, but not so well with another. A good trainer must adapt a style befitting the dog and find ways to make the training productive. Any trainer willing to eliminate the options contained in their tool box made up their mind they didn’t like the tool and never took the time to understand its proper use.
The severity of the behavior, the energy level and spirit of the dog are all things that will be considered when choosing a training method. Some dogs are not motivated with toys and treats and simply will not listen to commands and do whatever they want unless they are guided to do so. Different training collars help illustrate what we are trying to get the dog to do quickly and with less conflict. For instance, a dog that is very stubborn and requires repeated corrections with a choke chain, but is much more compliant when wearing a pinch collar, we learn that we avoided having to give as many corrections and the dog learns faster. The dog learns the proper behavior and avoids the feel of the collar all together when it is compliant. Remember, we never use any more firmness when guiding than is necessary. We should always be working toward off-lead obedience.

All of my dogs learn obedience using a combination of compulsion and motivation. I will use choke chains on a short lead before graduating to a long line and eventually off-lead. If they are prone to chasing rabbits and acting independently off-lead, I will introduce the electronic training collar in tandem with the choke chain until the e-collar is understood. If a dog is fearful and of low spirit, I will use only motivational methods and would never use any other types of training collars.


It is my goal to shed some light on traditional training techniques and tools that have been used when training dogs, and to persuade everyone to have an open mind and realize there is no one way to adequately train every dog. There are as many personalities and behavior problems in dogs as there are in people. Some dogs will require varying degrees of guidance, or positive reinforcement, depending on the problems encountered. One of the things that has bothered me most about dog training and training theory is that a lot of people are more apt to utilize compulsive methods with their children than they are with their dog. Compulsive methods are not a bad thing. They have a positive outcome and if done properly, the dog will respect you more and realize there are rules that must be followed. The hardest thing to teach some dog owners is that dog training needs to be positive. Our goal should always be to make obedience training fun and positive. Maintaining a mutual respect and being a good leader for your dog is paramount to the success of the training. Coaxing and motivating is every bit as important for the dog owner as it is the dog learning the commands. When I say compulsive training methods I am referring to nothing more than a guiding maneuver. No different than somebody escorting you by the arm and saying, “I need you to stand here”. Training should never be perceived as punishment. Whether you are using a choke chain, pinch collar, or an electronic training collar, the key is knowing when one of these collars is necessary, and to use it properly. Any one of these training tools can be misused and become abusive very quickly if not used the way they are intended. I cannot emphasize enough the need to weigh and justify the necessity of a specialized collar in addition to the need to seek professional help and educating yourself on the proper use.

Bomb Detector Dog Training

BUILDING FLUSHING BEHAVIOR
Play Drive vs. Prey Drive

Over the years it has become painfully obvious that many detector dog handlers have lost sight of the fact that their dog is bored with training or simply is not as focused as they should be. I’ve noticed that in a “prey monster deluxe” seldom do issues arise, however there are dogs that do not have as much drive and require careful handling and training to stay on top of the game of scent detection. There have been cases where even a “prey monster deluxe” has encountered problems due to poor training and handling. The problem arises when handlers begin training like “everybody else” and do not make the necessary adjustments to fix the problem. Dog training is all about making the necessary adjustments. This separates a good handler or trainer from a bad one. In almost every case, the success or failures of a canine team stem from the initial training, but there are many variables that affect the success of a K9 program. The initial training is the foundation for everything else to build on.

When we look at the qualities of a good detector dog, we look at the following:
1. High energy level
2. High prey drive
3. Strong hunt drive
4. Extremely focused!

When I look at essential elements of a detector dog team I look for:
1. Focus
2. Correctness
3. Confidence

More often than not, these are qualities and elements that comprise a good handler as well. Detection work truly is a team effort. The primary purpose of this training message is to discuss methods that have been very instrumental in building focus and very successful canine teams through the years. I do not believe a handler will ever trust their dog unless the dog conveys to the handler that they are focused, correct, and confident in their mission.

For a long time I knew that primary rewards were the way to go in terms of building independence from the handler and building more intensity. Primary rewards are not always practical so most handlers deliver the prey object (their toy) directly from their hand which is known as a secondary reward. Through years of observing lazy searches, missed hides, and poor alerts, it dawned on me that a lot of these dogs are bored and needed a fire lit under them to motivate them to perform better. It appeared that even though the prey object was delivered by their handler, they were not deriving the same satisfaction as a dog who encountered a rabbit in a field. The dog encountering the rabbit was having fun and true prey drive was exhibited.

We all have been told the prey object is the rabbit. I have found this is not always the case and have sought methods to better extract true prey drive in the detection dog. There are dogs who only like tennis balls, some who only like Kongs, tugtoys, or PVC pipe. There is no doubt another level exists which is between a rabbit and a prey object. It may be a form of play drive which is not anywhere near as intense as prey drive. I do not profess to be an expert in dog drives, but I believe there is some merit to this. When I watch handlers delivering their ball from their pocket, usually in plain view of the dog, I see a dog who is basically playing fetch with their handler. They can become bored with this and this is where most of the problems arise. The intensity of chasing a rabbit is not there and to prove this I’d like you to play fetch with your dog in a field and see whether your dog would rather flush and chase a rabbit than catch your ball. Maybe through obedience training you have your dog disciplined enough to resist the rabbit, but I would bet the dog’s ears are perked and the dog would much rather chase the rabbit. This all sounds very simple minded, but so many handlers take it for granted. I’m not saying we need to train with rabbits, but I am saying we need to make the prey object come alive and as independent of the handler as possible. The handler in most cases should be completely out of the picture and behind the dog when the time comes to deliver the prey object.

Flushing Behavior Definition: The extremely focused, obsessive state of an animal to cause or wait for smaller prey to rush out of hiding and escape.

There are certain elements that build the flushing behavior similar to that of the flushing of the rabbit when performing detection work. These elements are the following:

1. Proper odor recognition and alert
2. Suspense that prey object is jumping from source
3. Appearance that the prey object came from source
4. Independence of the handler

Primary rewards coupled with remote sound boxes or delivery systems have been very instrumental in building focus and flushing behavior. The timing of these devices is vital to the success of the exercise. There are very expensive remote controlled devices used to shape the behavior of the dog, but sometimes a little creativity is all that is needed. Gravity fed devices, string activated mechanisms, and careful 3rd party delivery can be used. At the very least, a handler can deliver the prey object by sleight of hand as long as the final response is maintained and the object is delivered from the source. Never allow the dog to break its final response and walk to the handler to receive the prey object! This is sloppy and causes serious problems!

Not only are we wanting to create strong flushing behavior, but we are also wanting to create enough confidence in the dog to perform their task without being dependant of the handler in any way. Too many handlers cue their dogs by doing something the dog recognizes and triggers a certain response. It could be enticing chatter, stopping our feet and lingering in an area, or moving too slow or too fast.

Dog training is not always easy and there are so many things to be mindful of. A good handler should always strive to make the necessary adjustments, have an open mind and broaden their base of knowledge, and always be pushing the envelope and make training more and more challenging and intense.

Aiming Higher in Obedience

Whether you are training for general obedience or a working dog, our work is never done. We should always be reaching higher and aiming further. There are always exercises to be done with more precision and exercises that are much more advanced.

General pet obedience should evolve from basic on-lead obedience, to perfect off-lead compliance in any environment, or among any distraction. Off-lead exercises can always be improved upon and more can be added to improve your dog’s listening skills. When you really think about it, having a dog that performs excellent off-lead obedience makes our lives so much easier, and enjoyable for the dog and ourselves. If done properly, the dog is rewarded with a lot of praise and an occasional treat or toy. The chemistry derived from this is priceless. Too many people think advanced obedience is only for competition. That notion couldn’t be further from the truth. The time commitment and interaction with the dog make it a very positive thing for both the dog and the owner.

Dogs are pack animals and need a good leader. No different than wolves in the wild, there is always a leader among every pack. A good leader is someone that is very fair, but firm when they need to be. A good leader always maintains a mutual respect and never does anything that could be perceived as cruelty or punishment. Everything we do has a purpose and our efforts are merely to guide the dog into the proper direction. Advanced obedience is nothing more than teaching our dogs to be good listeners and teaching new tasks to be performed with clarity.

Balance in Obedience

For many of us who work with dogs on a daily basis, we realize the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our dog. The chemistry that exists between the working dog and handler is vital to the success of the team. This is painfully evident when I see K-9 teams perform bite work or scent work, and they do not appear to be on the same page. Quite often, the dog is doing their own thing for their own satisfaction, but the obedience is lacking significantly. For instance, a handler reluctant to work their dog off-lead for fear of running away, or a dog that refuses to listen and causes a very embarrassing situation when commands are given with no compliance. We see handlers getting angry and frustrated and their dogs just as out of control as they are. In detection, we see handlers hesitant to work off-lead because they have no faith in their obedience. We also see some dogs out of control in patrol or detection work due to a lack of leadership on the part of the handler. The same can be said for tracking or just about any other facet of police dog work. The flip side to a lack of control is too much control gained through too much compulsion. We’ve all seen the dog that is afraid to alert on odor or appears to be apprehensive when working obedience. I learned from working with Tom Brenneman and watching dogs in Schutzhund, that more motivation with a ball or treats paid huge dividends. Something I rarely did before. I’m still a believer in compulsion, but motivational training must be done to create a confident, well rounded team. I also learned from Donn Yarnall that we must always lead the dog to believe there is another task directly ahead. For instance, when we recall our dogs from a bite, we may redirect them on a building search or another bite. This keeps the dog motivated to come back to the handler and work more reliably. The same is done with detection dogs.

Quite often, the lack of chemistry is a direct result of poor training or poor leadership. The one thing we must always remember is that balance as we relate to our dog is essential for success. One of the golden rules to obedience is to always maintain a mutual respect. I hope we all became interested in working dogs because we share a love for dogs in general. Too often I hear of dogs being trained with inhumane methods. I feel strongly that striking a dog with anything is inhumane unless needed for self defense. Throwing objects, kicking, slapping, and inappropriately using whatever type of collar, are methods used only by those individuals who have been trained improperly and do not really care about dogs. I’d venture to say they probably treat their wife and kids the same way. They probably took the job for a take home car and some of the perks that come with working a police dog. Unfortunately, some of these people go on to become police dog trainers and continue teaching others their methods.

There are basically three types of trainers:

1.) The first type of trainer does everything out of motivation and relies heavily on treats and toys. The problem with this type of training is that it is not reliable.
2.) The second type of trainer relies too much on compulsion and is quite often overly heavy handed and misuses training tools. It is this type of trainer that uses more firmness than is necessary and gives very legitimate training tools a bad name. You quite often see anything less than a very high drive dog, cringing and looking very battered and scared.
3.) The third type of trainer has an open mind and weighs each training problem accordingly. This type of trainer will balance out a proper mix of motivation and compulsion. They will adapt to the problem or behavior issue and formulate a plan that will produce results. The dog’s spirit is always of paramount importance and only the minimal amount of firmness is needed to achieve the goal. Choke chains, pinch collars, and electronic collars may be needed, but used only to the degree to produce positive results. There are times that a dog’s energy level and drives are severe enough to warrant the use of various collars. A correction should never be perceived by the dog as punishment, but more as a guiding maneuver to help the dog in their compliance and become better listeners. I’d hope most trainers fall into this category.

Balance is important to remember when working obedience or just about anything else we do with our dogs. When we give a command the dog must be compliant and perform the exercise to perfection. Knowing how much praise or how firm to be can be difficult at times. With good, consistent training, and always maintaining a mutual respect, any good handler and good dog will become a great team.

By Matt Skogen
IronHeart High Performance Dogs

Loyal Companion