[wp_ad_camp_2]To most of us, the word punishment means something pretty horrible. And often painful. But to a clicker trainer, punishment has a much more specific meaning. 'Punishment’ to a … [Read more...]
Classical conditioning in a nutshell for gundog trainers
Made famous by Pavlov's dogs, classical conditioning is the process whereby two events become so closely associated that one predicts the other. This article is part of a series on clicker … [Read more...]
Gundog training: How to read your dog
From time to time you will hear a dog trainer say “you need to be able to read your dog” This is particularly common in gundog circles But what do they mean by ‘read’? It sounds awfully … [Read more...]
Operant conditioning in a nutshell for gundog trainers
Operant conditioning is the process by which animals, including dogs, learn to change and modify their behaviour. There is quite a bit of confusion about this process in gundog circles. And in … [Read more...]
What is a Positive Gundog?
At the end of June this year I started a Facebook Group called Positive Gundogs. In just over four months we have been joined by over 1300 members. The aim of the group is to support and … [Read more...]
6 myths and the truth about food in gundog training
Most modern dog trainers use food in training. Yet the antipathy towards the use of food in gundog training circles persists. This article is about busting some of the myths that surround the … [Read more...]
The pet gundog
The gundog breeds are some of the most popular pets in the world. The gundog group itself is the most numerous group of registered pedigree dogs in the UK Yet the vast majority of gundogs are … [Read more...]
Gundog skills: Why Straight Lines Matter
The value of ’straight lines’ in a retrieving dog, was questioned on the forum recently. This is an argument that comes up quite frequently in gundoggy circles. People usually make very good … [Read more...]
Methods and principles in gundog training
There are many different approaches to gundog training. And dog training in general has seen some major changes recently. Attitudes towards dogs have changed significantly in the last decade or … [Read more...]
Why you cannot train your gundog alone
A lot of people rather like the ‘solitary’ nature of gundog training They like being at one with nature, and just the dog for company. This is all very well, but some gundog owners get into … [Read more...]