2 Attachment(s)
ALLIE MAE - Collar Conditioning
Aye Mates,
So, our prospective gun dog trainee ALLIE MAE is rapidly closing in on the 6 month mark (11 more days). ALLIE has been training regularly since August 1st, 2017 with the main focus of formal training being on the development of foundational obedience. Additionally, ALLIE has had continuing socialization with both humans and other K9's and is really a joy to be with on every level. ALLIE now demonstrates solid obedience on RECALL, SIT, DOWN, REMOTE STAY, and PLACE. ALLIE is being trained to respond to verbal commands, whistle signals, and gestural cues for the majority of behaviors she will be consistently expected to perform as a gun dog. In addition to that previously mentioned, ALLIE is concurrently being conditioned to gunfire, and has been introduced to frozen, fresh killed, and live birds and she exhibits a tremendous drive for birds. As well, ALLIE has been introduced to decoys, water, duck calls, and goose calls. Bolding walks conducted with ALLIE and other retrievers since early on in her training have resulted ALLIE being able to confidently negotiate nearly all obstacles she encounters whilst afield and to hang with the older retrievers whilst doing so. ALLIE has demonstrated a very nice natural retrieve that will be further augmented and conditioned to compulsion via the HOLD and FORCE FETCH conditioning processes.
Up until yesterday ALLIE has been wearing her e-collar for every training session and at other times throughout her day (always in the "OFF MODE"). Yesterday, ALLIE wore the e-collar in the "ON MODE" and was allowed to roam / explore freely as I delivered stimulation starting at the very lowest level with my Dogtra Edge RT and maintained observation to determine at which level she was reactive. Her level of reactivity duly noted, ALLIE is now being e-collar conditioned to RECALL , SIT, and PLACE. ALLIE is handling the low level training pressure with the e-collar very well and the process will continue to be utilized in relation to other desired behaviors. Of interest was that her owner was quite concerned about the utilization of the e-collar in conditioning ALLIE. Her owner was a police K9 handler very early in his career and the use of e-collars was not conducted in the conditioning of law enforcement K9's within his agency. During the session yesterday, I had to tell her owner when I was delivering stimulation as her reaction was that subtle. He was quite amazed and relieved as I worked upward in level and back downward in the intensity of stimulation. We worked through the session yesterday and it was clear at the conclusion that ALLIE'S owner was much more relaxed about a process he had previously feared. I assured him that ALLIE would rapidly learn to avoid stimulation and that both her compliance with and response to verbal commands, whistle signals, and gestural cues would tighten up very nicely through the conditioning process.
In addition to my continuing training of ALLIE and conditioning her with the e-collar, I will also be instructing her owner Bill in the proper application of the e-collar.
ALLIE continues to thrive and is highly motivated in every phase of training. Allie is truly a joy to work with and to watch develop.
Cheers,
THE DOG WHISTLER
ALLIE MAE - Sporting her e-collar, now a consistent part of her field gear.