Thread: Training scents

Ah Ruff, gotcha. I just read how positive reinforcement doesn't fit in with your method of training. I can understand that your methods are producing effective dogs year after year, but I too beleive that the way I've trained my dogs has worked also. (Noting that my dogs have only ever been companion dogs) I am not about to be a hippee and bash your methods, don't worry

I thought what you had meant was that capturing the dog's movement then adding a cue to it. I've obviously misunderstood. I am still really interested in how to train a change in direction. From my personal research I have not found positive reinforcement techniques to teach things other than tricksreally, often most stuff isn't at a distance either which is the challenge that I am wanting to tackle and that's why I am seeking more information on different techniques.

Cheers.

PS I understand that this subject is very close to home as this is 'your thing' as such, I would not be offended if you'd rather brush me off now that you know my methods of training. It's been done before and it will be done again, each to their own I say and I will not bash my training 'bible' in anyone's face. I have seen the way that many positive reinforcemet advocates may also fall into the basket of hippee vegetarians! I can assure you I love my red steaks.

Originally Posted by Dougie

Ah Ruff, gotcha. I just read how positive reinforcement doesn't fit in with your method of training. I can understand that your methods are producing effective dogs year after year, but I too beleive that the way I've trained my dogs has worked also. (Noting that my dogs have only ever been companion dogs) I am not about to be a hippee and bash your methods, don't worry

I thought what you had meant was that capturing the dog's movement then adding a cue to it. I've obviously misunderstood. I am still really interested in how to train a change in direction. From my personal research I have not found positive reinforcement techniques to teach things other than tricksreally, often most stuff isn't at a distance either which is the challenge that I am wanting to tackle and that's why I am seeking more information on different techniques.

Cheers.

PS I understand that this subject is very close to home as this is 'your thing' as such, I would not be offended if you'd rather brush me off now that you know my methods of training. It's been done before and it will be done again, each to their own I say and I will not bash my training 'bible' in anyone's face. I have seen the way that many positive reinforcemet advocates may also fall into the basket of hippee vegetarians! I can assure you I love my red steaks.

Not at all. I like your receptivness... You might be jumping to conclusions a little bit... I will respond in a bit of depth for you later....

Thanks mate, I'm always keen to learn more!

i use scents on tennis balls...... for young pups to find, they soon learn to find them after they roll into the rubbish.
fresh tennis ball rubbed over a dead rabbit or pheasant, it only really shows me a pups level of drive over it's siblings, but is fun to watch.

i do buy into the german methods of bloodtracking/finding and reporting with aged tracks and it's something i wish to learn more about in the future.

Originally Posted by kawhia

i use scents on tennis balls...... for young pups to find, they soon learn to find them after they roll into the rubbish.
fresh tennis ball rubbed over a dead rabbit or pheasant, it only really shows me a pups level of drive over it's siblings, but is fun to watch.

i do buy into the german methods of bloodtracking/finding and reporting with aged tracks and it's something i wish to learn more about in the future.

i don;t believe the scent makes an ounce of difference Jason... they'll still find the tennis ball. I didn;t say dogs didn;t track. I said the way they learn is how we expose to them opportunity, we don;t have to make the exercise.... just expose them to hunting.

next litter i have i will get it for you on video, the scent helps, i'm looking for the instinct on game scent not tennis balls.

GWP pup - YouTube

I'm explaining myself poorly....

no ya not.

Yeah i am....

I can post more info or we can just do the yes I am , no I'm not, thing for a while.... LOL

Dangerous Dan, to me getting the youngster out in his hunting environment as often as possible is the best way for him to figure out what scents are what (not formal hunting, just getting his nose in places)...be it hedgehog poo, an old pheasant roost site or whatever...but the idea of wings on dummies is good...a good squishy aka foam dummy is better than a more solid one as it more emulates the 'feel' of the bird and, oh, do not use rubber bands to keep the wings in place...some good kitchen string is much better OIMHOOC!!!

I actually do not like dead as in thawed frozen pigeons for retrieve work...just imagine being sent away to fetch a gob full of tacky awful soggy rancid pigeon...the best way to get a youngster retrieving is on hot birds which he has pointed, when he is mature enough to handle the rigours of the outing, has manners, is under control, and has had good gun initiation. And if he has been exposed to as much scent as possible, he will have it worked out very quickly...but then there is the hare who is so tantalizing to any dog even one with half a nose and a eighth of a brain...

Originally Posted by EeeBees

...but then there is the hare who is so tantalizing to any dog even one with half a nose and a eighth of a brain...

I think I have one of those

My dog learnt what I wanted him to hunt through me showing no interest in things I didnt want him to be interested in and shooting a few of the things i wanted him to find for me, kept it pretty simple although knowing what scent he was working was something to be mindful of so was certainly easier in a controlled situation. If things were to deteriororate and he began hunting for himself I would expect to see him hunt any scent that met his nose. There may be some intricacies in there i missed but its been working thus far