Some of Steve’s thoughts on training are:
Less is best, and haste makes waste.
- The less birds young dogs chase and catch the better. I do not campaign young dogs for Top Ten Derby. I try to get puppy and derby points and then the dog is done with juvenile stakes except for regionals and nationals.
- The less correction on a dog the better. I want every experience with the dog to be a positive one, even if a correction is necessary. I always end a session on a positive note.
- Less talk is best. Dogs don’t talk; why should you say much? The quieter the handle the more classy the performance. Dogs queue off of body language. Talking distracts them from what they should be focused on: birds.
- Less training is better than too much training. Best to keep it fresh for the dog. Mix up your training routine and just have fun with the dogs from time to time.
- Haste in training can waste a good dog. Dogs progress in training at their own pace, they are not machines. It is important to nail the basics before pushing on. It is also a poor idea to hasten a green broke dog into field trial or hunt test competition before it is ready. Too many mistakes in the trial/test can waste months of training. I also recommend that owners wait to handle their dogs at events until I have them well along the path toward their FC/MH/SH.
FC Snake Breaks No Quarter "LZ" (also above) winning the OGD at the Southland Weim Club trial February 2009.
