Advanced Field Training

After a dog has completed the intermediate phase of training and is steady, doing double marks on land and water, has learned reliable handling skills and the swim-by and shore breaking program has been developed and has progressed from pattern blinds to cold blinds it is time to begin the really fun training. This is truely a mind game where you teach concepts to the dog, refine it's skills and gradually develop a deep understanding of, respect for and communication with your dog. Each concept must be repeated in different training locations for the dog to really understand the concept and picture of a test. This is a process of generalizing ideas and concepts for the dog.

One thing that is important to any dog training is to understand each dog's weaknesses and work on them in a fair and honest manner. Poodles seem particularly sensitive to cold water. Don't try to teach water concepts when the water temperature is so cold that it takes all of the dog's concentration to just stay in the water, let alone learn something. This means that if the water is below about 55 degrees it will be very difficult for your Poodle to learn water concepts. What they WILL learn is to hate the water and field training in general.

Teach a concept on the land before the water, but always move ahead on a broad front.

Advanced training should involve a program of building the dog up, teaching skills fairly, correcting when necessary, and building again. Maintaining a good attitude involves a balance between easy fun marks, doing concepts that the dog knows and are fun and easy for the dog and learning hard concepts and getting serious corrections. If all you do is train on difficult concepts and give strong corrections your Poodle will not progress, will grow to hate field work and you won't enjoy it either. A training session on a difficult task should be preceeded by and followed by something that is easy and fun for the dog.

This is an overview of SOME of the concepts that are considered to be advanced. Each concept is for both land and water work. Each of these concepts can be taught through specific drills and by progressing from the simpler to the more difficult setup and using attrition and help from gunners.

© 2006