Accentuate the positive

There are four basic approaches to dog training and it is vital that you, the handler, understand how to use them, says Ellena Swift

The world of gundog training is a rapidly changing place and handlers are now more than ever working on improving their dogs’ skills as well as their own. During the COVID-19 lockdown I have sadly not been able to get Sika to me for training, so I am working with the dogs I have here.

I have already discussed some very simple training drills handlers can do within the confines of their house to help their gundog work (Enjoy the great indoors, 29 April). But a handler can also work on another vital subject: understanding. This means the handler’s knowledge of training theory. Never before have the vast majority of people had the opportunity to read, learn and reflect on their own skills to such an extent.

Most dogs have unbelievable potential and the key to unlocking it is not by following a black-and-white instruction manual. If that were the case, every dog would be a field trial champion. This is the most important thing that all trainers and handlers need to learn; how to adapt your own training techniques to suit each dog.

There are many theories and even more opinions on how to train a dog. You only need to log on to one of the gundog training groups on Facebook to view the hundreds of comments giving training advice by the selfprofessed experts.

But what do we really understand about all the varying approaches and how can this understanding be applied? There are four basic approaches that can be taken: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment.