Chatter and over-commanding are two common issues between some handlers and their dogs. For some reason, nonstop talking gives some handlers a sense that they’re in control of the dog. They believe the constant communication improves the dog’s situational performance, and that somehow the chatter motivates pups to cast better or to remain more staunchly on point. But most of those commands fall on deaf ears as the dog tunes out its owner. And when it comes to bird dogs, tuning out an owner is never a good idea.
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Let the dog work. A well-bred bird dog knows instinctively what to do. Its genetics are such that the handler’s role is to bring out the best qualities in the dog while reducing the mistakes. That can only be achieved if the dog is listening to the command and is given the opportunity to follow that command. Let the dog work, and allow him to finish one task before giving him another. Praise him when he does things right, and view mistakes as opportunities for improvement. It’s as simple as that.
Avoid changing commands. Nothing confuses a dog as much as a handler who varies commands. Sometimes he’ll say “come,” another time they’ll say “come over here,” while a third time they might say “here” or even “get over here.” If a dog balks to load up when his session is over, look to see if the command has changed. Shifting from “kennel up” to “load up” to “get in the box” can confuse a dog. Identify a short list of commands, and stick to them. Keep them simple, and don’t introduce a variety of options. You’ll get better performance out of your dog.
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Say what you mean, and mean what you say. After handlers simplify the number of commands, it’s important that when one is given, the dog obeys. To a driver, a red traffic light means stop, while green means go. It’s the same with dogs. When a handler issues a command, the dog needs to obey—not just occasionally, but every time. Dogs that are allowed to do what they want after a command is given will become headstrong. Headstrong dogs are harder to train than obedient dogs.
Simplify your dog training by keeping commands and chatter to a minimum. Fewer, clearer messages help keep your dog focused and obedient. When it comes to commands, less really is more.
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