Griffin in Field Training Class

Griffin and I are taking a Field Trial Foundations class and we’ve only done about 4 weeks so far. The first two lessons have been exactly what we need for obedience… relaxation and steadiness!

There really aren’t many option for people seeking positive reinforcement training for field work, most attempts are individuals who are knowledgeable enough and try to modify other training programs.   I’ve not been comfortable with that approach, I don’t feel like it does enough to prevent/address the problems that are more likely to come up in a positive reinforcement training plan and it may have unnecessary steps (that were important for positive punishment/negative reinforcement training plans/programs).

Griffin’s grand-sire Goose. They look very similar!

I also haven’t felt experienced enough in field training to be able to come up with a plan on my own.  We’ve done some work but I wasn’t feeling comfortable about long-term training. This class has been just what we needed!

Right now, most of our training sessions have a helper trying to distract Griffin.  This is getting harder and harder to do. A week ago, I had to give an instruction, “make him break!” and it took three or four tries until they found something that could get him up. What did it take? An apple core suddenly thrown right past his head. He’d been watching someone eat it for a few minutes before.

I’m really liking what he’s getting out of this.  It’s having a good impact on his obedience and agility.

• He is learning when nothing is available. Later, he will have to do an ‘honor’ excercise while another dog is doing field work. At some events/levels this is done off lead.  He also has to wait until it’s his turn. If he’s wasting energy and self control being excited before it’s even time for him to work, he’ll be too tired when it is his turn to do good work.
• He is listening and discriminating between different types of release cues.  Later, he will have to be waiting for his release even when there are birds available.   He will go when I cue him to.
• He’s accepting the task or reinforcer I direct him to.  Later, he will see several birds fall (tossed) before he is sent. He has to go where he’s directed, not necessarily where he want to go or think he should go.  He will sometimes not know where the bird is and have to follow the directions I give, even if he thinks I am wrong.
• He’s learning to be able to think about many things at once.  For now, that’s me and where the toy/bowl is. Later, he’ll have to be focused on me and remembering where he saw the bird fall.
• He’s learning a level of arousal that is appropriate for the activity. He has to be alert and ready to go, but not crazy and out of control or unable to focus.  I think this is where many people get into trouble. Last summer at the field seminar I noted this as a strength.  Compared to other dogs with similar experience levels, he was much more calm – but only as a result of training.  A few times I did have to walk him away for being too excited.

Most of our video is with helpers, but here’s one where we were training on our own.

The only down side of the class? It’s winter.  I want to do more practice with these exercises outdoors but I get too cold and it’s hard to move when wearing so many layers!