All dog training is a journey.  Herding training is a complicated, exciting and rewarding trip that requires energy and dedication.  It’s well worth the effort because the exhilaration of seeing a dog “turn on” to working stock, no matter what the breed, is unequaled in dog training.  

Herding training is complicated because there are many variables in play.  Breed of dog, individual herding style, type of stock, the reaction of individual animals, the environment, the weather…the list goes on.

We focus on teaching the handler to understand and manage the variables. Most important is the dog’s reaction to the stock. To train a herding dog, it is necessary to understand how his instinct drives his behavior.  The handler learns how the dog’s herding instinct affects what the dog does, and how to embrace that instinct. The handler learns how to read the stock and to anticipate how the stock will react to the movements of the dog.  

We use proven, humane training methods that serve to make the wrong response hard for the dog and the correct response easy.  

For beginning dogs, we limit the dog’s options to appropriate responses through the use of training lines, small work areas and calm, dog broke sheep.  

As the training progresses, we offer more and greater challenges for the dog (and the handler), still in controlled training scenarios, so that the desired calm response from both members of the team is reinforced. As the team advances, we offer larger training areas, more challenging exercises with the stock, trial courses, handling for trials, etc.

The ongoing focus in training is careful management of training scenarios to build on success as well as evaluation and shaping of skills and understanding of both dog and handler.  The goal in training is always calm, confident control of stock.  

Both dog and handler acquire the necessary training foundation, mutual confidence and trust to become a working team.

 Companion Dog Training

“Clicker Training in a Nutshell”

Clicker Training is a fast, easy, fun, effective, “anybody can do it” way to train dogs using positive reinforcement.  The clicker is a small plastic box with a metal strip that makes a “click” sound when you press it.  We use the click sound to communicate to the dog that he has performed a behavior we like and that a reward is coming his way.  Because we know behavior which is reinforced (rewarded) is likely to be repeated, we can assume that the dog will repeat the desired behavior that was marked with the clicker and followed with a treat.  

Clicker training is based on scientific learning theory and is the method used by marine mammal trainers like the trainers at Sea World.  

In positive reinforcement training we use both classical and operant conditioning to teach the dogs.

“Classical conditioning” involves modifying the animal’s feelings or emotional response to something (people or other dogs, for instance).

 “Operant conditioning” refers to behavior principles which involve the subject animal learning that his behavior has consequences.  In clicker training, the consequences of appropriate behavior are positive ones, such as a food treat.  Inappropriate behavior is ignored, prevented or managed. The behavior we like is rewarded so that we get more of it.  We use the sound of the clicker to mark the correct behavior so the animal knows exactly what it is that he is doing that we like.  The sound of the click also tells the animal that the reward is coming.  The click marks the behavior that earns the reward and tells the dog a treat will follow the click every time he performs correctly.

As an example, we know that dogs jump up on people because they like attention.  If we turn away and ignore the dog when he lifts his paws off the floor (jumping up makes attention from humans go away) and click then give a treat for “four on the floor” (not jumping up makes a treat happen) the dog is going to figure out pretty quickly that the “big payoff” for him happens when he keeps all four feet on the floor.  Then we add a “sit” and we have a dog that sits automatically to greet people because he gets attention and/or a treat by sitting when someone approaches him.  This is accomplished in a very short time without doing anything physical to the dog.  We don’t shout, push, pull, step on or squeeze paws, etc.  The dog chooses to engage in appropriate behavior because there is something good in it for him.