Stupid Mistake During Training

[sportsman22]

I've been training my Springer Spaniel for 5 months now. He is a very fast learner and is starting to quarter the field.

Last night I made a stupid mistake while doing simple retrieving excercises. I have a bumper on a rope that I wind up to swing and throw underhand. After about three tosses, I wound up a little harder than usual and right before I releases Riley made an attempt toward the bumper and I hit the left side of his mouth. He is not as eager and is more shy to train. I learned a lesson the hard way and hopefully it is just temporary.

With my stupid mistake, I just want to let everyone know that you should consider the safety of your dog while training.

[Dukers19]

Let me know if regroups because I'm expeiriencing the same thing right now w/ my 3 month old lab. He was a retrieving machine, but now won't go after anything. He still listens to other commands, just not the fetching/back commands.

[Doc E]

ORIGINAL: Dukers19

Let me know if regroups because I'm expeiriencing the same thing right now w/ my 3 month old lab. He was a retrieving machine, but now won't go after anything. He still listens to other commands, just not the fetching/back commands.

It's because you are not following a training program.
S L O W D O W N Training a dog is not a race.
Get on a training program -- get on a training program -- get on a training program.


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[Doc E]

ORIGINAL: sportsman22

I've been training my Springer Spaniel for 5 months now. He is a very fast learner and is starting to quarter the field.

Last night I made a stupid mistake while doing simple retrieving excercises. I have a bumper on a rope that I wind up to swing and throw underhand. After about three tosses, I wound up a little harder than usual and right before I releases Riley made an attempt toward the bumper and I hit the left side of his mouth. He is not as eager and is more shy to train. I learned a lesson the hard way and hopefully it is just temporary.

With my stupid mistake, I just want to let everyone know that you should consider the safety of your dog while training.

Get your dog on some live wing-clip birds (pigeons are great) He'll forget the incident in no time at all.


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[JW]

Hey really is no big deal. Both of you guys slow down as Doc has told you and I am going to tell you to PRAISE the dog more often. Make it fun with the bumper at all times.Accomplished withmore praise. And even when you aretraining you have small or big set-backs and have not met your goal for the day - find a place in that dog's training session to stop at a high point!

And most of all keep your training sessions short and sweet and much fun!!! They are pup's.

Both will recover and that is exactly what trainin' is.

Same thing like my grand kids - they fall down and hurt themselves I don't go ewwwwwww - I laff and clapp and say let's go again.....most times they don't even cry.

JW