# First Experience



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Sounds like a good start 

You might wish to consider teaching Take It, Hold and Give before introducing birds to a young dog - with young pups playing with the birds is fine for an introduction since the goal is to get them to love birds but as you discovered, the older ones sometimes just don't quite know what to do with them and can get conflicted. If they know take and hold you can help them. 

I think a lot of people train alone for the most part, and get in with groups a few times a month if they're lucky. I know I am in this category so rely heavily on my obedience background and DVDs. I am working with an excellent mentor who trains as I do (primarily positive) and both Faelan and Towhee's breeders are experienced, but getting together with all the scheduling conflicts can be tough.

About the elderly vehicle - would your finances support renting a vehicle for these trips?


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I'll look into renting a vehicle and it hasn't been an option before but maybe I will be able to go that route.

The thing with all the videos/DVD's I've watched is I don't always know what the real purpose of exercises are and what aspects are useful and which are superstitious behavior. I'm positive-oriented too and am really great at modifing typical training protocols for what's needed. Seeing the advanced level dogs work gave me lots of ideas on how I would work towards those behaviors, but at the same my plans are probably not what's really done and I do want to use what everyone else has learned!

Gryff has a take (and implied hold) and great out with various items, objects, and food items. But we've not worked through all the textures/smells (...latex sqeaky toys at the top of the list!) and I would have done more with that if I had more than a two day warning! Second part of our training lacking is that it's not fully on stimulus control and he may have been perceiving it as a leave it exercise.

Thanks for all the ideas!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

You might like Spencers book Retriever Training for Marshes and Meadows. It is very well written and is a good basic training book. Take a look to see if this is something you want to do, then you can start working from the DVD packages, such as Evans, Smartwork series, modifying it to fit your training style.


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