Training your Drent

​So when and how do you start training your Drent?  It’s easy, the very day pup comes home.  I can hear it the howls, but I’m not talking about chokers, JASA, or e-collars.  I’m talking about using the Classical Conditioning method, which involves no punishment (-R, +P, or –P), only possibly extinction which is the absence of stimulus.  A nice example of this is using a bell hung from the door knob to help teach the pup to tell you went it is potty time.  Every time you take pup out back, you ring the bell in passing.  Since you will be doing this after every meal, after every nap, and play session, you will have plenty of opportunities to make this association.  The more consistent you are with your timing and method; your pup could make the association within only a few days. And within a week or so, pup may be ringing the bell to tell you to hurry up and let him out.  This methodology lends itself to Operant Conditioning methods later down the road.  By doing this you will tap into your Drent's innate desire to please early and fast.  Even more importantly, your Drent begins to learn how to learn, and will begin to look to you for your leadership.

Other than using "fire in the whole", which makes my inner "Grammar Girl" chuckle. They so would have nailed it with "HOLE".

As your Drent’s attention span increases it will be important to keep your training sessions very short, fun, and playful.  In fact, if you can make the session into a game you might be surprised with what you can get a young Drent to do for you. A great example of this the “Come or Recall Game”, you’ll need to cut a hot-dog up into pencil eraser sized nuggets and a partner.  Divide the treats between you and your helper, at first sit close, and be sure pup knows you each have treats.  Use a higher pitched voice than normal, and be prepared to really lighten and liven up your response, one starts by saying, "come” or whatever word you intend to use for your recall.  Odds are pup will respond quickly, if not, don’t repeat your word endlessly, just wait until the pup’s attention diverts to the other person to elicit a "come" response, they need to get excited and utter the command, then as soon as he gets close enough, 1-treat and praise.  Don’t hold on to him, but pet him and tell him what a good dog he is.  As soon as his attention breaks, the other calls, and does the same, 1-treat and praise.  Within a few rounds, pup should start running from person to person, because this is a good time!  You should stop there.  The next session, once things are going, separate further, and so on, always leave the dog wanting more.  As the exercise progresses you’ll then treat every other, and then only when he gets it perfect and fast.  The recall should always be one of the most fun things your dog experiences.  You will be on the way to a bullet proof recall in no time.

So what about using chokers, JASA’s, e-collars, and other means of applying force?  There is a time for this, but generally not anytime soon.  Pup should be introduced to a flat collar on day one, if he didn’t come from your breeder with one.  Depending on maturity, both physical and emotional, you may be able to begin using a traditional choker as early as eight months, but for short duration heeling drills, you may be better served with a JASA collar with blunted spikes or you can use a properly sized and placed traditional prong collar.  Both are great tools, but not suitable for taking long walks or hikes, just controlled drills, for a few minutes.  Only have the JASA or prong collar on the dog if are going to be actively working the dog.  Once finished, never leave a JASA or prong collar on any dog, and definitely never left on a dog left unattended.  These are training tools only. In use, your pup will figure out how they work before you will (even though you’ll have a good idea), and will automatically take measures to be in the right place at the right time (-R).  Why use such tools?  They look terrible – yes they do, and they aren’t comfortable by design.  But your dog can control when and how bad it feels to them much faster and efficiently than you can.  When using these training aides you will not need to jerk the leash hard – you will need to have good timing, just like when you are using a choker.  One third of a second, that is your window.  Most of us are too slow, that is where these devises shine, the dog will react in time, every time.  

---

 Okay, so your dog has learned a few things and is accustomed to receiving stimulation in his neck, this also sets your properly sized and arranged choker up for success and will help keep you from endlessly popping, and jerking to keep your dog at heel on a walk.  Chokers are great tools, but proper size, leash carry, your posture, tone and attitude, and of course all important timing.  Proper choker use is a lesson all on it's own.

​I use both JASA collars and e-collars, but only after a very deliberate introduction.  I'm using the JASA collar more and more these days, since the dog controls the pressure, I am better able to focus on my timing and posture. The e-collar works well as a reinforcing agent, but only after I know the dogs knows the command, and failed to observe the correct response by choice versus a judicious use of enforcing commands from the start.  A great example of this is to watch George Hickox use an e-collar for teaching a dog to kennel. This is NOT a good example of productive training technique for a Drent, for 99 of 100 people training 98 of 100 Drents.  That method is way too much pressure for a Drent, even for a Pro like George.  A Drent is not a remote control car so training him like one, or to be one doesn’t suit the breed or its character.
  
Drents are great all-rounders, and I am confident there isn't much you can't train one to do, so as long as you have patience and a willingness to turn work into play odds are you will be successful.  That is what they do – so when in Rome…