"Larry L" wrote

believe ... 'teaching' ends and 'training' begins when Fido knows what we
want, but chooses to not do it because of his own desires ...


I sent the first post then went out to work a few dogs ( I still take a few
for old clients and for "field trial basics' only ) I have three here
now, one belongs to a man that worked as a pro trainer, very successfully,
for years, all belong to people that have owned and campaigned Field
Champions and hope to be successful in trials with these pups. I point
this out, NOT to somehow toot my own horn ... rather because I do 'basics'
for these very experienced people, it has become my specialty, a specialty
important enough that very knowledgeable people are still willing to pay
lots of money to have it done by someone else.


Now reread the quoted passage above ... understand MY distinction between
using the words 'teach' and 'train'


"Basics" is 'teaching' the dog how he will be 'trained.' And basics is
important enough that over the years I've had many, many pros and very
advanced amatuers pay me to do the work.

///// important stuff approaching ////


Problems that develop from 'training' almost always are the result of poor
'basics' ... i.e. the dog receives a correction he has not been TAUGHT to
understand and accept as the deserved consequence of failure to obey. ALL
intended corrections should be TAUGHT in very controlled conditions and NOT
used, 'in the field,' until it's VERY clear that FIDO understands the
correction, it's meaning, and how to respond to that correction in a
positive way.


///////////// end stuff ////////////


So, IF a dog is properly 'conditioned' to a correction it can be applied in
nearly any situation with little risk of bad side effects. IF not, that
correction can be the start of terrible problems. I can take a dog and
call him off birds in extremely tempting situations, using correction as
needed that is 'severe' with almost zero risk BECAUSE he will understand and
accept that correction. The same animal given a very mild correction he
wasn't 'conditioned' to understand could easily decide to simply avoid all
birds for life.


UM, another definition for 'basics' .... I just made up ... "Teaching the
dog the language and tools we will use to teach him all the rest of his
tasks, for life." So, make sure Fido undersands not only the command,
but just as importantly, any correction that might be used ... make sure of
it LONG before using that correction 'in the field.'