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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Ev lives the Lower Mainland of Beautiful British Columbia, Canada where she has been training dogs since 1969. She is experienced in many methods including clicker and motivational training. Ev is an original Superdog Performance Team member and her own dogs have travelled and performed with the Canadian SuperDogs since 1984. She has also served as an A.A.C. judge ans is an original Member/Trainer with the Dogwood Pacesetters Agility Club.
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[Edit]
7/28/2005
My 1 year old cocker spaniel, who is a bird dog, is constantly chasing my chickens; one new chicken in particular. I have tried verbal commands, electric collars and have tried slapping her on the rump and nose but she wont stop. She is not a sensitive dog and it takes a lot to get anything through to her. When she catches a chicken she will pull out their feathers and mouths them. She is fast and very hard to catch so she thinks she can get away with it. Any help is greatly appreciated. (Betty, Minnesota)
First off, while you are doing any training or re-conditioning, your Cocker is NOT to be taken or let off-leash around the chickens.
Now to re-condition the good behaviour and desensitizing the wrong behaviour, you almost need to go back to square one. I'm a big believer is the use of a Squirt Bottle and I dislike the use of a shock collar so being you've already tried the latter, I assume you won't mind trying my suggestion.
Thing to remember is that the SB [squirt bottle] is NOT a Training device on its own - it simply 'enhances' you voice commands and actions.
Starting from scratch, take a favourite treat or toy in one hand while holding the SB in the other; as you slowly lower the treat/toy to the ground in front of him, command "Leave IT!" and the instant you see any movement towards the treat/toy, repeat the command with a blast from the SB. One blast per one command ... so if you have to repeat the command several times before he finally keeps his distance (even for a second), then you would
blast as many times.
Remember to INSTANTLY Praise when there is no forward motion or attempt made to get the treat/toy. This is important for him to learn that the right behaviour has sweet words in a light tone of voice and you are pleased and the Wrong behaviour has the-sky-falling-down tone of voice with an action (the SB).
Once you have him 'leaving it' with the first command and without a blast from the SB, then start pushing the treat/toy around the floor in front of him, repeating the "Leave It." and also with the Praise "Good Leave It." Remember to alter your voice tone as you command and praise.
Eventually you can incorporate this same behaviour from a distance with the treat/toy. When you feel that he will leave the treat/toy alone from a distance and the instant you command him to do so, then we can graduate to the Chickens and always on leash until you are absolutely sure he is obeying the command without the use of the SB or the leash.
If at anytime, you give the command and the dog is off-leash and does not respond with the First command, you better be ready to hustle your buns to get to him QUICK and give him a blast. Then Praise after the blast is given and return to where you were.
This is just a suggestion and also only the beginning to re-conditioning him for the behaviour you are wanting. There is so much more to the whole idea and a whole lot of time, that a hands-on evaluation from a Behaviourist or trainer close-by, would be much more beneficial for you and the dog.
Good Luck
Canine Caretaker Training/Consulting
http://www.k9care.ca
"United We Stand."
http://www.standunited.ca
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