"If, in achieving this, you as a trainer are seen as the one guiding and helping him to the rewards and avoiding any uncomfortable feeling, the bond between you becomes closer." words, or the context in which they have been used, that creates the problem in actually using them. We all learn by consequences – rewards and punishment. Both have to be timed correctly and be of the right degree to be effective. In training, although we concentrate on the rewards to teach our dogs, inevitably corrections and punishment will occasionally be required. Corrections have to be timed to occur at the precise moment they are required… and this is where the remote trainer is of the utmost benefit. Whatever the distance our dog is from us, we can touch him and help him do what is required. There are degrees of correction and to intimate that they are always abusive is to state examples far from the truth. If we feel a slight discomfort in one place, we move to an area where there is none. If we touch something that creates an unwanted feeling, we leave it - and we learn because of this. If a communication, a ‘tap’ of stimulation, helps us win our rewards - we see it as something that is very positive and rewarding in itself. We relate the consequences to the action and therefore the action becomes favorable or unfavorable to us. In our training, we can help our dogs make the correct choices through putting them into situations where they do as we want them to - or we can guide them into the right actions. Like ourselves, they are shown and given opportunities to do right and learn - and when they do, there are rewards. In this way, the dog, itself, can make decisions regarding the right actions to take, what is pleasurable, rewarding and acceptable. Likewise, what is uncomfortable and not a good habit to adopt. In fact, this is the big advantage of using the remote training collar as part of the learning process. Firstly the dog changes the behavior in many instances on its own volition – let’s call it ‘auto-change’ or ‘auto–shaping‘. And secondly, when it does what is right this activity in itself becomes self-rewarding. The dog has found a way to avoid a strange feeling. The relief value in itself is a prominent factor in developing the new and wanted behavior. The new behavior becomes far more acceptable and habitual because it is pleasurable - or avoids unpleasurable feelings. If, in achieving this, you as a trainer are seen as the one guiding and helping him to the rewards and avoiding any uncomfortable feeling, the bond between you becomes closer. You become a partnership. Unlike physical corrections that can destroy trust and Page 3 | Spaniel Journal | Previous Page | Next Page |