The yowling dogs experiencing the “chain gang” for the first time force trainer Ronnie Smith to raise his voice above his normal, subdued and polite level.
“Uncle Delmar said, ‘You have to learn a dog to learn.’ You have to teach a dog to learn its job.”
One of the biggest names in dog training from a generation ago, Delmar Smith developed the method known as the “Silent Command System.” As its name implies, this method relies more on teaching dogs through body language than through spoken commands.
To do that, says Ronnie, “You’ve got to think like a dog. Training is all about the mindset of the dog. Understand what they are thinking, and you can begin teaching them.”
That’s the key to the philosophical aspect of the system that Smith instills in participants in the “Foundation Seminars” he holds around the country. In essence, the seminars give in-person instructions and demonstrations of the techniques he teaches in his excellent training book, Training Bird Dogs with Ronnie Smith Kennels: Proven Techniques and an Upland Tradition (see “Tailgate Reviews,” Winter 2019).
At this particular seminar, a two-day, 14-hour affair held at Meemo’s Farm in Evart, Michigan, Smith explains his training technique as “a stair-step system; you take one step at a time.” He assures his students that if they follow the steps, “You will be able to go home and be successful.”
If you think about it, Smith’s ultimate goal during these seminars seems to be to “learn the handlers to learn.”
Denne historien er fra Spring 2021-utgaven av The Upland Almanac.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2021-utgaven av The Upland Almanac.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Tailfeathers
The essence of fly fishing, I think I've decided, is time.
Ten Questions with Tim Flagler, Fly Tyer/Cook Extraordinaire
Culinary Creations from Gordon Hamersley
GREY on the Wing
Hands clutching the wheel of a large, lumbering vehicle whose vintage and purpose partially prompted the invention of \"powering steering,\" disengaged the clutch and applied the brakes, bringing it to a stop.
James Purdey & Sons Ltd.One of London's "Best"
At the conclusion of a recent breakfast meeting of the Shrewsbury Men's Club of Massachusetts, I was packing up my show-and-tell aids after giving a presentation.
WAWAWAI
I don't chase chukars anymore, but from the time I was 16, chukar hunting had been my favorite bird hunting endeavor.
A FAIR EXCHANGE
Among the concerns faced by many small community gun clubs here in the Northeast is our inability to attract and maintain new and younger shooters.
Coming to Heel
I'n the world of gun dogs, it's not unusual that retrievers are taught to heel.
Bird Dogs - Health Matters
Avoiding Medical Mishaps on the Road
MATT HART
Matt Hart, owner, designer and artist of Hartist Metals, is a highly skilled metal sculptor based in the picturesque Catskill Mountains of New York.
Luigi Franchi Imperial Monte Carlo Extra: One of Italy's "Best" SxS Doubles
As on London’s gun-maker’s row, Italians had skilled craftsmen who made “Best” guns of superb quality