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Composure for dogs3/25/2023 ![]() It depletes the dog’s energy and causes anxiety in the other dogs who have learned to relax until it is their turn in the field. This behavior is an effort by the dog to demand our attention to let them free. This was accomplished by applying a Huntsmith Figure Eight to any dog who was throwing a fit on the chain gang. My clearest memory of that day was being blown away by the transformation of a group of dogs on the tie-out cable when they weren’t allowed to demand attention through barking. ![]() But looking around at the general demonstration of other handlers’ mastery, exposed as merely a thin veneer over wanton canine disobedience, I also realized I had plenty of company in having a lot to learn. I’m sure my complexion reddened a bit as my default pride turned to embarrassment with Lincoln pulling against his lead and ignoring my heel commands to jump and bark at the other dogs. Each of the participants was called up in front of the group to demonstrate whatever proficiency we had in heel work, on and off lead. While Lincoln sometimes-even often-obeyed me at heel and in some of the other routine tasks we had established in solo training, he wasn’t nearly as consistent as I imagined him to be nor was he immune to the distractions we encountered that day. That first workshop introduction put me on the yellow brick road to Smith bird dog wizardry, for despite thinking I’d done a pretty good job training Lincoln to that point, it became immediately evident to me just how much I had to learn from Rick. But to hear Rick speak in-depth on the topic for the first time, it was impossible for me to resist the wisdom of his cousin Ronnie’s expression, “If you treat your dog like a human, your dog will treat you like a dog.” In other words, we have to give up some of our hang-ups to be the leader, trainer, and mentor that our dogs need us to be. Put starkly, positive reinforcement/reward-based purists need not apply. Rick is the first to admit the Smith method isn’t for everyone (he will often say, with more than a slight grin, that it’s not for those who aren’t yet tired of the out-of-control behavior of their dogs). As a newcomer, I wasn’t at all sure how I felt about some of the core Smith method techniques: the whoa post the flank collar and the strict, demanding obedience tasks and rigorous yard work upon which the system absolutely insists. But despite how much I immediately liked Rick, I admit that I started that day with some prejudices about the Smith method that I’d picked up from others and which I’d bet at least some reading this harbor as well. It’s easy to be in awe of Rick, a seasoned, down-home, charismatic cowboy sort of a guy, befitting his Oklahoma roots and his status as a scion of bird dog royalty. I had my first opportunity to meet Rick at a day-long obedience seminar for working dogs held a few years ago at my local training grounds in Virginia, where Rick attended as a special guest and sat for a no-holds-barred Q&A session over lunch with the day’s attendees. Rick and Ronnie both preside over their popular weekend Huntsmith Training seminars offered in foundation, intermediate, and advanced sessions, corresponding to the three stages of formal Smith bird dog training. Rick created the wildly popular Huntsmith Silent Command System of bird dog training along with his cousin Ronnie Smith. Rick is a member of the Bird Dog Hall of Fame, the son of the legendary Delmar Smith (still active in his mid-90s), and the grandson of the legendary B.F. When experienced upland hunters and bird dog enthusiasts hear the name “Rick Smith,” they will immediately recognize him as one of the world’s most famous living bird dog trainers. The first article introduces and outlines the project here. This article is the second in a series intended to acquaint beginner bird dog trainers and handlers with the options available for DIY training systems and methods. New England Grouse Shooting, by William Harnden FosterĭIY bird dog training using the Smith Method with trainer Rick Smith.The Upland Shooting Life, by George Bird Evans.
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