Dog Training Dick Staal

30/12/2025

NEVER begin training with a ball.

People see me train with toys all the time, so they say:

“Why wouldn’t I do it?”, and they try.

But what most people don’t understand is… I NEVER teach a new exercise with toys.

Toys put your dog in “high drive”, so you only want to use them once your dog understands the exercise well.

When you start using toys as rewards, you’ll see your dog become MUCH more excited to work.

It's way harder to teach new exercises at that level of drive.

Instead, use FOOD rewards in the beginning.

You’ll put your dog in low drive and allow it to think clearly.

But when do you switch?

And how do you make SURE your dog develops a drive for toys?

I’ll tell you everything in my free core video.

It’s my FULL guide to rewards and corrections, and if you apply it well – you’ll see massive progress in the next few weeks.

If you want it…

Comment “Core” (of “Basis video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send it immediately.

29/12/2025

Detection Work And Teaching Scents

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧.

A lot of handlers start with:
Multiple scents at once. New locations. Tiny scent sources. And hoping the dog will just figure it out.

It looks efficient. In real training it creates confusion and mistakes.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞.

• Start with one scent
• The search and the indication
• Train first in one fixed location, so your dog gets calm and clarity
• Start with a large scent source, then make it smaller quickly
• Add a new scent later, again from the start

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐑 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.👇

How to start, which scent to choose, and why adding too many scents too fast creates mistakes in real work.

28/12/2025

👇How to train a tracking dog that’s ALWAYS ready.

When you have a working dog…

You have to be able to wake it up at 3 am, READY to hunt suspects and save people.

However… Most dogs only perform when they “feel” like it.

You can’t risk arriving at the scene, and your dog just gives up ‘cause it doesn’t feel like working.

So you have to structure your training in a way where you dog NEVER knows if it’s training or real life.

How do you do that?

Your dog has to know that if it completes the exercise, it gets a BIG reward.

But be careful…

If you reward big TOO many times, the big reward loses its magic, and your progress vanishes.

If you’d like to see EXACTLY how and when to reward your dogs for tracking…

As well as all the techniques I use to train tracking dogs that get used by the Australian military

I made a free video showing you exactly how to do that.

Just comment “Tracking video” (of “Speur Video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send you a free guide.

27/12/2025

👇Tracking VS Barking On The Box:

A lot of people look at Barking on the box and think:

“This is basically tracking… right?”

It’s not.

And mixing those two up causes a lot of problems in training.

In tracking…

The dog follows a human scent TRAIL.

It’s definitely not a free search.

“Human scent → object/person → indication.”

But in the Barking on the box exercise:

The dog performs a free search.

There’s no trail to follow.

“Find the box → stay there → bark until handler comes to me.”

You can allow much more drive without losing control.

That’s why the barking looks so extreme.

(It has to be so the handler can hear the dog barking from a distance.)

That’s why I approach the dog while it’s barking, but if it stops…

I stop.

This teaches it:

“You bark. I approach with the reward. If you stop? The reward doesn’t come.”

And the reward is a BIG one (like toys).

That’s why you can sometimes see our dogs foaming up while barking.

THAT’S how much they want that ball.

Which one do you find harder to train correctly – tracking or free search exercises?

25/12/2025

👇How to make your working dog ADDICTED to toys.

If you want an extremely motivated dog…

One that would do ANYTHING for the reward…

You have to train with toys.

But often, people don’t know how to do it… and they can’t build drive for the toy.

So while I’m still training with food…

I’m adding LOTS of play sessions with toys outside of training.

That’s how you build desire for the toy.

I always start training with food, but at the same time, I’m getting the dog used to WANTING toys.

After a while…

You’ll realize your dog would literally jump into a bush full of thorns for the reward.

(Not that you want that, of course, but that’s the level of desire you need if you want to train working dogs).

If you want to see how I use food and toy rewards in my training…

How to know when to switch from one to the other…

And especially important – WHEN to reward the dog…

I’ll send you my free core video.

Just comment “Core” (of “Basis video” voor Nederlands), and I’ll send it to you ASAP.

24/12/2025

👇Why I only track with ONE scent…

… for a long time, at least.

Many handlers start training with lots of scents immediately, but I’ll show you why that’s killing your progress.

I’ve been tracking with Jacky for 3 months, and I’m only introducing another track layer now.

(And it’s not just any track layer, it’s a police officer who came to visit us from Australia!)

Anyway…

Just think about it:

If your dog isn’t super strong on one scent, and you introduce lots of distractions…

How is your dog going to find the object consistently?

I want my dogs to become insanely FAMILIAR with my scent.

This way, it’s so much easier to teach focus… accuracy… finding a lost track… ignoring distractions, etc.

Everything you need to have a reliable tracking dog that never fails you.

But now…

I’m adding multiple track layers, and I have a very specific method for it:

Starting in a forest, where there’s (likely) NO other human scent.

I’m always setting up my dogs for inevitable success.

If you want to see how I do it, I made a free tracking guide to help you go from 0 to the best handler in your area.

To get it…

Comment “Tracking video” (of “Speur video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send it to you ASAP.

23/12/2025

How I make my dogs find weapons after a robbery…

This is one of those training moments where you really have to think before you send the dog.

You’re not just “letting the dog search.”

In this scenario, you’re recreating something that happens a lot in real life.

A person walks away carrying a weapon…

And at some point, they throw it into the woods.

So now you have to decide:

Do you start the search immediately?

Or do you wait?

Because the weapon is full of human scent – and that’s what the dog is searching for.

But the moment the person walks away, they also leave a very fresh track behind.

And that’s where things get interesting.

If you send the dog in too quickly, the scent picture becomes confusing.

Is the dog following a track?

Or is it doing a free search for an object?

Sometimes, waiting an hour actually makes your job EASIER.

The track fades…

The environment becomes quieter…

And the dog can focus on the one thing that matters:

Finding an object that carries human scent.

22/12/2025

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗨𝗽 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

Almost every puppy owner recognizes this.
During a walk, your puppy picks up everything it finds.
Sticks, stones, trash.

It looks harmless.
Sometimes even funny.

But in practice, this behavior comes with real risks.
Not only for your dog’s safety, but also for focus, training, and future development.

In this blog, we explain:

👉 Why puppies show this behavior;
👉 Why the risks are often underestimated;
👉 And why clear rules from day one make a big difference.

❌ No tricks.
❌ No drama.
❌ Just clear guidance and practical upbringing.

👉 Read the full blog here👇

It may look harmless, but this behavior can cause risks and problems in training. Learn how to handle it clearly from day one.

21/12/2025

Reward your dog from a distance using a ______

You have to reward your dog IMMEDIATELY after it does the right behavior.

Because if you don’t…

The dog will have NO idea why you’re rewarding it…

And you’ll reinforce the wrong behavior.

So how do you reward instantly when you’re 20 away?

You use something called…

“The marker.”

It’s not the reward.

And it’s not praise.

It’s a very short signal that tells the dog:

“This exact moment is correct.”

Most people think they’re using a marker.

But their timing is off.

Or they don't understand how to reward with the marker.

I made a free core video explaining EXACTLY how I mark and reward the right behaviors to make insanely fast progress.

You’ll also see my take on corrections, as well as how to teach an exercise vs how to train it.

If you want it…

Comment “Core” (of “Basis video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send it to you in the DMs.

20/12/2025

👇The biggest mistake you’re making with detection training.

Making your dog search for its toy.

I always use a Kong… which is technically a toy – but NOT in my dogs’ eyes.

I never reward them with the Kong.

It’s just a neutral scent object that they search for.

The Kong is PERFECT for detection (especially if it’s red, so your dog can’t see it).

You can start with a large Kong, and then go smaller and smaller.

And when the dog finds it?

Reward with food in the beginning, then switch to rewarding with their toys.

(For example, a ball they love).

Many trainers think high level detection work is incredibly difficult…

But I’ll let you in on a secret:

Training this can be quite simple.

If you follow my 4 most important training pillars, you can teach your dog just about anything.

Tracking, detection, obedience, anything you want.

If you want to see what they are and how they can help you easily become the best trainer in your area…

Comment “Core” (of “Basis video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send you a free video right away.

18/12/2025

👇My 3 BIGGEST tracking hacks…

Coming from my 45 years of experience as a working dog trainer:

#1: Don’t tell your dog where to go: If you do, your dog will become dependent on your help (which you can’t give in real-life situations, since you DON’T know where the track leads.)

#2: Start at an angle: If you always start straight ahead, you’re not teaching your dog to use its nose from the beginning to find the track.

#3: Look for small objects: Your dog won’t be able to see it, so it’s FORCED to use its nose to track.

I explain all these (and MUCH more) in my free tracking video.

It will show you how to go from 0 to having a reliable tracking dog in just a few WEEKS.

(Takes most handlers multiple months, if they ever get there…)

Just comment “Tracking video” (of “Speur video” voor Nederlands) and I’ll send it to you.

17/12/2025

Use this simple trick to FORCE your dog to track with its nose.

If you want to have a reliable tracking dog, it can’t rely on its eyes.

(Otherwise, you could do the tracking, right?)

So you have to use every trick you can find to make sure your dog puts its nose on the ground…

And keeps it there until the end of the track.

I’ll give you one of those tricks right now:

Finding OBJECTS instead of people.

“Is that… it?”, you object.

Why is this such a game changer?

They’re tiny and the dog can’t see them from afar.

It HAS to use its nose to locate the object and indicate it.

If you immediately teach tracking with people…

If you immediately teach tracking with people, your dog will try to spot the person with its EYES.

That makes the dog much more EXCITED and HECTIC.

Less focus, more pressure, and far less precise tracking...

Of course, this is just one of my many tricks to get reliable and precise tracking.

If you’re a handler and you want to have the best tracking dog in your area in the next few weeks…

I’ll send you my free tracking guide.

Comment “Tracking video” (of “Speur video” voor Nederlands) and it’s yours.