Iron Oak Dog Company

27/08/2024

🌟 Bard 🌟
Learning to play it cool around Ebbi 😎 He's working on having a more appropriate approach when he wants to play instead of launching into mosh pit mode 😂

26/08/2024

I've been working on backing with Anja for a few months. That makes it sound like a long time but it's probably been three or four total training sessions over that time period.

We use stop to flush to get the dog to back. Whether you taught bird in the air as a "cue" to stop, or are using the bird in the air as -P (negative punishment, bird goes away to punish the failure to "whoa"), the point is that you can teach the dog to back by showing them that a stationary dog predicts a bird in the air through classical conditioning.

After one stop to flush rep, Anja hit a beautiful back in her first session. Then she started blinking the backing dog, meaning she tried to avoid that dog by acting like she didn't see the dog.

This is not an uncommon issue and there are a lot of ways you can work on it. I tried at first to do the most straightforward thing, which was to correct her for not stopping. This wasn't working well and in our training system, if you have all the tools and communication in place properly, and you are chunking your training appropriately, then you rarely need a lot of reps to get something headed in the right direction.

So what ended up working was to use "indirect pressure". This means you put force on one behavior to improve the performance of another behavior. It is a way to use compulsion to influence a behavior desirably, but without creating some of the issues that pressure can cause in the emotional state of the dog. We have to remember that operant and classical conditioning are always happening at the same time. And using indirect pressure is often a way to maintain momentum or good attitude in a behavior while still benefiting from the reliability that pressure offers. This happens, I think, in part because the pressure gets moved away from a behavior that you don't associated with the pressure through classical conditioning but that you do need to be impacted by the pressure via operant conditioning.

So I would use my whistle to make Anja turn, and use e-collar force each time I did so. This way I was steering her into the backing situation in a way she couldn't avoid. But I was not actually applying pressure to the back itself.

This has worked wonderfully with the remote backing dog silhouette so now it's time to bring another live dog back into the picture and see if it holds up.

26/08/2024

Here's the link to the webinar recording from last week on tips for preparing for and handling in a test.

Key takeaways:
Read your rule book. Know the rubric you are being evaluated against.

Judges make mistakes. If you can catch them in advance, you might be able to get them to make adjustments. If you notice afterward, you are SOL.

Have club members scout exercise setups before you run so you can make suggested changes, or make handling adjustments as needed. You can always ask before hand. The worst a judge can say is , "no." Examples were a poorly placed box of ducks during duck search, dogs not marking retrieves well because of some cover in the way, and puppies not swimming because the creek was bringing bumpers straight back to them.

You should have clean runs, all tools on but you don't have to use them, before entering a test.

You can ask questions before an exercise but can't take back the result after an exercise has been completed.

Know which exercises are pass/fail and which have more subjectivity or wiggle room. "Must" vs. "Shall" in the rule book.

Obedience and handling preserve points. Know when to take a minor deduction to avoid a failure or major drop in score. Teaching little things like how to tell your dog where to look, lining, and handling on retrieves can make a huge difference. Having good enough obedience that you can use heeling as energy preservation is helpful prior to tracking exercises so the dog isn't tanked before the track even starts.

Professional cheating... know how to use rules in your favor. Example given was in steady by the blind, the dog is evaluated on forward movement. By putting the dog in a down, you generally get two acts of disobedience before is costs you anything: the dog goes from a down to a sit, and then from a sit to a stand. No points lost yet... you only get snagged if they self-release for the retrieve.

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26/08/2024

Drop In Session calendar for September!

Gun Dog - 8:00am 9/8 @ Central Penn Sporting Clays, Wellsville, PA

Pub Dog - 12:00pm 9/8 @ Graystone Brewhouse, Dillsburg, PA

Companion Dog - 6:30pm 9/10 @ Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD

Pub Dog - 6:30pm 9/24 @ BC Brewery, Hunt Valley, MD

Adventure Dog - 9:00am @ Patapsco Valley State Park, Ellicott City, MD

Closed 9/12 - 9/22 for hunting in Montana. Contact us if you are interested in sending your gun dog with us for wild bird exposure.

23/08/2024

The October 5-6 seminar at Central Penn Sporting Clays in Wellsville, PA is about 3/4 full!

And we're happy to announce that Nate has been invited to present at Rusty Guns Kennel in Lillington, NC the weekend of December 14-15! Spots are already filling up with a few early birds. If you're a Tarheel NAVHDA member, reach out to Scott or Kylie for a $50 discount code.

Thank you all so much for your overwhelming support.

®

22/08/2024

Early season on the prairie is right around the corner! We still have (very limited) space to take your gun dog with us for a week of wild bird exposure in Montana starting 9/12. It takes a year of training on pen raised birds to get the education a young dog gets in a week on the real thing!

Email us if interested [email protected].

21/08/2024

Gah! So many things going on we (Nate... Nate forgot.) to share a reminder for our LAST gun dog webinar for the training season.

Many of you are preparing to handle your dogs in fall hunt tests: NA, UPT, UT, HZP, or VGP.

Tonight’s webinar will go over tips for handling your dog in a test. We’ll cover everything from handling decisions, using scouts to increase your situational awareness, to holding judges accountable, to a little bit of “professional cheating” which understanding rules and using them in your favor.

Since this one isn’t predicated on prior knowledge of our training system, we’ve decided to make it open to anyone who would like to join us.

21/08/2024

Registration for the October seminar at Central Penn Sporting Clays opened at the beginning of this week and is already HALF FULL. Please don't wait to grab your spot!

DM or email [email protected] with any questions, or to schedule a seminar at your location.

Register at www.ironoakdogs.com/seminars

20/08/2024

Three new posts were just made to our Ko-Fi membership page (join for as little as $3/mo).

1. Pull collar conditioning
2. Dremeling puppy nails
3. Dopamine box introductions

These are all part of our ongoing series on the process of raising and training a dog from birth through the NAVHDA and JGHV tests that we run them in.

Iron Oak Dog Co. added a post for monthly subscribers!

20/08/2024

Reminder that we have a Pub Dog session THIS THURSDAY. We'll be meeting at BC Brewery in Hunt Valley.

We also have an Adventure Dog session on Sunday 8/25. We'll be hiking at Oregon Ridge (light) rain or shine!

Dogs must have completed a training program with us and passed CGC-A in order to attend Pub Dog sessions. Dogs must have completed a training program with us and passed CGC in order to attend Adventure Dog sessions.

17/08/2024

Nate is offering one final seminar the first weekend in October before taking a break for hunting season. Check out some of the reviews (see photos in this post) and feel free to reach out with questions.

More details and registration can be found here: https://www.ironoakdogs.com/seminars

If you've attended one of Nate's other NePoPo® seminars you are welcome to return for this one at half price.

Common problems in the world of hunting dog training:
1. The answer is always pressure/correction. If the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.
2. Lack of coherent training plans. How often has someone told you the the solution to a problem is "finish force fetch" or "more birds"? That lack of clarity comes from recipe style training where there is lack of nuance. People follow steps but don't understand why they are doing what they are doing.
3. Dog looks good in the field but looks like 💩 during yard work and obedience training. This is because people don't understand how to properly motivate dogs in situations where there isn't built in reward.
4. Reliability goes out the window when the tools come off. This happens when we aren't balanced in our use of pressure and rewards. If the dog is only doing the right thing because we make them, then they stop doing it when we can't make them.

With NePoPo® you learn the language of modern dog training. This means you can use training tools (pressure) and a variety of rewards to produce a dog that always performs, on cue, with heart and soul.

This isn't a "pure positive" approach to training. It's a system that helps you understand how to use ALL tools at your disposal more effectively and produce a better result.

It's like getting all the cheat codes in one place.

And this isn't specific only to one type of dog. Everything we teach is applicable to pointers, retrievers, flushers, and versatiles, as well as the Boxer or Corgi laying on your couch beside them. That said, this seminar is focused on foundation, yard work, and field work.

NEPOPO® is a registered trademark from Michael and Bart Bellon, it is used here with their permission.

16/08/2024

This week Nate completed his second NePoPo® New Gold school in Dauphin, PA with Jaclyn Dagampat and Chris Nguyen. This school focused on pet dog training and we’re excited to implement many things from this school including simplifying handling skills for clients and delivering better results in less time by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of our training.

Big thank you to the owners of Bear, Moxie, and Pearl for letting them attend school with Nate. They got lots of practice with different handlers in a new environment and they all were enthusiastic and cooperative training partners!

15/08/2024

We had a vet appointment yesterday with these little monsters. It's not ideal to handle two puppies solo, but it is what it is. So I tied them off to the bench since tethering is familiar to them which freed up my hands and helped the appointment go quite smoothly.

Then, room service style rewarding for being still. Though I'd prefer to reward them in the stand position, you pick your battles.

When they were checking the pup's teeth and were met with significant protest I requested to handle them in a way that they are familiar. Done and done! Easy peasy.

Shoutout to our vet for allowing us to handle our dogs, and shoutout to Lionheart K9, Dog Training in Maryland
for teaching us those handling skills years ago!

Both pups had a healthy check up ✅

12/08/2024

Keep up, little one! BUT DON'T GET RUN OVER!

11/08/2024

Archer put on a clinic last night! 🦆 👀
We'll often go out to do duck searches when no one else is waiting to run their dog so we don't have to call ours back in early (even if I'm not asked to I feel like an a-hole when there's a line of folks!)

He was out there for 45 min, covered 1.5 miles, and never stopped. He was bamboozled by some smarty pants ducks a few times, diving etc, but he kept at it and came out on top. Hope > Struggle

After the retrieve he was bouncing around like he was ready for more. It's tiring just thinking about his stamina 😂

07/08/2024

06/08/2024

Miss Moxie is growing up! She was here for a week in early spring (prior to puppy pandemonium at our house) for a crash course in all things puppy, especially biting and protest. She was a BLAST to work with and it's so nice to have her back! We definitely posted a bunch of reels when she was here...her enthusiasm was 🔥
That little puppy is now a teenage sassafras 💁‍♀️

We're working on using obedience to help her make good choices, and continuing to work through some protest that has been festering.
I just love this dog!

06/08/2024

We're rolling right along with our series of dog developing videos on our Ko-Fi page where we are sharing regular updates on the process of raising a companion gun dog from birth, through our breed club tests and beyond.

This video shows the temperament testing that we do with our puppies which helps us determine which puppy will go to which prospective owner.

The next installment will cover water and bird introductions, along with domestics like crate training, housebreaking, accepting physical restraint, etc.

Iron Oak Dog Co. added a post for monthly subscribers!

05/08/2024

Reminder that we have a Companion Dog drop in session TOMORROW EVENING in Patterson Park. This is our first weeknight group session as we need to make some room for an expanding lineup of group classes for continuing clients.

All clients who have completed a foundation training program with us can attend. Register at:

https://ironoakdogs.as.me

04/08/2024

Dinner last night after day 1 of Nate's August NePoPo® seminar! It was HOT. Today is much nicer. We'll post some pics later.

NePoPo® is a registered trademark of B.C.BB B.V. (Michael and Bart Bellon) and is used here with permission.

02/08/2024

Puppies went home last weekend and we're back on the board and train grind! Pearl (pit x) and Moxie (yellow lab) are here to tighten up some obedience and manners. They'll be participating in my NePoPo® seminar this weekend and also coming with me to my second NePoPo® new gold school with Jaclyn Dagampat and Chris Nguyen in two weeks.

Group pic on the 6 dog rig. This lets us work everyone efficiently and allows them to develop neutrality towards the other dogs while not being actively trained.

We've got one spot open for October for a 4 or 6 week program.

Happy Training!

31/07/2024

Ami v.d. Eiseneiche (purple collar female), now Remi, made some new friends at her checkup today!

STOP IT! Remi 💕
8 weeks, 9.8lbs

31/07/2024

Our friend Andrew with some helpful info!

Understanding how a remote bird launcher can help create a great bird dog.

30/07/2024

Mrs. Marshall Field with her yellow Lab Carl of Boghurst at the third meeting of the Labrador Retriever Club in 1933, held at the Meadow Farm estate of Charles Lawrance in East Islip L.I. Carl of Boghurst and Mrs. Field won the very first retriever field trial held in the USA in 1931. Held in the Hudson Valley Glenmere estate of Robert Goelet. Mrs. Field's husband Mr. Marshall Field III is the grandson of the founder of Marshall Field's Dept. store.

In light of recent videos surfacing depicting animal abuse at the hands of gundog handlers/trainers...

There is a long and interesting history of training for sport and shooting in this country. Proper treatment and husbandry of these animals has been priority one for amateurs and professionals since time in memoriam.

We often work alone, without the scrutiny of public oversight. We are humans like everyone else, subject to good days and bad. I reckon most of us have witnessed inappropriate or unethical handling of animals by other trainers, sometimes those we held in high regard. It is imperative that we reflect constantly on our own practices and hold ourselves to account.

One of my mentors told me to "never speak ill of a dog in your care". This is a good start towards the constant vigilance required to regulate your own temper in your daily work. Thoughts become words, words become actions and such.

I have always appreciated working in a relatively unregulated industry. We that do this for a living are governed by the rule of merit. If you are mistreating the animals in your care it will eventually come out in the wash. Protect your reputation, livelihood, family, industry, and conscience by having integrity and doing what's right even when no one is watching. Someone is likely watching.

28/07/2024

A litter from Iron Oak Kennels (v.d. Eiseneiche) went home today!

Ansel (orange collar male) is headed to SC.
Anni (yellow collar female) to NE.
Ami (purple collar female) to MN.
Arik (red collar male) to VT.

Asher (green collar male) is staying for a month for socialization, foundation work, and intro to water, game, launchers, and gunfire... then heading to MN.

Ansel (blue collar male) is staying with us for a while so that we can shoot instructional videos for online versatile dog courses and will then be available as a started, or finished, dog.

Good luck and weidmannsheil to the new members of the Iron Oak family!

25/07/2024

I have a client with a 6 month old unneutered black male GSD mix. We have had two sessions with this dog and determined that he's not the right fit for their lifestyle but would be perfect for an active adult or couple familiar with the breed, or someone looking for a sport prospect. Not good for a home with young children, or poorly behaved children of any age.

If placed locally, I'm offering six private sessions and six months of group classes to the adopter free of charge (over $1000 of training) provided they are compliant with a prescribed training plan, along with all related benefits afforded to any other client that works with us.

My understanding of his backstory is that he was in a foster home with another dog who was allowed to attack him. Because of this he is defensive when he sees other dogs and that is manifesting, as 100% expected in this breed, with forward "reactivity".

He's also mouthy... because GSD puppy. His response to direct correction/punishment is often to escalate the conflict because again... GSD puppy. He doesn't like getting his nails trimmed.

All of this is puppy stuff that was allowed to go on too long and can be addressed with training, as we have done 1000 times before. He's a sweet, fun dog and infinitely trainable. He just had a few bad experiences and spent his early life with people who squandered that time instead of teaching him life skills.

Other than needing to have positive, and refereed, experiences with good dog role models... he is very environmentally stable.

I would also be willing to do private sessions for an indeterminate amount of time with a past/current client who has previously demonstrated commitment to training and is interested in fostering him privately (not through a rescue). When he is ready for adoption we can work on finding appropriate placement, which will be infinitely easier AFTER TRAINING.

Please email me at info@ironoakdogs if interested. I will not have discussions on social media.

25/07/2024

Possibly the best single episode of any dog related podcast I have ever listened to.

23/07/2024

These videos are the sort of thing we're sharing on our Ko-Fi page as we document our development and training process for the dogs we keep from puppyhood through all of their tests, and to a started, then finished hunting dog.

We're posting videos weekly, more as the puppies grow and become more capable.

You can join our Ko-Fi membership and access a bunch of content not shared elsewhere, ask training questions, and be eligible for discounts and giveaways, for as little as $3/mo if this sort of thing interests you.

https://ko-fi.com/ironoakdogs

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In this video I discuss building mental toughness in dogs and use some of the puppy obstacle courses we set up as an example of how it works.

You'll see all the puppies from this litter do the work, but we focus on Purple Collar Female because she is the first to learn the lesson that giving up is not a viable option.

My mentor, Lionheart K9, Dog Training in Maryland, says "survival is not predicated on success, but on overcoming failure."

And since dogs are governed by survival instincts, we see all sorts of otherwise very good dogs get all screwed up when our training violates the laws of nature. In nature, if you are hungry and a rabbit runs under your nose, you are going to work hard to catch that rabbit. That rabbit never slows down to make it easier to catch, even if you are having a bad day, or just don't feel up to it right now. And if you believe that there is an endless supply of food available to you regardless of your behavior then why on earth would you put forth any effort?

This is why we like "existential feeding" in our training system. To be clear, our dogs are offered 100% of their food every day, but they must put in effort to "win" it. They don't have to do everything right. They just need to try and not give up.

In the case of the puppies, they are fed probably four times a day with kibble and still supplemented with milk from their mother frequently throughout the day. When they do try in a training session, they are allowed to eat as much as they want, but the food gets removed as soon as they walk away from it. Whatever remaining ration of food is left at the end of the day is given to them. We monitor weight and ensure everyone is developing appropriately.

So it's fine if you don't like the idea, but the fact of the matter is that the science shows things matter more to us when we work for them. And it shows that if we're given things we find value in, for free, they maintain their inherent value, but the dopamine response we need for motivation in training does not occur.

Some of the biggest names in training have criticized the idea of existential feeding. You'll note they mostly train their own dogs from their own lines at this point in their training career. This implies they are kind of selecting the dogs that fit their training system at least to some degree.

The other thing discussed in this video is that every dog will need to learn this lesson at some point... that things get tough and you have to persist. Like the student that breezed through K-12 and then college hit them like a locomotive... the students who have everything come easy to them early on are not prepared for hardship. The students that had to work hard to get Cs are usually the ones that excel in university because they are no stranger to having to put in effort.

So in training you get to decide whether your dog learns these lessons by accident or happenstance, or you can be intentional about creating those opportunities so that you can help better shape the outcomes. I've watched a lot of great dogs quit when things got tough. They weren't adequately prepared for difficulty.

You see lots of trainers that have beautiful behaviors in training that fall apart in the real world or in trial because they never built the intangibles. Your dog needs all of it: the behavior itself, the ability to channel and cap drive, and the ability to persist and invent solutions when everything you taught them isn't enough. That's the point of this work and much of the shaping we do with our dogs in the early phases of training. We want them to be self-assured and self-confident. The assurance and confidence isn't helpful if it's predicated on your cheerleading or you doing some of the dog's work for them. Then it's co-dependent. Our dogs are questing dogs. They are supposed to do a lot of work independent of us. I don't want them looking to me for solutions to problems. I do want them looking to me for advice on how to get what they want. Understanding the difference is important. I see a lot of dogs and people who only believe in themselves when everything is going right. As soon as something falls apart, so do they. That's the opposite of mental toughness. And that's the point of this work.

The most important note is that it is our, the trainer's, job to ensure that what we are expecting from our dogs is feasible for their current age, physical capability, and level of training. We don't always get it right. When that happens, we end our session, make adjustments, and then come back at it again. But if your dog fails, then you make the exercise easier as a consequence of failure, you are reinforcing failure as a strategy and your dog will very soon learn to exploit that. That is the moving the needle in the opposite direction of what we want.

22/07/2024

Miss Sadie started our Companion Gun Dog program today! She’s got a very sweet disposition and loves to retrieve. We’re going to work out a little bit of environmentals while we build her into the perfect buddy in the bar and the blind!