Alan:
I reread my posts to find offensive wording to you but could not find any. I was enjoying exchanging ideas with you. I am a moderator not an expert. Anyone who knows me here might say I sometimes have strong views but never claim to be an expert. I in no way meant to suggest that you are not knowledgably in your profession. If you got that impression then I apologize. I am very secure in saying Richard has a greater conceptual understanding of dog training theory than I do but I am also not afraid to tell him when he is wrong. I hope you and I can one day have the same relationship.
Richard:
RC: “- If the dog is making the same mistake over and over, it hasn't learned the command.”
VP: Anticipation is not a result of not knowing an individual command but rather not following the rule of waiting until a command is given before performing that command. A dog that heels perfectly off the field but when you heel on the field he downs midway across the field is anticipating the next command but has proven that he has an understanding of that command.
RC:“I thought we were talking about AKC obedience not only SchH training.”
VP: Good point. Forgot which thread we were in. Let’s just focus in on SchH OB so as to not waste time. I know very little about AKC OB.
RC: “If there is a training failure, why keep doing the same thing that created the training failure. Change the routine until the proper associations are created to the command and then go back to the routine to proof it.”
VP: As I said prior… “Yes it is up to the trainer to readjust his training techniques in response to this, but every training session should be built upon your last one. Training should always be a constant evolution.”
RC: ” Stay is implied. It should not be givien with all commands. It functions as a verbal correction prior to a physical one.”
VP: No argument here.
*RC: “If the dog is at the end point and has demonstrated that he understands the command, then a correction and move on is proper.”
*VP: Now we get to the heart of all this confusion. Terminology. The evil word that can bring out the worst in all of us. This is my understanding of the definition of anticipating a command. And my advice is the same as yours. You see when can all get along!
RC: “If you are at the begining or a mid point and the dog is demonstrating that he doesn't associate the command and the action,…”
VP: This dog has not learned the command and should NEVER be corrected.
RC: “…then the association in the pattern must be broken so the command can be learned.”
VP: I define this as pattern training, which differs from anticipation in that the dog does not associate the command with the behavior.